The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-04-29
benson SLATED
To TAKE JUDGE
HEACOCK'S JOB
DeYlin Will Not Resign Until
After Primary to Aid
McNab
benson Was After U. S. AttOr=
neysFip and Double Cross"
Was Whispered
By GEORGE A. VAN SMITH

By GEORGE A. VAN SMITH
Judge Samuel c. benson is slated to
succeed Judge e. II. Heacock as United
states district court commissioner.
Emitted states District Attorney Devlin.
despite the indication of his admins
1ration. win not resign until after the
primary election.
These are two bits Of subsurface fed
ersl politics which are said to be
closely related, and one Of which has
direct bearing upon the fight for the
republican nomination for governor.
That the retirement Of Judge Heacock
figured materially in Devlin's success
ful night for confirmed reappointment
Is more than limited. That Devlin's re-
tention OF the ONCE until after the pri-
mary election is directly the result OF
the gubernatorial situation is admitted.
DENSON AFTER DENLIN'S JOB.
benson. who. il is said. is slated for
Heacock's berth. was an under cover
candidate for Devlin's place. John Nc
Nab, who is packing a promise Of the
district attorneyship upon Devlin's
resignation. has been threatened with
The revocation OF that promise if he
does not pocket his pride and get into
Alden Anderson's fight for governor.
The threat does not run from either
Of the United States senator's, and
might not be especially terrifying if
McNab knew as he viii if he does not
now know. that there VIII be no va
cancy IN The district attorneys Office
Until after the primary election.
Practical politicians. who were wholly
d Ia s,g.- r..
the department Of justice and two re-
publican senators from California were
unable 10 secure the confirmation OF
BeVlin's reappointment. found an ex-
pianati yesterday in the disclosure
Of the fact thar benson had been a
candidate for Devlins place up TO the
time that Judge Heacock gave notice
OF his retirement on July l.
DOUBLE CROSS WHISPERED
The inability. Of Perkins and Flint to
secure the confirmation of DevIin was
80 wholly at variance with the policy
and practice of senatorial courtesy that
iCslifornians versed in federal politics
whispered double cross" and prose
euted a still hunt for the ethiopian in
the federal fence
They did. not know that benson. A
lifelong friend Of Perkins. was a red
hot. II undisclosed, candidate for Dew
lin job, which had been promised 10
McNab after "Devlins confirmation and
reslSna ton There was no condrma-
ton 1Qr hint of confirmation until after
March is. when Judge Heacock ten
sdered his resignation as commissioner
10 take effect an July J.
.Heacockis resignation and Devlin's
generalization to 90 TO Washington
were announced within "A hours Of each
other DevHn won his fight. but it was
Rot. whispered I'M California until yes
D. lerday that benson had been the I'M
dercQver candidate for the berth in
which the California senator's could not
secure DeVlin's confirmation until after
another place had been nailed down
Tor benson.
OFFSET TO THREAT
Tie hint that Devlin would not resign
untiE after the primary election had an
ne. earmar1s Of an offset to the at
tempt to drive McNab into Anderson
nsht by the threat that if he did not
ser. luto the ORGANIZATIONS prinla ~
light The organization would prevent
his appointment as Devlin's successor
McNab has been i'll as well as ex-
tretnely indignant over the way in
which he was ignored when he came 10
san Francisco TO retire from the guber-
material situation. Neither his health
nor his temper was benefited by the tiu
that II he did not get aboard the An
derson wagon Perkins and Flint would
ne Forced 10 back down from the United
States district attorney ship promise.
crank Fllnt's failure TO assure Ster-
ling Campbell that his job as collector
Of port at Eureka would be safe if he
assumed the mana cement of Anderson S
campaign may cheer McNab I'D some
The tip that Devlin viii hold on until
after the primary election and until
after the general election if necessary
may have a further tonic effect on the
AIendocino orator.
FRASER INDIGNANT
X. H. Fraser. manager Of Nat Ell
lery's gubernatoriaI campo ign. is an
fused up over the report that Johnnie
Ing and Bob Richardson, registrar OF
tbs land office and postmaster. re-
spectively. at Sacramento are WORKING
DAY and night for Alden Anderson. So
keenly does Fraser feel about this vio-
lstion Of the nonparticipation rule that
lie purposes 10 take the matter uD with
the federal authorities at Washington.
incidentally. it is announced that Ell
lery has some pull in Washington and
that. he declines to permit federal office
holders 10 work for any other guber-
material aspirant
II the direct primary law means
anything, said Fraser yesterday. lit
means that the people should be per
mitted to select their candidates with
out the dictatiOn Of federal officials
The spirit Of the law has been fragrant
~ violated by the leaders of several
factions in the party, but we mean to
do all we can TO prevent federal Off
Gals from taking an active part in the
campo ign"
Fraser explained. quite gratuitouslv.
that Ellery did not enjoy the suDuorf
q any federal Office holder.
Frank Miller, boss Of Riverside coun-
~ and famous as mine host at the
Glenwood. Riverside, may be the or
sanfzation's man in a bottle for Frank
Flint's berth in the United States SEN
ate. Miller is not the three star figure
on a program yet, but his name is be-
ing whispered among the machine men.
Miller is one Of Huntington's closest
political friends, and If need be could
open a sack Of senatorial proportions
without recourse to his friends