The San Francisco call., 1908-03-01
HnoOIn-ROOseveIt BOdy's Rapid
Growth Alarms Minions of
''OrSanizatiOn"
GiIIett's DenunciatiOn Is Taken
TO Show Where Executive
Is Lined Up
Failing to Defeat Movement by
COIOnizing, Herrin Plans
Open Campaign
BY George Van Smith


The tremendous growth of the Lin
ooln-Roosevelt league of republican
clubs has resulted not alone in alarm
ing the machine forces, but It has
forced the organization to send Its
warriors into the open to fight as bes;
they may for the preservation of the
machine that has made California {
byword in the annals of American
politics.
The development of the Lincoln
Roosevelt league strength has been
logical and logically restrained. Real
izing that the great body Of honest
republicans OF California are heartily
with the league and its purposes. the
leaders OF the movement. however. have
been forced TO proceed slowly in per-
fecting local organizations to insure
against the machine colonization Of the
clubs. which would inevitably destroy
public confidence in the movement.
The Lincoln Roosevelt league is not
q Job chasing movement and the pro-
1essional Job chasers. only too anxious
to rally TO the support Of the move
ment for the benefits that would ac-
crue to themselves. have been vigor-
ously and consistently discouraged and
ehectually relegated TO the ranks
Chester H. Rowell. state secretary and
organizer OF the league. has been be-
sieged with requests for authority to
proceed with organization work IN vir-
tually ali the assembly districts from
the Tehechapi to the Oregon border.
ONLY GOOD MEN WANTED
Organization. however. IN virtually
every instance has been deferred until,
through the Efforts Of the state leaders
organization by the right kind of men
has been insured. The same care that
has been exercised in san Francisco
has been the watchword throughout
the state
The leagues preliminary work IN San
Francisco has been done with pains
taking care. that when the work is
completed. as It will be early next
week. the san Francisco organization
VIII be one that viii command the in
slant respect and confidence Of ali anti
machine republicans
The best evidence of the wholesome
fear the machine has for the Lincoln
Roosevelt league is furnished by the
tactics employed by the organization
in the fight. which its leaders realize
IS OF greater proportions than any op-
position they have ever been called
upon TO meet
The governor OF California, James
=, Gillett has been forced to come
into the open in a desperate effort to
save the organization" Heralded az
the representative OF the Organization, .
Governor Gillett Is in Washington try
ing to belittle and discredit the Lin
coin Roosevelt league as the personal
political machine OF Ex-Governor
George C. Pardee-
KNOWS ITS FALsITY p
No men know better the absolute
fslsity Of such an assertion than dc
Governor James n. Giuetf. who, ac-
cording TO the machine organ, made
81, and George c. Pardee, about whon
IL was made, oillett knows the men
who are leading the Acknowledgement
league Of clubs in California He
knows that they would not permit
themselves TO be used to advance the
political interests OF George C. Pardee
or Of any other man.
That Pardee too knows this is sufl-
ciently obvious. but 1t should be said
in fairness to him, that Pardee has
evidenced no desire 10 attempt to sub
5ugste the Lincoln Roosevelt organIza-
tion TO the political ambitions he IS
said 70 @harbor. but which he has not
disclosed to the leaders Of the Lincoln
Roosevelt movement Pardee was pres
ent and participated in the delibera-
tions Of the meeting at which the state
organization Of the Lncoln-Roosevelt
league was completed.
He did not take q leading part in that
meeting and has never attended a meet
ing Of the state executive committee,
though many such meetings have been
held. That DR.. Pardee is enthusiast
ically supporting the league movement
IN his own community goes without
saying. but that he has. exercised or
attempted to exercise the slightest. CON-
troll over the state. organiza ton of the
league is wholly false
DEvLIN Is PLEASED
President Frank r. Devlin of:vaIlejo,
whose: record as, legislator is one of
the bright. pages in caiifoTnis's deplor-
able legislative history and whose
rugged honesty the worst machine man
has never dared question. considers the