The San Francisco call., 1908-04-10

With the center of the political storm
shifted 20 Alameda county. the figure
or District Attorney Everett Brown has
assumed critical importsnce. not only
il the swirl OF trsnsbay ststesmanship,
bat IN the Affairs OF 81 CsIitornia's re-
publicans. As would be said in aca-
demic Berkeley. he Is the key 10
situation OF grave Importance To him.
sppzrestIy Il falls 70 Judge whsther
the princsDles-o representative govern
meut. shan prevail. or whether the bad
old tine methods OF stealing oouven-
ton delegates shall be revived
Brown is secretary OF the republican
COMMITTEES IN the third congressional
district that has seized upon the arbi-
tra-y powers conferred By Herrin-made
laws 70 appoint as many delegates as
possible IN order to rob the people of
any voice IN the matter BE is also q
Dominating personality in the commit
tee. and therefore carries much OF the
responsibility He has already shown
strong inclination TO favor the hold
szg CT general primaries. and II there
had not been two murder trials 20 en-
gross his attention he would have
cleared Up the matter. IN his own mind
~ least long before this. However.
noEes are entertained that ne viii not
stand for the gag methods and that he
yin be induced 20 make an aggressive
eHo-t 70 have the congressional com
Tnittse undo it's scheme OF appointing
"a CT the IS delegates
DEMAND FOR PRIMARIES
II su interview last night District
Attorney Brown expressed his opinion
IN this important matter as follows:
i don't believe one single delegate
should be appointed 70 q convention
when it becomes matter of a gov
erning body perpetuating itself in Office.
To sppoint delegates in such a case
instead OF allowing the people 10 choose
fsem At = primary election is abso-
rut.ly improper and unfair to the pso-
PIE,
.sThe delegates TO the state convsn-
tion n Sacramento viii choose the new
state central committee OF the repub-
liosn party That is g very important
rnstter and concerns every man IN the
party. For the governing body 70 ap-
point any OF the delegates 10 that con-
xentiou would be altogether wrong.
~As far as the congressional con-
vehtion 70 be held in Oakland May u
iE. concerned. I think that il there is
a public demand for the election OF
delegates by primary, where the pri-
mary is not mandatory, then the pri-
mary ought TO be held To appoint
delegates in that case would be TO run
counter 10 the public will And I
think that there is a public demand
& fsE q primary throughout this district
Il have always been in favor Of hold
ing primaries. even when they were
not provided for BY law when Con-
gresham Metcslf was appointed sec
retsry OF commerce and labor, and it
was necessary TO III his place. 1 was
a minority OF one in the congressional
committee in favor of a primary cleo
tioi.
Unfortunately I have not been able
70 give this matter the attention
which IL deserves. 50 cannot say just
now what my course will be, but ex-
Dect 70 be in better touch with the
situation within a very short time
TO SET TzECEDENT
within q few days the republican
county committee OF Alameda viii
meet 10 arrange for primaries for the
election OF delegates 10 the state con-
rention. which VIII choose the four
national delegates al large and whose
chairman viii name the new state
COMMITTEES. The question whether tbs