The San Francisco call., 1908-04-09
WHEELER SCORES
MACHINE CONTROL
Speaks Before LincoIn-RoOse-
veIt League on Domination
by Southern Pacific
Rudolph SpreckeIs Talks on the
Misuse of Government by
the Wealthy

ITO hold any od1ce for the people Il
an honor and 3 sacred trust. But this
honor, thiH sacred trust. this birthr1ght,
has been stolen from and is con-
rroIled By a man who sits In Broadway,
New York
And we have permitted this. We
have allowed our franchise 10 be stolen
from us and we have allowed ourselves
70 be directed by n nonresident, who
says what man-Ehan occupy the highest
once In the state. j repeat tive are
being directed from Broadway, New
York. Are we going TO stand for itF''
When Charles : Wheeler reached
this point in his address 70 the Lincoln
Roosevelt league a ringing NO" sprang
from the throsts OF his hundred listen
erE. Il was fully E minute before the
hsndclapplng and the shouts OF ap-
provsl ended and he was able 10 re-
sumo
II any evidence was needed TO show
what & grip the Lincoln-R Roosevelt
league has taken on the Independent
republicans Of this city II was supplied
yesterday BY this gathering which
, Wheeler ADDRESSED Planned merely as
one OF the leagues weekly luncheons
: ss Tast's the spontaneous enthusiasm OF
THE lesguers turned il into q rousing
ratification meeting in the interests OF
free politics and representative govern
rnsnt
Wheeler's forceful Indictment OF the
Southern Pacific political machine was
not The only signal for loud approval
When the speaker solemnly ab5ureo all
personal ambition in connection with
his political activities the applause was
renewed And when Rudolph Spreck-
els il the fNt public speech he has
ever MADE. declared that he, too, would
never be candidate for once the ep-
proving shouts OF the lesguers could
be heard out II Van Ness avenue
UNITED IN COMMON CAUSE
Politics has never been done before
in this city the way the league is doing
politics and the city has never before
had q political meeting like that Of
yesterday. The hundred men in at
tendance represented every assembly
district IL The city Many Of them were
strangers 70 one another. but they had
& common interest in their sincere de-
termination 70 90 the work Of the Lin
coin Roosevelt league by ousting the
railroad from politics and giving the
republicans Of the state an Embossed
and untrsmmeled convention
When the lesguers had taken the
edge OF their appetite Byron Mauzy.
heir vice president introduced Wheel
er ss the speaker OF the day Mauzy
also took occasion 70 deny once more
the csnsr6 that the executive commit
the district clubs.
IF the committee develops any symp-
TOMS ef boss fever. he smilingiy OBJ
served. we have doctor on the com
utrcee who viii check them in time.
Wheeler's address was al once closely
reasoned and eloquent He traced IN an
Illuminating way the organization Of
society and the gradual rise OF the class
which tears down government II the
scramble for special privileges He
described how these traitors sought
control Of the political parties
Hence we have bosses he declared;
hence we have the legislator wearing
the corporate collar about his neck
And 4 he fails 70 control the political
party The special privilege seeker tries
the method OF bribery; hence We have
legislative corruption"
CONTROL OF JUDICIARY
The speaker went on 10 explain how.
iu spite Of honest legislators, good laws
were rendered imperative and how
even the judiciary was controlled
'As z result OF one or other OF these
methods" he continued. the minority
rules in many states And yet do
not think that the country is going 10
the 'demnition bOw-wews. The prin-
clple Of liberty is eternal. but we are
sleeping on our MANHOOD The tine
TO mend is right now when Z great
zRd men are awaking 70 their rights
and sacred privileges
After hts scathing reference 70 sHar
rfunsn's- control Of this states politics.
Wheeler concluded by his renuncistion
Of any claim 70 political preferment
When Byron Mauzy arose 70 make an
announcement 10 the same effect from
RHdolEh Spreckels there was renewed
cheering which only ceased when
Spreckeis arose TO speak for himself
NOT SEEKING OFFICE
It an sorry. he said. that il has
become. necessary for me 70 announce
that I an not q candidate for any po
nricaI Office. I have gone into this
fRht with the Lincoln Roosevelt league
lust as I have gone into the fight
AGAINST municipal corruption, from dis
Interested motives I have tried 70
show that my feeling ia favor Of good
citizenship is absolutely disinterested.
have tried 20 show that ] consider X
my duty and the duty OF all OF Us TO
help the enforcement of the law against
those who break IL I have tried TO
show the poor man. the man OF or
dinsrv affairs. that nobody Is above
the law and that justice is for all and
that IL is not 70 be perverted by those
who have attained 10 power by the
wrongful accumulation OF vast wealth.
Fearing As T do that We will have a
revolution in this country unless II is
made impossible for the wealthy 10
rransgress the law. I have dedicated
myself to the work Of overcoming the
wrongful control OF government by The
wealthy"
with the announcement that Senator
Charles n Belshaw would speak at the
, next Wednesday luncheon OF the league
the gathering dispersed A meeting OF
the executive committee OF the league
for the purpose OF forming a central
governing. body viii be held Friday
night