The San Francisco call., 1909-07-23
FICKFRT TALKS
REGARDING HIS
POLITICAL HOPES
Candidate for Nomination for
District Attorney by Repub-
Iicans Reviews Career
Football Athlete at College and
Never Before Seeker for an
Elective Office
By GEORGE A. VAN SMITH

p4DlCan candidate Tor district at
torney. entitled 10 the Endorsement and
support Of the businessmen's commit
tee Of 200
Fickert first entered the race with
the Endorsement Of the union labor
party conference, headed by P. H Nc
Carthy and Michael Casey. The de-
cision Of the supreme court in the
direct primary test case brought by
the socialist party deprived him of a
place on the union labor party pri-
mary ballot That place has been left
open. and union labor party leaders say
that Fickerts name will be written on
the ballot and the union labor nomi-
nation given TO him in that manner.
WAS FOOTBALL HERO
Fickert is an interesting personality.
A few years ago Giant" Fickert. cap
tain OF the Leland Stanford university
football team and all round athlete.
was g hero OF the campus and his
name figured prominently in the anna
teur sporting news. The public for
gets many things in 10 years. When
he became q candidate for district at
tOrney the young lawyer and his work
were unknown TO thousands Of the men
VINO VIII be asked to vote for him
August J.. and 10 more thousands who
VIII be asked TO vote for him in No
vember Il he secures the republican
nomination which he seeks and the
union labor nomination which viii un-
doubte0ly be his unless denied TO him
by the supreme court.
The public was intimately acquainted
with The candidates for district at
torney two years ago. II knew the
men. their political Affiliations and
what they stood for. II is different
now.
1 asked Fickert yesterday 10 tell the
voting public generally and the repub-
hcsns particularly something of him
self and his views on public questions.
lie volunteered no information about
himself. his policies II elected or his
attitude on pending public questions,
except as TO the reasons behind his
candidacy and the personal advantages
mat might be his II he made good"
IS district attorney. Here is what he
told me:
TELLS Personal HISTORY
Ny second initial stands for Marron.
y Is French. am 35 years old.
vas born on a ranch in Kern county
= ne ranch was near Bear valley. which
lived in san Francisco more thar Ia
ears-slnce 1898. graduated from
stanford IN 1895 as student in con-
s..l.l l.loIlsi history- / carried law as q
MINOR SUBJECT / played guard on the
university team and was elected can
faln IN 1895 I was elected in nv sonho-
more year, but was captain IN my
junior year. which was my third as
guard held the college record for
ne hammer throw and for the shot put.
was treasurer OF the student body
= Aese-S. In 1895 I came TO San Fran
clsco and entered the law Office OF
=. hollmTer. was admitted 10
practice the following year / was an
assistant in the United States district
attorneys office from 1908 10 1908
went into the Office under Marshall
No worth and left IL after Deviin
vas appoipnted. I have been in private
practice since. have always taken an
interest in the politics Of the repub-
lican party, but never before as a
candidate have attended conven-
lions. but 7 have never campafzued for
myself II isn't al pleasant / am
married and have two children"
As TO CRAFT PROSECUTION
II you are elected Mr.. Fickert.~ I
asked, will the graft prosecutions go
0n2"
'I have made no promises either
way he replied. Amy man who is
guilty ought TO be punished 1 don't
want 10 presume the guilt or innocence
3f any man
win you. II elected. prosecute the
- ses pending on indictmenc-will these
cases 90 on?' / asked.
They viii 20 on II the evidence is
there 10 convict. I viii go over them
pretty carefully"
VIII YOU dismiss these cases in
which in your judgment you have not
the evidence TO convict?
I'm considering those cases I will be
guided By my duty as prescribed by
law.
rs il true that as 2 condition pre-
Cedent TO your Endorsement ny the con
ference headed by Mccarthy and Casey,
YOU promised not TO appoint Francis J..
eIected2"
Il did not promise anything. There
were two factions. One tried TO get me
10 promise that j would appoint Heney
and another 10 promise that I would
not refused 70 promise anything. The
penal code prohibits and provides for
the punishment Of such promises
think il was by indifference and refusal
10 promise that got me the indOrse-
ment."
IF YOU are elected will Heney be
an attache OF your Officer
kind"
Not By way Of promise. but for the
puDlic's intOrms ton. viii YOU say that
IN the event Of your election Heney
viii not be an attache Of your officer
I VIII not say yes or no TO that
question"
Are you in favor Of the Hetch
Eetchy water project and the acquisi-
tion and development OF the proposed
municipal water supply2'
7 haven't been EirectlY interested in
that question II would not come 10 the
district attorneys Office. I think we
need better water supply It would
have been easy TO prevent the town
from burning Up II we had had any
water We need Hetch Hetchy more
than we need some other things they
are asking for / favor IL We viii
have 10 commence now The future OF
the city requires ft-demands it
Gas RATE FIGHT
Are you in favor of continuing the
gas rate fight being made by the in
cunbent supervisors?
What IS the rate now?' Fickert
asked. His question answered. he said
The 80 cent gas rate is enough. The
company was not put TO any great ex-
penSe for reha bilits tion-"
What. in your opinion, Mr.. Fickert
should be done by the city in the mat
ter Of the United Railroads attempt to
maintain monopoly Of lower Market
street2
i have paid little attention to that
question.
Fickert disagreed with William
Crocker. candidate for mayor. who held
that the matter was legal and not a
governmental question He said.
4 think ft is a governmental cues
-