The San Francisco call., 1908-07-24
BOURBON FACTIONS
ARE FIGHTING HARD
BeIl-McCabe and McNab Forces
Line Up Adherents for
Primary
Contest Wages Most Fierceiy in
the Thirty=seventh and
Thirty-ninth Districts

Both factions in the local democracy
are claiming everything that is at
| issue between them in the approaching
| primary election. The McNab men say
that all the democratic registration
! is on the side of the organization. The
members of the San Francisco demo-
cratic club claim that it is all on the
side of the Bell-McCabe forces. The
McNab men say they will sweep the
city; so do their opponents. Both
| sides say the fight is a walkover.
| At the same time the political activ
| ity on both sides is out of all proper
tion to this pose of confidence and Sc
curity. The Organization is quietly
but vigorously at work; the rebels are
out in the open, working their heads
of"
The two districts in which the fight
wages most hotly are the thirty-seventh
and thirty ninth, both of which were
taken away from the organization at
the last primary. The thirty
was won by the rebels last May, owing
to the hard work of Al McCabe, Harry
Kelly, Theodore Roche and Jim"
Nealon. But Tommy Walsh, who
used to be registrar. has made a solemn
VOW to win it back to McNab this
| time. Every democratic voter in the
district has been asked to take a hand
with the organization. and big pub
lie meeting has been held In addi
tion to this the Bell-McCabe forces
have lost the help of Harry Kelly and
Jim" Nealon, who say they are tired
of the hard work and want to attend
to their own business. Al McCabe and
Theodore Roche are more active than
ever, despite these setbacks. and the
district is still in the doubtful column.
OFFER TO COMPROMISE
That the regulars realize the uncer-
tainty of this district is apparent, for
they have made tenders of compromise
to their opponents. The district has
"a delegates in the local convention
and the organization men are said to
have been willing to split the delega-
tion, at first IL to 13 in their own favor,
and then half and half. When the
rebels turned down these offers the
fight proceeded more vigorously than
ever.
The McNab men frankly admit that
they will not win the thirty ninth If
the almshouse vote goes against them
en- bloc as 1t did last primary. But
they declare with a significant air that
it Will not go against them. They
think they will get the district by
modest majority of two to one.
To show that McNab and his lieuten-
ants are taking no chances the anti
McNab men are citing an alleged incl
dent in the forty-firs district. They
say that a lamplighter named Roger
Curry was actively with them last
time, but that he has received a hint
through the Welsbach people not to
oppose the organization or Mooser-
Corbett forces in the coming election.
Curry swings five votes in his own
house, and the story is supposed to
show the uncertainty of the organiza-
ton as to winning the district.
rTrl-. r. IL,
claims that it Will carry the twenty
ninth, thirtieth, thirty-second, thirty
fourth, thirty-sixth, thirty-seventh,
thirty eighth, thirty ninth. fortieth,
forty-first, forty-second, forty-fourth
and forty-fifth.
CLAIM OF McNAB MEN
While protesting to care nothing
about the burned districts, the McNab
men lay claim to the thirty first, thirty
second, thirty-third, thirty fourth, thir-
ty-fffth, thfrty-sixth, thirty seventh,
thirty eighth, thirty ninth, fortieth and
forty-first.
Candidates are shy about declaring
themselves just yet, one of the few ex-
ceptions being James Sullivan, a union
blacksmith in the twenty eighth, who
wants the democratic nomination for
the assembly. At the other end of
town Charles Lightner, a drayman, will
De nominated III the lOTIy -HlIn IL the
anti-AIcNab men win out, as they have,
good chance of doing. Luke Fay of
the same district is considering the
advisability Of running for the state
senate to succeed "Budgy" Nelson. But
Fay could not get the nomination un-
less McNab is beaten IN the forty first,
an unlikely contingency
George Tracy, president of the state
| labor council, is being mentioned con-
tinually as the McNab choice for the
congressional nomination in the fifth
district. At the same time the wise
ones" declare that his name is being
used as stalking device, McNab's real
choice being Frank H. Gould. A. M
Robertson, the well known local book
man, who resides at Redwood, is also
spoken of as democratic candidate.
There is no doubt that Judge Dunno
will be renominated by the democrats.
If a nonpartisan judicial ticket is ar
ranged by the democrats and republi
cans the democrats would be willing to
name Judges Hunt ana Sturtevant, but
would want the other two places, one
expired and one unexpired. for them
selves.