Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-06
Denies He Has Given
Orders to Mayor
SChmitz
Chris Buckley Says San
Francisco Is Worst
Governed City
Points with Pride to Conditions Under
His Long Regime and Draws
Comparisons That Are
Odious

"The report published in a San Fran
cisco paper saying that l am one of
the advisers of Mayor Schmitz and
his followers and that / mapped out a
course OF graft for them is a lie.
"I have never met Mayor Schmitz, 1
have never had any connection with
the party now in power in San Fran
cisco, and 1 am not in any way mixed
up with the municipal row in that
city"
Thus spoke Chris Buckley, for twenty
years known as the "blind boss of San
Alexandria yesterday.
Chris Buckley retired from San Fran
cisco politics nearly fifteen years ago,
but his one time political adversaries
refuse to let him rest in peace in pri-
vate life.
Last Wednesday a report was pub
lished in San Francisco and sent
abroad charging Mr.. Buckley with be-
ing the adviser of Mayor Schmitz and
of mapping out plan of easy graft
through a series of holdups of the sa-
looms, restaurants and other places of
this sort needing police protection.
''If 1 We're at home 1 would not take
the trouble to deny this, but since
| was in politics there are about 100000
people who have come into this state
| who do not know me. AT home my
friends know what is true and what is
false. They know me, and what any
one could say to them obout me would
make no difference one way or another.
Likes Los Angeles
II think Los Angeles is the most
pleasant and restful place in the world,
and it is here that / come when l want
to rest and get away from business
cares.
'It is ridiculous for anyone to say
that | have any connection whatever
with San Francisco politics.
81 have never in my life met Mayor
Schmitz and have never done any busi-
ness with him. L did not support him
nor any of his men. l am not in SYM
pathy with the present office holders in
the slightest degree.
II have only a speaking acquaintance
with Abe Ruef and have never had any
business dealings with him. San Fran
cisco is having the worst government
der the Democratic regime when l was
in politics for twenty years the city
taxes We're lower than those of any city
in the United States, and there were no
defaulterS. The expenses of the gov
ernment were $2,000,000 less than they
are today, and there is very little more
government today than there was then.
Any such system of graft as Is charged
against Mayor Schmitz would have
been absolutely impossible.
Calls 1t Infamous Outrage
"The charges that 1 am associated
with Jerry Driscoll and that he has
given advice to Mayor Schmitz from me
is an infamous outrage. 1 have not
spoken to that man for years. l have
not permitted him to speak to me.
"Yes, he was at one time one of my
lieutenants, just as a great many other
men were. He did my bidding for
years. but I have no bidding for him
now and we have no dealings. He is a
relative of Mayor Schmitz. A cousin of
the wife of the mayor, l believe.
II was never, as has been said. in
dicted by the grand jury for any Of
fense. Once when I was in politics a
crowd of my political enemies formed
themselves into a jury and pretended
they had a right to investigate me. The
court ruled that these men were meet
ing without legal right and set them
aside. The real grand jury followed,
and they had no evidence to turn over
They were forced to admit that they
had nothing at all against me-"
1t is also said that Mr.. Buckley ad-
vised Mayor Schmitz to grant a favor
now and then without immediate cash
payment in order that he might gain
friends, and that he told Schmitz to try
to gain the friendship of Hartman in
some such way.
Mr.. Buckley denies both these charges
and says that he does not even know
Mr.. Hartman, and that such advice
could not have been given by him un-
der any conditions.
Bames the People
"The people are to blame for the pres
ent condition of affairs in San Fran
cisco. The conservative people can de-
feat any party If they will do 1t. / be-
lieve that this fall the party will be
overthrow entirely.
Party lines will be set aside and
the people who want good government
will compose ticket of honest men and
elect them.
IF Henry j. Crocker or Franklin K.
Lane had been elected there would
never have been such state of affairs
in San Francisco. 1 would not say that
either Mayor Schmitz or Abe Ruef is
guilty of the graft OF which they are
accused, because 1 know only from
hearsay, and 1 do not believe a man
should be adjudged guilty until ne has
been proven so by jury of his peers.
That is fair. The fact remains that
San Francisco is the worst governed