The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-09-04
CONTINUED
THEY MAY BEAT HENEY
FROM PAGE ONE.

q tnOuSanQ OF san FRANCISCO voters
what is the one great issue in the
present municipal campaign, and
nine hundred and ninety-nine of
them will answer:
who is to be the next district
Attorney" They will give that
answer because 1t is the general
belief that the election or defeat of
Frank Heney will mean the vigor-
Gus continuation or the abrupt
cessation of the past three years
struggle to put millionaire de-
bauchers of public servants behind
bars.
But to Spreckels, Heney means
nothing but the physical represen-
tation of broad principle; the
election nothing but test of the
clear-sightedness of the American
voter.
That the principle will be clearly
defined and that the test will be
thorough, is certain.
For Heney is not the only candi-
date for district attorney. There
is another one. He is Charles M.
Fickert. Behind Fckert are the
rich lawbreakers, on trial or under
indictment, the higher-ups in the
San Francisco prosecutions, their
business friends, bankers, lawyers,
politicians, who. for the past three
years, have been bounding the rich
lawbreakers, raising the cry that
the prosecutions are hurting bust
ness" Openly behind Ffckert, too,
is VIM. F. Herrin's political ma
chine, through which the Southern
Pacicc railroad has dominated Cal
ifornia politics for 80 years.
Weeks ago, at the call of I. w.
Hellman, Jr., a local banker, rs
business men of San Francisco met
in a little back room and proceeded
to take charge Of the political des-
TIMES of San Francisco.
A new direct primary law open
ed the way. The law, passed at the
last session of the legislature,
though badly warped out of its or
iginal shape before the machine
was through tinkering with it, still
left in the hands of the people the
power to nominate their candidates
at the polls instead of at machine
controlled conventions.
Under this law, any person Sc
curing a specified number of sign
ers to petition, may become
candidate for nomination on the
ticket of the party with which he
was registered at the last general
election. Under this party align
ment, which is the one big, weak
spot in the California primary law,
Heney was forced to become
democratic candidate for renomin-
alton, II anything. Any repubh-
can wishing to cast a vote for his
nomination would have to write his
name in the blank space provided.
Since Herrin's rule began, a re-
publican nomination in California
has practically been equivalent to
election. Heney, while he was still
trying the Calhoun case for the
first time, had announced that if
District Attorney Langdon would
not remain in office to continue
the fight against the grafters, he
himself would become an independ-
ent candidate. An Endorsement of
Heney by the republicans meant
his certain election.
The millionaire bribers, their
friends, the business men," the
machine leaders, put their heads
together. BY no chance must a
majority of republican voters be
allowed to write Heney's name on
the primary ballot. They decided
to shove a good, sound, conserva-
tive man. down the threats of the
voters. They chose F1ckert. The
corporation sack was opened, the
wires were jerked by skillful
+. hands.
The republican voters went to
the polls, armed for the first time
with a weapon designed for de-
Tense against boodlers, crooks, ma
chine politicians-and nominated
Fickert.
Four thousand of the nineteen
thousand republicans who voted
wrote the name of Heney on the
ballot. The democrats gave Heney
the nomination.
Ii there was any doubt where
Fickert stood, it was removed when
the one San Francisco newspaper
brazenly and VIGOROUSLY in the en-
ploy of the "higher-ups" hailed
Fickert as "the man who broke
Heney."
But Heney is not broken. He
has as yet made no campaign, has
not delivered a speech. Those
who represent the active graft
prosecution will center their fight
on the election, where the real test
will be made.
1t was after the results of the
primaries were known that Spreck-
els was interviewed.
IF Heney is defeated. what of
the prosecutions?" he was asked.
"Heney will not be defeated"
When Spreckels talks. somehow
you find yourself watching his
lower jaw. He reminds you of a
bull dog. And he is bulldog sort
Of fighter. He was never known
TO quit.
What leads you to believe that
ne will be elected?"
Just my faith in the American
voter. He is homes, and 1t is only
when he 10 deceived that he elects
the dishonest to office. To take
stand against rottenness in gov.
eminent, the voter demands to see
the rottenness. That is right. The