The San Francisco call., 1908-04-12
HARTMAN EVOLVES
MACHINES SLOGAN
Vote at Every Ballot Box Is
Praised Utterance OF
State Senator
General Stone Makes Last Ef.
fort to Line Up PUSH
for Primary

General George Stone, chairman OF
the republican state committee,
gathered the push" of the city about
him last evening at King solomon
hall in Fillmore street to make last
desperate endeavor to foist upon the
people his foolish unofficial primary.
The personnel and proceedings or the
assemblage were typical and its senti-
ments were crystallized in much
praised declaration of State senator
Gus Hartman, delivered enthusiastically
as follows
"As many ballot boxes as are strewn
along the line. so many times will l
vote
General Stone declared open war on
the Lincoln Roosevelt republican
league. He called on all hands to or
ganize clubs in their districts In the
hope of saving the Organization" The
Lincoln Roosevelters having blocked
him and obstructed him in his faith
full service to the party" he would not
condescend to mention them by name.
Then the fun started.
I'VE already have a club OF 1900
members" piped wag who said he
was from the thirty eighth district.
Everybody had been industriously
grubbing to form clubs that would
take orders. So many republicans had
been gathered into these bodies that
even General Stone himself began to
show doubt, for the figures were going
far beyond the total registration OF
the city.
DETAILS LEFT TO Jake.
Il want clubs organized in every dis
trict of the city" came the demand
from the general after he had been told
of the remarkable efforts that had 49,
ready been made. Jake Steppacher
will attend to the details" he said, and
then dismissed the matter.
There was serious note Of dis
cord in the meeting. Percy Reamish
struck 1t when he said bluntly that the
generals unofficial primary was a
fool thing. 1T is too primitive" he
complained. "It is entirely imprac.ic-
able. It would not bring out genuine
expression of public opinion. 1t would
all be useless work. What would pre-
vent the democrats from voting at a
primary not recognized by law? 1
can't SEQ what Is to be attained and
1T looks to me as II the primary will
all be useless work"
Beamish's remarks were decidedly un-
welcome and when he tried to renew
his protest General Stone would not
let him speak.
The general explained his primary
crusade as follows: The county COM
mittee is unable to carry out the call
of the state committee for the 'un-
official primary at which republicans
can express their choice for the presi-
dency. California is for Taft, they
say. I believe 1t and am a modest
supporter of the secretary of war. The
best way to instruct our delegation is
to hold primaries. This will be an
opportunity for the people to make a
slate for a change
After some further statesmanlike
utterances, Stone explained that the
expense Of the unofficial" primary
would be trifling If volunteers could
boxes. It was when 1t was explained
that the primary could be conducted
out in the street, with any kind of a
box and any paper and pencil used for
balloting that Gus Hartman saw a
bright point and uttered his enthusias-
tic remark about the opportunity for
repeating"
TALKED OUT, THEY ADJOURN
There were some offers of volunteers
to conduct the primary, but nothing
definite toward enlisting them was ac-
complished. The meeting adjourned
tician as something ignoble and despic-
able, and Austin Lewis made a plea
for socialism Among the prominent
women present at the meeting were.
Mrs. Arthur Cornwall, Mrs. Louis Hertz,
Mrs. Laura Bride Mrs. George Clough,
MRS rowsfsi st,rp Ms. Ms T. "a. r,sohs' Noise