The San Francisco call., 1908-05-11
EXPECT TO DOWN
RAILROAD MACHINE
LinCoIn- Roosevelt Leaghe Conf
dent of Naming State Con-
vention Chairman
This Would Mean Wrestling of
State Party Control
From Herrin

The unanimity of sentiment among
the Lincoln-R Roosevelt league repub-
licans in favor of former Mayor w. r.
Davis of Oakland as their candidate
for chairman of the state convention,
which viii convene at Sacramento
Thursday at o'clock. makes it highly
probable that he will be the person
about whom the forces of -Herrin-
ism Will rally in the crucial fight
against the railroad machine.
The chairman Of the convention Will
have the appointment of an executive
committee of the state central COM
mittee, and the election Of Davis would
therefore mean the seizure of the gov
erning body of the republican party in
California from the hands of Herrin.
This will be the most important
Issue before the convention. the selec-
ton of the delegates to. the national
convention being in measure second
airy to il.
Many active workers in the Lincoln
Roosevelt league have accepted en-
Enthusiastically the suggestion of Davis
for chairman, regarding him as one OF
the very best men that the reform
movement could put TO the fore as the
representative of the clean and higher
type of politics that the league stands
for No other suggestion for the
Craftsmanship has been made.
4 am not a candidate for anything,
said Mr.. Davis yesterday. but if it is
believed that 1 can be useful to the
league in any capacity l Will gladly
serve. / am perfectly willing TO stand
up and be counted on any proposition.
LEAGUES STRENGTH SHOWN
Il honestly believe that the league
will control the convention. II seems
that there has been some newspaper
reference TO the fact that l might be
the leagues candidate for chairman.
and since then 1 have received direct
assurances from two county delega-
tions. which have been counted in the
machine column, that they would sup
port me. These came without solicita
ton They were not personal tributes,
but meFely expressive of the pro-
Lincoln Roosevelt league sentiment
that is so strong throughout the state.
The fight in the convention this
week is by no means the whole cam
paign. 1t is only a preliminary skirm-
ish. The struggle for the redemption
Of the republican party is to go on un-
til the task is completed. There is
much to do, and after it is accomplished
It must be safeguarded and maintained.
Our work will barely have been begun
when we shall have won this weeks
convention. as 1 believe we will"
The crushing defeat which the rail-
road machine suffered at the primaries
in Alameda county was a rude shock
10 the Herrin men, and it looks as
though the withdrawal OF George W.
Reed from the race for national dele
gate from the third congressional dis
trict will be a result. Reed is openly
a railroad politician, and it is the old
story OF the machine putting forward
man who stands better in public
opinion whenever it becomes aroused.
Superior Judge Melvin of Oakland is
said to be the man the machine will
substitute for Reed, the judge being
affiliated politically with the organ
ization."
It remains to be seen II the judge
will involve himself In a political con-
test, which idea is suggested by the
boast OF machine man that three law
yers who were elected delegates on the
Lincoln Roosevelt ticket will not dare
oppose him because they have cases
pending in his court.
RAILROAD MACHINE SPLIT
The most peculiar political situation
in the state is that of Humboldt county
where Judge Hunter is being enthu
siastically and unanimously supported
for the congressional nomina tion in op-
position to Englebright of Nevada City
Hunter is eagerly approved of by the
anti-machine forces and is regarded as
their candidate, yet the Gillett admin
istration is giving him its cordial sup
port. In other words, poor Englebright
is making a machine fight with an i'm
portant element of the organization"
shouting for the other man. He has
the support of the Calkins newspaper
syndicate and presumably of George
Hatton, therefore with Herrin pretend
ing to be in his favor.
The surprising attitude of the gov
ernor's men, is explained by the cir
cumstance that in the event of Hunters
election there will be a vacancy on, the
bench of Humboldt county. Private
Secretary Cooper of Governor Gillett's
office is said to entertain ambitions of
being a Judge, and as he has many
friends in Eureka interested in his well
fare the reason for the shouting there
for the elevation of Hunter becomes
apparent.
From the other end OF the state
comes the word that Assemblyman
Manuel Estudillo has failed In his aim
TO be nominated for the senate in the
district embracing Riverside and Orange
counties. The war has been raging
over Estudillo for months, but Orange
county has finally made il impossible
for him TO realize his ambitions. AL
ways striving to be the first Of the sea-
son, some of the districts of southern
California have already been fighting
over the legislative tickets
The spirit OF fight seems to be in evil
dence everywhere In the state The
elements that have chafed so long un-
der machine rule are breaking out in
open warfare in many sections. 1t is
this spirit of revolt against the tradi-
tions of railroad dominance that will
mark the proceedings of the convention
at Sacramento, and unless signs fail
this state gathering of republicans will
be the most exciting In California; s