The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-11-15
Senator Has Own Troubles
to Look After Without
Herrin's, Too
DOOM POSTMASTER
Roosevelt Men Still Hold
in Mind His Obedience
to S. P. Whistle

BY George a. Van Smith
The quiet. cold sneak on another
four year term in a $4,000 year job
planned by Postmaster Arthur Fisk
and his Herrin machine sponsors bids
fair TO become a torch light process
sion. with Fisk's light out. The anti
machine republicans of San Francisco
are preparing papers in q suit for di-
vorce as between Fisk and the gilt
edged job. which will be at President
Roosevelt's disposal in January.
risks hopes Of esppointment TO the
. best federal position in California were
based on the failure Of the Roosevelt
republicans 10 bring out a man for the
sob on which his four year tenure
ceases in two months Fisk and the
Ierrin machine republicans have given
no indications Of q hunt for 2 renewal
q risks mortgage on the postomce,
and 70 anxious inouirers have sug-
gested that Roosevelt's policy Of reap
pofntment Of all first and special class
postmasters. except where reappoint-
ment would initiate against the good
OF the service. meant the retention OF
risk
The Roosevelt republicans of San
:. Francisco. who demand Fisk's scalp
and are casting about Tor the most
--rr-L-- --zs= -. - -. =
with the idea that the president viii
deem II "good- for the service" to re-
appoint q postmaster who has consist
entity taken orders from the fountain
head Of the anti Roosevelt movement in
CsIifornia-W. F. Herrin.
The Roosevelt republicans go even
further IN their anti-Fisk calculations
They believe that not even the Herrin
lash can make Senator Perkins. a can
didate for reelection by the next leg
ssIature. stand up against a sentiment
in san Francisco and the state which
VIII. IN all probability, be dominant in
the next legislature.
without q fight for the place. the
naming OF Fisk TO succeed himself
would have been simple and con-
genial task for Perkins. In the face
OF the determined opposition OF the
California republicans whom Roosevelt
recognizes as his friends the renomins
tion of Herrin's man becomes quite a
different matter. The California dele
cation has not yet fully recovered from
the effects Of the presidential booting
J administered IN the matter Of the
Berkeley postohhce. The year 1908 viii
be an awkward time for a senatorial
sspirant 10 offend either the president
or the Roosevelt republicans OF San
Francisco
Fisk may rightfully assert 4 claim
or the good viii, Il not the affections
. OF the Southern Pacific political bureau
an5 the senators from California. His
ear has always been sensitively at
tuned 10 the sound OF the whistle and
the san Francisco postofhce, its $4,000
= year and the limited but rich patron
age annexed thereto were passed him
ss =. reward for faithful services.
As member OF the assembly Fisk:
services were so eminently satisfac
tory to Herrin that IN his second tern
he was elevated 70 the speakership
where be was trusted with the execu-
ton OF the railroad program. To save
The machine from embarrassment Fish
became q candidate for the United
states senate and corralled q few scat
tering votes that might have strsyec
into forbidden pastures. but were ulti.
nnately def4~ered to Flint Then he go
the postofice and began drawing the
salary n January. 1904 The postofic,
appointment made FisI's services Il
7errin a little more dinBcult, but h,
proved equal TO every occasion.
When Herrin helped Ruef by knitting
p Partridge in 1905 Fisk was Herrin',
personal representative on the fusior
COMMITTEES that was used to turn tbs
trick for schmitz. It was a delicat,
task Herrin refused to cooperate
with the fusionists unless Fisk wa,
placed on the committee. Fisk wal
put or, but his pride in his commission
was eousIed only by his caution. H,
knew that his task was not a pretty
one and that Roosevelt might be ex,
pected TO look with disfavor on a post
master who permitted himself 10 b
USED as Herrin's tool for such trick
He participated IN the daily confer.
ences OF the committee, transmitting
TO II the orders Of his overload and
. sponsor, but he did not permit the us'
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