The San Francisco call., 1909-08-03
COGnlAN IS STILL
UNABLE TO DECIDE
Wants Time for Consideration
Before Withdrawing From
Race for District Attorney
Says Friends Are Divided on the
Request of Businessmen's
Committee

Assemblyman Nat C. Coghlan declined
to promise yesterday that he would
withdraw from the race for republican
vor of Charles M Fickert, the candidate
of the businessmen's committee.
When the representatives of the busi-
nessmen's committee called on Coghlan
again to get the formal announcement
OF his withdrawal which he was ex-
pected to give them Coghlan told them
he had not decided. but that they might
expect his answer today. To the news
papermen he said that he might decide
today-or some other day.
| Members of the committee which
waited on Coghlan said last night that
| they had mo doubt" that he would
give them the desired promise today.
Coghian's statements to The Call in
/ dicated that there were as many
chances for his refusal to withdraw as
there were that he would get out of
the way for Fickert. He discussed
freely some of the arguments made by
the businessmens representatives who
want him to retire in favor of Fickert
Coghlan has been told that the sup
i porters OF the municipal league or in
dependent republicans are going to
throw enough votes to him in the pri-
| maries to nominate him, and then
throw him down. for Heney as an in
dependent candidate at the general
election Evidently this argument did
not nave all of the desired effect on
Coghlan. He said to The Call that if
ne were sure Heney would be a-candi-
date he would not withdraw.
with some emphasis Cough1an denied
that he had exacted any promises from
the businessmen's committee. He said
rather bitterly, .'As to the district at
torneys Office there is no place in it
except district attorney that 1 would
accept"
These gentlemen of the committee -
said Coughlan, want me to withdraw
to insure the harmony which they say
they seek. They contend that my can
didacy may result in an incurable
breach in the party and in the defeat of
some of the candidates in whom they
are interested. They seek my retire
ment through an appeal to my party
loyalty. I have not made up my mind
and will not decide today. No one
can tell how much that retirement
would mean to me. I have been called
on many times to make personal sacri-
fces for the party. l have made them.
Il am not sure that / can withdraw
and be consistent with my support of
| the primary election law or with the
| spirit of the law. / do not recall any,
thing in the law that would prevent the
withdrawal of candidate until after
he has been nominated. The law does
prevent the withdrawal of a man al
| ready nominated, but / owe something
to friends who signed my petition and
| who expect me to make the fight
My petition was signed by $500
voters. | think most of them will vote
for me. Some of my friends have be-
sought me to withdraw. Equally good
friends are even angrilly insistent that
| stay in the fight to a finish
Coghlan was frankly angry about
| the published reports that he had been
dickering with the businessmen's COM
mittee and that he had completed a
deal. In answer to a direct question
touching his demands on the business
men he exclaimed:
Il have made no demands. And as
| to the district attorneys office. there
is no place except district attorney that
1 would accept"
In reply to another direct question
Coghlan said: These gentlemen do
| not propose to reimburse me for my
preliminary expenses There has been
no proposition of that kind and there
will be none. There are two considera
tions uppermost in my mind: the first
| is what action on my part would con-
| duce to the greatest benefit to my
| party; the second is the attitude of my
| friends. They are divided. / have no
doubt now about my ability to obtain
the republican nomination, and / say
that having in mind the unselfish eff
forts of my friends who have stood
| with me and who are standing with
me for fight to a finish.
II haven't changed my mind about
having more than 20 friends and ]
haven't made up my mind to withdraw
IF l had answered this question for
myself 1 would be only too glad tc
give that answer to the press. l real
ize that the quicker it is answered the
better for me- for my friends and fol
the party. l am not ready to answer
| l do not know what my answer will be
The show of strength which the dis
cussion arising out of this business
mems proposition has brought out is
simply astonishing. / can win that
nomination. L am not afraid of the
tricks of the opposition. 1 am moi
afraid of a fight and-well, 1 have
not made up my mind. / may decide
tomorrw; I may decide some other