The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-08-05
Withdraws From Race for the
Republican Nomination for
District Attorney
Doesn't Act in Fickert's Inter-
est, but With Sole Desire
TO Beat Grafters' Foe
BY GEORGE A. VAN SMITH


retirement yesterday rrom the race for
republican nomination for district at
torney.
Coghlan had other reasons. Some of
them set forth in the letter which he
addressed 10 the chairman of the bust
nessmen's committee of IS Insurance
. against the election of Francis J.
Heney was a reason given in answer TO
questions put 10 Coghlan after copies
OF his letter had been given to the
press
Any mention OF the name of Charles
NJ Fiekert, whose nomination it is
sought TO insure by the withdrawal OF
Coghlan, was carefully avoided by
Coghian in the preparation of his letter,
which was completed last night.
INFLUENCE Is APPARENT
In answer TO a direct question Cogh-
Ian said that he would not take the
stump to advocate the nomination of
tlckert,. adding that such a course
would be ''unseemly"
The apparent effect of the successful
efforts 10 pull Coghlan down is to pre-
vent fight for the nomination for dis
triet attorney at the primary polls In
so far as il is possible TO bring about
such a. result, the direct primary law is
nuhihed as regards the nomination for
district attorney. The nomination is to
90 10 Fckert by default. Or from an
other angle, the busnessmen's commit
tee has. by withdrawing Coghlan from
the fight, exercised apparently the same
influence in the nomination of candi-
date for district attorney that it would
Ia in -
delegate convention.
That Is the apparent effect of the
businessmen's activities and that will
probs bly, be the ultimate result Inso-
far as il might do so the direct primary
election law anticipated just such a
situation.
WILL NOT CLOSE BLANK
Coghlans letter announcing his re-
urement viii not take his name off the
official republican ballot. Neither will
II close the blank space on that ballot
IN which every elector who receives it
may write the name of any person he
prefers for district attorneys The di-
rect primary election law also provides
that the name of an ,yeligibIe person
who has completed and filed the neces-
sary petition shall be printed on the
Official primary ballot OF his party
coghlan completed his petition. His
name was given place, on the ballot
lt viii be printed on the ballot His
letter OF withdrawal does not affect
the right Of any republican eletcor who
receives the ballot from voting for
COghland. Nor will that letter of with
drswal prevent the nomination of Cogh-
Ian in the event that he receives more
votes than any other candidate on the
republican ballot When ne filed his
petition for a place on the republican
ballot Coghlan subscribed to an oath
that he would not withdraw if nomi-
mated and that he would qualify and
serve II elected. His letter OF with
drawal can be no more than formal
agreement not 10 make any effort to Sc
cure the nomination. Should that nom
ination be given him without any fur
Their effort on his part he would be
bound by his oath TO accept ii.
EXAMPLE OF BOSS TACTICS
It is extremely unlikely that the re-
publican nomination for district attor-
ney VIII be forced on Coghlan in this
manner, but the Coghlan incident af-
fOrds an opportunity for concrete ex-
ample Of one of the boss maneuvers
which the trainers Of the direct pri-
mary law tried TO protect the people
against. According TO Coghlan, more
than $500 electors signed his nominal
ing petition. Each signer swore TO sup
port COghlsn at the primary election.
Not all candidates for partisan nomi-
ndtiOnS are 0OEnldn s. DuI II there were
no legal restrictions placed upon candi-
dates il might be possible for politi-
cal boss or combination of politicians
10. defeat the viii of a majority Of the
members Of a party by inducing all the
candidates but one to take their names
of the ballot at time subsequent to
the last day for the receipt of nominat-
ing petitions.
For example. A, B, and D are osten-
siblgS candidates for the republican NOM
ination for county clerk They circu-
late their petitions and each secures
1000 signatures, a total well within the
maximum allowed by the primary law
The party boss who put b, c and into
the race as stalking horses for A orders
them to pull out after the last day for
fling nomination papers. A is left as
the only candidate. The 5000 electors
who signed the petitions of B, c and D
respectively have sworn 10 vote for
those candidates. Those oaths might
not prevent many of them from voting
for a fifth candidate IL there were one.
But there is none. They do not wish to
vote for A. They are disfranchised.
The direct primary law is nullifed.
ELECTORS PROTECTED
The California law gives those elect
ors such protection as may be afforded
by the mandatory provision that the
names of the candidates who have COM
on fhe ballot 1t can not make men
light for nominations. 1t can prevent
them from taking their names of the
ballots. after their names have been
placed there by petition of their parti-
sans. and by their own request
Corhlan's letter Of retirement which
members OF the businessmen's COM
rnfttee said would be forthcoming
when Coghlan had extracted sufficient
amusement from the situation of which
Ne was the sacriIciaI hero, was given
ont last night. 1T was addressed to
charles N Plum. chairman OF the
busfnessnen's committee of twenty
fve. In il Coghlan applauds the wis
dorn Of the attempt to conciliate con-
dieting elements in the republican
marty and says that no true republican
will permit descriptive ambition to
epdanger that historic organization
NOT RoR THE PARTY
After giving out the letter for pub
location Cogflan said.
Il did il for my party. think /
could win the republican nomination
for district attorney
81 ,,f4-