Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-09
Latest News and Notes in Realm of Politics

his practical admission that defeat is
awaiting him.
The Democrats generally are taking
much delight out of the Republican
imbroglio They point to the fact that
for the first time in many years the
Democrats have thoroughly equipped
and unusually harmonious working or
ganization, and that the party in this
state is without discord or office seek
ing warfare. on the other hand, the
Republicans are seriously disrupted
and the one important office for which
they have fought to agree" and for
which they devoutly prayed there
would be no ominous contest or mud
singing, now seems to be the bone OF
contention for which one of the worst
of the many discordant battles is to be
waged.
SENATORIAL SITUATION
If the gubernatorial and congress
sional situation has been muddled, the
senatorial situation also has become
obviously dark and the Republicans
seem to be facing one of the worst
problems of the campaign in connec-
ton with the fight for Flints toga
In most of the other contests the office
seekers have been willing to take or
GERS from the disrupted organization
of the Herrin-Parker machine, but
senatorship even the main pillars or
the machine are not willing that the
Herrin-P Parker gang should control it.
The Herald has already exposed the
mishap by which Edwin A. MeserVe
of Los Angeles came to be dragged
into the race against the wishes OF
Will Herrin and against the advice OIL
his friends inside the so-called reg
uIar organization" When it was seen
forced into the race by the blunder or
Walter Parker, who made the mistake
while Herrin was rushing to Los An
geles on a special train to see II
Meserve could not be kept out, it was
decided that the only way to unite
the factions of the machine IN the
north and south would be for them to
decide on some man from the south
who would be more acceptable to the
northern regulars. 1t is admitted that
Meserve cannot get the support of the
regulars in San Francisco; but 1t IS
now hoped that they can get together"
on A. G. Spalding, the well known
sporting goods magnate of San Diego
Accordingly an effort has been MADE TO
induce Spalding to enter the race
against Meserve. 1t was believed then
that if Spalding consented to run
Meserve would drop out of the race and
content himself with his law prac-
tice.
sPALDING DECLINES
AS a result of the pressure brought
to bear on him, Spalding finally de
clined" to run, but held on to the
offer in such Way that he is now
virtually conceded to be candidate.
Spalding at first stated that he would
make no personal canvass, ana tnat ne
would not expend more than $ioOO 10
N
G. O. p Republican believed he coulu
get the job for that amount of money
but it was Spalding's ultimatum.
1t was reported in Los Angeles sub
sequently that Spalding communicated
with Senator Flint, and that Flint in
duced him to forget the $500 and make
the fight. Rumor also has 1t mat
Spalding will stump the state, II neces-
sary to succeed Flint. In other WordS'
the plan now seems to be, and is gen
orally outlined, to send Spalding to the
senate if possible; to induce Tart TO
GUST Ballinger and place Senator Flint
| in the cabinet; to put Motley Flint, ms
| brother, in charge of the disrupted he
| publican machine in California, Wnere
| he will endeavor to recuperate 1t, ana
! to force Meserve into the background
| or put him on a shelf by giving him
some political appointment whereby he
| may be of further service to the
| Southern Pacific
This plan, however, according TO
many Republicans here, will meet with
many objections. Edwin Meserve has
kept a close eye on the Spalding boom
in San Diego, and insists that he will
I.not quit. The big land companies or
the Imperial valley, for which MeserVe
| is attorney; the Imperial Valley lrr1-
CATION company and number of the
corporation enterprises in which the
Southern Pacific is interested and
which he also represents, are obJecting
sist that he should get the backing Of
the machine.
WORST OF BARGAIN
The Republican machine in short,
seems to be divided between the north
ern and the southern members, with
Meserve getting much the worst of the
| bargain because of the support that
has been taken from the southern reg
ular branch to aid the Spalding BOOM
The question now asked is: VIII
| Spalding or Meserve get the united
machine support? A great many prom
inent machine leaders insist that
Meserve cannot secure their united
support, and predict that Spalding will
But, at any rate, the contest between
Spalding and Meserve promises to be-
come as strenuous and bitter as have
the other machine contests in this
state involving important nominations
The San Diego newspapers, whose
political writers are in constant per-
sonal touch with Spalding, concede that
he is a candidate, and that his cam
! paign has actively begun. The I'M
perial valley newspapers, which are
about the only ones that have come
out for Meserve. insist that Meserve
is the logical candidate, and that his
nomination is certain, and there you
| are.
The Lincoln Roosevelt league, on the
other hand, is sitting quietly back in
it's easy chair and laughing at the
regulars The league members say
they are not concerned either with
| the congressional or the senatorial
| fight, that Will D. Stephens is certain
to get the congressional nomination
and that Judge John D. Works is all
but nominated for the senate.
But after the nominations-what?