The San Francisco call., 1909-12-23
MACHINE OPPOSED
TO SECOND TERM
Herrin Believed TO Have Or
dered LieutenantS to Dis
suade GiIIett
knights Eloquent Plea Thought
TO Have Been Inspired by
Organization Chief
By GEORGE A. VAN SMITH

republicans to join with Mrs. Gillett IN
advising Governor James \. Gillett not
TO seek a second term2
Is that order the result of Herrin's
failure TO pull Secretary Of State
Charles +. Curry out Of the guberna-
tOriaI primary fight and the fear that a
three cornered race will result in the
nomination Of a Lincoln Roosevelt re-
publican for governor?
Were the statements and subsequent
interviews given by George A knight
inspired and part Of a carefully. con-
ceived program?
Is Governor Gillett to be subjected to
the organization double cross that has
been the portion Of all his republican
predecessors?
Has the master Of the republican ma
chine directed or permitted machine
lieutenants to give Governor Gillett as
surances OF the organization support,
which is 10 be Withdrawn from HIM at
the psychological moment?
It is not surprising that many men
active In politics and consequently al
ways suspicious Of the Herrin organl-
Zation. should answer these questions
af1rmatively.
IRGE GILLETT'S WITHDRAWAL
Basing their opinions on observa-
tions and experience. scores of active
snd professional politicians are con-
WINGED that failing TO pull Curry out OF
the gubernatorial race prominent ma
chine lieutenants have been directed
10 start flank movement which viii
convince GiIlett that he should with
draw for the good OF the party.
While Knight is the only organiza-
tion man who has broken into print
with his advice. he is not the only re
publican who has advised the governor
not 10 make d attempt 10 secure re-
nomination or second term. 1t may
De that some Of this advice was in
spired from machine sources. Some
of it can easily be explained otherwise
and some OF il may be accepted as
genuinely disinterested.
The manner in which Knight sep
arated himself from his views and ad-
vice was not the best method that
could he chosen TO deter Gillett-
Knight il is true is substantially a
beneficiary of the Herrin good viii.
and under ordinary circumstances
might be expected not to take any
oratorical kicks at the Organization
milk pail But his protestatiOns of
friendship, for publication. to the con-
trary. knight is not bubbling over with
political good viii for the governor
He insists privately that he has not
been treated right by governor who,
according to knight. owes his election
to knight. He resents and resents
bitterly what he esteems as the un-
warranted ascendency Of George F..
Hatton. So keenly does he dislike
Hatton-his pull with the governor
that he has been quoted as saying,
when Hatton went TO Europe every
thing stopped
KNIGHTS MANY "SoRE- SPOTS
That Knight did not get all the pat
ronage he expected, and that he was
not called upon for all the advice he
would have been willing TO give the
governor, need not be questioned There
is however, a division Of opinion and
conflicting versions concerning the
amount Of patronage Knight received.
He has said that the appointment of
Justice of the Peace Smith Of San Fran
cisco represented his entire cut of the
pie Those close to the governor in
sist that he picked Secretary Thorpe
Of the harbor commission and filled
several other berths. Be that as it may,
Knight is sore over the appointment OF
Gilletts law partner, Gletcher Cutler,
to the attorneyship for the board Of re-
gents He is sore over the appoint
ment Of Swasey. out Of Gilletts law
Office TO his berth with the bank COM
missioner, and he is especially sore
about Hatton's pull. These sore spots
are not new, but they serve as one
explanation for knights attitude.
Senator Perkins advised Gillett not
10 try for a second term Perkins Is
not so far out of joint with the master
OF the machine that the inspired
theory is necessarily ridiculous He
not only held out to Giliett the sug-
gestion that the governor was his log
ical successor in the United States SEN
ate but went so far as TO tell Gillett
that he had picked the governor to
wear the Perkins toga-some time
I am OF the opinion that neither the
suggested succession nor the indehnlte
sometime. were especially agreeable to
the governor. That does not mean that
GilIett would not like to be United
states senator. / know that he esteems
a seat in the senate as the most de-
sfrable OF political honors. That he
was more than mildly appreciauve OF
q blind or indefinite promise of toga
which he could have won, had he stalo
out of the governors Office. is however,
a horse Of quite a different color.
MADE GOOD As GOVERNOR
Gimett is not happy in political
dicker. He dislikes the idea of being
UnUer FEdA or lLlDiitu ObaiooAAttAN ~
any one and he is not the sort of chap
who goes hunting advice. He feels
that he has made good as governor.
He is interested in his work. He wants
10 carry il on. And naturally enough
he would like 30 be the man who
smashed the one term precedent. He
is an intense partisan and the good
Of the party plea If worked hard
enough might induce him to step out
Of the gubernatorial situation.
There is, however, another and gen.
uinely disinterested form Of advice,
which coupled with the known prefer
ences Of Mrs. Gillett, Will, in my judg
ment be the determining factor, if the
governor decides not to seek second
term. GiIlett has been advised not to
run by some prominent republicans,
who have not talked good of the
party'' TO him and who in the event
that he refuses to accept their advice,
will be out for Gillett while there is
q chance for further fighting.
These men want Gillett to take up
the practice Of law in San Francisco
at the end of his term. They are of
the opinion that residence in San
Francisco and an established high
place at the bar, would help materially.
should Gillett desire to run for the
senate in 1914.
n0OF uI AVER I4TrESTON LEANS