The San Francisco call., 1910-01-14
GILLETT MAY FEAR
MACHINES KNIFE
Politicians Speculate on Gov.
ernOr's Long Deferred Dec
laratiOn of Intentions
Situation Resembles Election in
Which CrOcker Was Double
Crossed
BY GEORGE A. VAN SMITH

By GEORGE A. VAN SMITH
VIII Governor GinetCs long deferred
aeelsration OF his political intentions
be an announcement OF his temporary
Ietiremcnt from public life?
The number OF affirmative answers
-ivcn 10 that question by local politi-
.ians has increased daily for a week.
There are several reasons for the
growing belief that the governor Win
not seek q second term.
one OF these reasons is found in the
governors failure to make his formal
announcement Immediately after New
Years. in line with the repeated re-
ports which the public had come TO ap-
preciate in the light OF promises.
The more recent and incorrect report
that the governor would come to san
Francisco this week and formally an
uounce his withdrawal has undoubted-
Iv bad much TO do with forming public
opinion. The work OF the Curry men,
who are asking for pledges on the
basis OF an alleged assurance that the
governor has quit. has also figured
materially in producing the local sit
uation. But none OF these is the chief
-esSou.
SLATED FOR DOUBLE CROSS
That the Horrin machine has slated
Governor GiIIett to be the receiving
end for g replica OF the double cross IL
administered 10 the recent Wllilam
Crocker is the freely expressed opinion
of many republicans. Some OF them
nave had unusual opportunities Tor
frsr hand fnspection of machine meth
ods. These men think Governor Gil
lett has smelled out the situation ana
VIII save his dignity and his pohtca l
strength by declaring himself out OF
the gubernatorial race.
As a basis for the opinions of those
republfcans who believe Gillett is down
for a machine double cross there is a
strange analogy between the present
situation and the 1909 primary sltua-
ton. when the knife was stuck into
Crocker and twisted in the wound.
This is no wise an expression or my
opinions IL is merely recital OF the
facts and circumstances upon which
some men well versed in machine pol
itics have based their opinions.
Prior to the September primaries the
FEe-rin machine could not afford openly
TO oppose Tim Sullivan's candidate Tor
mayor Herrin himself was in Europe.
Johnny Lynch was for Crocker strong.
So. too. was the businessmens COM
mittee When they got their primary
ticket made UP they forgot there was
such person as Croker sullivan
cried treachery before the primary cleo
tion. and was able to prove il when the
delegate stickers were sent out.
BOSSES FOR CRoCKER But
After the primary election Jere Burke
was for Croker. Burke registered IN
Berkeley. His political workers VINO
registered and voted in san Fran
-iSco were not for Crocker Johnny
I.vnch. coordinate lieutenant OF the
machines master. was for Crocker. But
not IN ali san Francisco could one OF
the regulars. who reported to Lynch,
he found that was not shouting and
working for Mccarthy.
James Y Giuett is going 10 be gov
ornor for just about II months as the
result Of the election in 1906 on sew
ersI occasions II has been demonstrated
that he is an uncomfortable person 10
handle. even when he Is in good humor
Ia j months James n Gillett with
grievance might kick over lot OF
milk pals Wherefore you learn when
YOU meet big machine man that the
0rga nizatIon viii certainly be for the
governor il he decides to run.
Here Is the phase OF the situation
which srnacks strongly OF one too re-
cent 10 be forgotten. Johnny Lynch is
Tor GiUett. he is not crying II from
fne housetops. understand but he is
for Gfllett Make tour OF the south
Of Market districts that belong TO
Lynch and YOU viii find that the Lynch
regulars are working quietly for
charles T. Curry. They worked Tor
Mccarthy last fan.
sound an assemblyman who takes his
orders from the Flood building ana
he viii split his lungs for" Gillett, first,
Iast and all the time" Go into that
ssseubIvman-s district. snuggle up TO
-fs regular heelers and the boys whose
political law is the word OF Jere Burke
and YOU VIII find them for Curry. They
were for Mccarthy in November.
SUBoRDIN ATEs BOOSTING CURRY
Go down 10 the water front and you
win find the chieftains declaring that
Giuett must run. Their subordinates,
whose Jobs depend upon their obedience
of orders. are for Curry. Ihey were
ror Mccarthy in November.
with these things in mind il is not
6imcnIt 10 understand why the politi-
clans believe that Gillett IS being
double crossed. Some Of them believe
that the machine very much prefers
GNlett. but that with Curry in TO stay
81 has been found necessary to issue
orders TO coax or blum Gillett out OF
the game.
Tbst is one side of IL There is an
other lot OF politicians who decline 10
express any opinion about the activi-
ties OF the lesser machine men in san
Francisco. They undoubtedly believe
that quite regardless OF the RoIkefS
rresert zeal for Curry II could be made
10 applv 20 some other candidate i'm
raedfatelv upon receipt OF orders from
headquarters.
HERRIN DODGED SITUATION
These men are Of the opinion that
TTerrin's trip TO the east was taken
10 avoid impending unpleasantness.
Thev believe that the master Of the
machine has gone TO dodge the de-
msnd that he decide and the tempo
rarv wrath OF the organization men
who have worked tooth and nail TO
insure a second term for Gillett.
All Of this is plausible. Any of IL
might be true. It might quite as cas-
U. be true that both master and
men Of the machine are trying to get
something like an accurate estimate OF
-urr,-s strength before the organiza-
zion is committed. That theory. how
ever. will not go with some Of the re-
publicsns who saw Crocker knitted
Tbev are convinced that the frame has
been for Curry all the time, and that
C5Ilett'S name has been banded about
of making il aDnear