The San Francisco call., 1910-03-18
BOURBONS WILL
TEAR SCENERY
IN STATE FIGHT
Gavin McNab Hurls Verbal
Tombstone at Bell and
Terms Him Dead One
Napa Bricks Splash Visalia Mud
Puddle; Senator MiIler's
Record Attacked
By GEORGE A. VAN SMITH

The democratic primary campaign
has assumed a religious atmosphere.
Any one who would vote for Bell must
believe in the resurrection of the
dead"
That was Gavin McNabs caustic an
alysis Of a democratic situation. in
which he denied yesterday that he had
taken any active interest.
Those full blooded citizens whose
hopes for a red hot. rip roaring. clothes
tearing. mud singing campaign have
been dashed by the peaceable postures
OF the aspirants for the republican
nomination for governor may cheer up.
All is not lost to them. A rapidly
shaping democratic situation is full of
promise for the muckiest muck raking
campaign in the memory of the oldest
inhabitant.
MILLER BELLS OPPONENT
Senator E. o. Miller of Visalia win
go 10 the mat with Theodore A. Bell for
the democratic nomination for COVER
nor. Miller has issued no proclama-
tions, but the old line organization men
in San Francisco, Sacramento and Los
Angeles have been told that Miller
has agreed to run. Ed White of Santa
cruz is stin a potential candidate. Tim
Spellacy, oil magnate and former chair
man Of the state central committee is
in the same class. Tom Geary Of Santa
Rosa is out of il. That does not mean
that Geary has been pulled out. He has
decided not 10 seek the gubernatorial
nomination. At the proper time or
times Spellacy and White viii probably
reach similar decisions Timid persons
should be prepared TO take to the heavy
timber when Spellacy and White quit
ard Miller is formally announced as
Bells anita gonist.
The Bell parJisans have expected the
anWouncement of Miller's candidacy
Indeed. they have prepared for it,
Bells foreword issued with the formal
announcement OF his candidacy gave
TO the general public a hint of what
las long been an open secret among
those familiar with politics. Bell said
that the Herrin machine had secured
tle state for a camplsisant candidate.
VIII they be forced TO admit that Mil
Ter - HerEiu's choice? They Will. And
tlat VIII be one Of the least of their
admissions touching the life. charac-
ter and pursuits Of one Senator E. Q.
Miller of Visa liza
Mud - SPLASHED
When Miller's name was first given
public mention as a gubernatorial pos
sibiliUy something less than "a hours
was required to get "A story of his
alleged Indictment for land frauds into
general circulation. The Indictment
was surrounded with deal of mystery
The time was approximately fixed as
during the Cleveland administration:
the place Sacramento. Old line demo-
Gratis said: Let 'em go; we viii make
them wish they had not picked up that
lead"
subsequently an anonymous circular
referring TO the same matter was cir
culated- The Bell democrats said:
THAT is Miller baclxfre." The old
oh, very wei. They will have some
difficulty in proving that charge
The indictment story dropped out or
circulation. Then a portion of the
country press went after Miller on an
other score. He fought through two
sessions of the senate to secure an
enactment Of a demurrage law, mod
eled on the lines of the Texas car law
His success in the 1909 session. which
was due to the fact that although a
democrat, he was one of the recognized
leaders OF the reform republican sena-
tors. was a big card with democracy
for a while.
NOW ALLEGED BOOMERANG
II is bad medicine now. The law
provides for the imposition of penalties
upon the consignee who fails to unload
cars within a specified time, as it does
upon railroad companies who fail to
furnish cars within the specified time
after application for them. Wherefore
fO q Of ha n
the dominant faction in the democratic
organization, the reciprocal demurrage
law is conclusive evidence that Ed Mil
Ter is owned by the Herrin machine
The foregoing are few of the straws
which indicate that the wind to be
stirred by the entry of Miller Will be
no balmy spring zephyr.
Charlie Curry announced yesterday
that the maximum of 21 900 signatures
for his petition would be reached within
the week, and that he had requested
his friends TO turn in the petitions for
verification when the maximum was Sc
cured. That, he said, did not mean
that his friends would discontinue
pledging up electors to support Curry,
but that club pledge cards would be
substituted for the afidavits required
10 qualify him for place on the Off
cial ballot
WANTS EARLY FINISH
My petition is completed in San Luis
ObispO, Monterey, Sonoma, Kern, Yolo.
Yuba, Sutter, Mariposa, Merced and
Stanislaus counties" said Curry. "It
is virtually completed in Sacramento
county and the San Francisco maximum
viii be reached this week / am not
interested in the plants of the gentle
men who fear that 1 am going to sign
up the entire republican vote in their
counties. 1 want my petition verified
and out Of the way before the registrar
and the county clerks are loaded up
with the hundreds of petitions which
they must verify before the ticket is
made up.
Ny friends in charge of my petitions
viii substitute the club cards for the
petitions after they have taken sigma
lures equal to the maximum 10 per
cent Of the party vote. The other gen
tlemen may have all the rest, if thev
can get them. Every effort has been
made to pun down my friends The
pulling down process has not been at
tended with marked success"
PROUD OF ORGANIZATION
Curry is especially. proud of the or
ganization which has directed the work
on his petition. He said yesterday that
in Los Angeles the committee working
under the leadership of Douglas White
had secured more than 5000 signatures
:, hos