The San Francisco call., 1908-12-27
PERKINS SLATED
TO KEEP TOGA
ANOTHER TERM
Will Probably Be Nominated TO
Succeed Self by Virtually
Unanimous Vote
Fight Against Senior Senator
From California Practically
Over at Primaries
Physical Condition of Noted Law
Maker Creates Speculation
Among Politicians
By George Van Smith

By George Van Smith
In spite of the efforts of few well
intentioned Legislators elect and barring
the Intervention of some unthought
of catastrophe. United States Senator
George c. Perkins will be nominated
to succeed himself by a virtually unan-
imous first vote of the republican leg
islative caucus, from which not more
than half dozen and probably not
more than three of the republican SEN
ators and assemblymen will be absent
The fight against the senior senator
from California was over when the pri-
mary election vote was counted in
August AS a matter of fact, it was
over before the primaries, but at the
primaries the anti-Perkins republicans
who We're opposed to the senior sena-
tor on principle, were beaten, and the
great majority of them. willing to adj
nit that they were beaten, took their
punishment smilingly and rolled up
their sleeves to help swell the repub-
lican majority.
Not all the anti-Herrin machine re-
publicans were anti-Perkns men. nor
We're the Roosevelt leaguers
in exclusive possession of the anti
Perkins bug. Perkins was in quite as
much danger year ago from the ma
chine as he was from the anti machine
forces. The machine opposition disap-
peared before the primaries, and from
that time the Perkins fight was really
over, instead of from the time when the
Lincoln Roosevelt leaguers got the
short end of the decision and purse in
August
SENATOR'S PHYSICAL CONDITIONS
The physical condition of any man,
much less a public official, is always a
gruesome subject, but there is mighty
little sentiment in politics. especially
that brand of politics played by the
Herrin machine, and putting it badly.
Perkins precarious physical condition
protected him from a much more seri-
Gus opposition than that put up by the
Lincoln Roosevelt league proved to be.
II saved him from the opposition of the
machine, which with the opposition of
the anti-machinists would have in
sured the passing of Perkins and the
mittee on naval affairs to California.
Before Perkins returned from Wash
ingt9n last spring the most violent and
vicious anti Perkins sentiments We're
proposed by dyed in the wool machine
men and machine members of the legis-
Iature. Southern California was hot
bed of anti Perkins sentiment and the
source of a vigorous and lily concealed
anti Perkins propa ganda. Perkins
came home with his Health apparently
shattered. His physical condition and
an appreciation of his advanced age re-
suited almost Immediately in the de-
duction that his reelection would
mean the appointment Of his successor
before the conVening of the legis-
Iature of 1911. This is no guess work.
II is as true as it is brutal Machine
men OF high and low degree discussed
and are now discussing the senatorial
situation from the stand point Of the
probab BILE length of Perkins lease on
age OF work horse or the infirmities
of an aging racer.
UNFAIR TO GILLETr
I.atterly there has been an attempt
TO connect Governor GilIett with these
foolish ghoulish speculations and in
my Judgment they have been as unfair
to Gillett as they Were illuminative
of the sentiments which animate some
of the practical politicians. Some of
tile antemortenl prognostirators have it
all figured out that Perkins will die
off comfortably enough, that Gillett
will resign and that he Will be APP
pointed to the United States senate by
Warren Porter. who viii succeed Gil
lett as chief executive of the state.
Aside from consideration of any loose
screws touching the practicahility OF
this scheme, it is not fair to Gillett
to put him in the position of aspiring
to that kind of preferment.
If Gillett wanted more OF the con-
gressional life, he had but to decline
to resign for the gubernatoriaI nomi-
nation. Gillett is no novice in poll
tics When he resigned from the house
of REPRESENTATIVES he did 1t with a fair
appreciation of what appealed to most
men in politics as a fact and that fact
was that he could be elected to the
United States senate over Perkins in
the year of grace 1903. if he chose 10
take that'end of 1t. Gillett was peo-
pie S man in the state senate. He was
making good in congress when he alai1
which. in itself, put him out of. Joint
with the anti -maehines men. Gillett
did not like Washington. He has said
on more than one occasion that regard
less Of the gubernatorial nomination he
would not have accepted denomination
to congress-. Whether he has or Ia
not changed his mind about congress
Gillett is not the kind Of man who
builds his ambitions on mausolerms. :
No FoRMIDABLE OPPOSITION
But quite aside from any of those
grewsome considerations no formid-
able opposition to Perkins will be dl
veloped when the Legislature of 1903
gets around to the matter of selecting
.his successor.
! Nearly all of the democrats, outside
of san Francisco, who were elected 20
the legislature as result of the re-
platforms which left them free to vote
for republican for the United. States
senate if they chose. The democrats
-, s-fit, t1,stf fo.,f fourfh -nf ti,;,t