The San Francisco call., 1910-11-18
LAWMAKERS SHY
At SUSPICIOUS
LISSNER LETTER
Legislators Fear State Chairman
May Interfere in Sena-
tOrial Situation
SoIons Asked TO Remain Fancy
Free on Questions of TOga
and Patronage
By GEORGE A. VAN SMITH

Does the republican state centra
eommittee by its chairman, intend t
take q directing hand in the selection
of United States senator and the en-
ployes OF the state senate and assem-
bly?
That question is puzzling some of th'
Legislators elect who have received
letters from Chairman Meyer Lissne
OF the state central committee suggest
ing that they do not tie themselves III
20 any candidates for Office to be Sc
1eceted by the legislature or TO aspir
Bnts for positions as officers or EN-
plOyes Of the legislature.
TEXT OF LETTER
Here is the text of the letter ths
5ss caused the legislators elect an'
some Of the holdover senators 10 specu
late upon the ultimate intentions of th'
chairman OF the new party goverIeG11
body:
November IA. 1915
Dear Sir: On behalf of the re-
publican state central committee,
permit US to congratulate you on
your election.
The republican party of Califor-
MIA has won a splendid victory in
the triumph of its legislative
ticket. With its progressive plat
form and with Hiram Johnson and
=. J. Wallace as governor and
Lieutenant governor next session
should be a memorable one in the
enactment OF wise constructive
You viii directly be besieged by
the friends Of candidates for Of
nee. 10 be selected by the legis-
latUre. and aspirants for positions
IS officers Of employees may bonn
bard you with letters seeking 10
enllst your support in their behalf
u may not be out of place to sug-
gest that past experience has
shown il TO be wise 10 refrain from
tying up IN these particulars un-
I'll YOU have had opportunity TO
meet with your fellow members.
Again congratulating you, and
with best wishes for the success
Of the coming legislative session,
yours very sinGerely,
c. r. DETRICk, Secretary.
Some Of the perturbed Legislation
point out that the letter makes a dis
sTinct and pointed differentiation be
tween candidates for Office to be Sc
Elected by the Legislature and "aspir
ants for positions as officers or EN-
1loyes" Of the legislature
DfOVE FOR WORKS
The only officer other than employs
0f the legislature selected by the leg
7slature is United States senator Th'
fact that Judge John D. Works wa
Chairman Lissner's personal primar,
candidate for the senatorial indorse
1nent, coupled with his letter tellinj
them not TO tie themselves UP. ha
o som
OF the legislators that an attempt vii
he made in the name OF the state cen
1ral committee TO program them 70
Works. regardless Of the instruction
voted by their constituents at tn
primary polls.
But the senatorial problem is no
ahe only one worrying the legislator
elect and the holdOYer senator's Ac
cording TO time honored custom ever
republican senator draws the chair
snanship Of a committee. Even in thes
days Of constitutional restrictions upo
patronage every committee has a clerk
and the selection Of that clerk is
matter Of personal patronage with tn
chairman
Some Of the holdover senators and
Tor that matter, some Of the senator
elect have already promised these ap
pointments. In addition to these prom
Uses some Of the holdovers are so tie
Np with patronage pledges that the
gre nov trying TO figure out ways an
means for caJoling other senators ou
OF a few dollars day for the salarie
OF insistent supporters who expee
Legislative jobs.
OWE COMMITTEE NOTHING
The perturbed legislators say ths
Ahey owe the state central committe
nothing The party governing bod
contributed nothing to their campaig e
funds, but on the contrary demande
that legislative candidates contribut
10 the state campaign funds. They ar
mot prepared 10 admit that the stat
central committee has any right [
stand between them and their constitu
rents either in the matter Of patronag
or the senatorial instructions voted b
nhe republicans Of their districts q
Hhe direct primary polls.
While general results and proba bl
pluralities engaged the attention an
2 Of he
rion experts willing to back their opin
Sons with their money, differences o
ropinfon about the aggregate vote o
Fhe winner resulted in the posting O
hundreds Of wagers, some Of them o
respectable proportions. The incom
plete election returns are fun of com
fort for those enthusiasts who 20
Fheir money down on the afiirmativ
END OF the proposition that Johnso
would poll the largest vote ever give
R governor of California On the fac
sof the unofficial returns from 3.0ls pre-
acincts out OF 3.159 in the state John
son received 1882 votes. The re
snaining precincts VIII undoubtedly in
crease his total vote by more tha-
n,5OO
BEATS RECORD 1900
Without reference to the missing pre-
cincts. Johnson's returned vote is 27
600 larger than the largest previou
Henry 7. Gage enjoyed the distinctio
of polling the largest vote until las
sVeek. when Johnson smashed the rec
ord. Cages vote in 1888 was 14S 36.
Herewith is a statement of the tots
votes polled by the governors of Call
fornia from Peter H Burnett to Jane
N Gillett and the estimated total pole
by governor elect Hiram w. johnson
At the election held in 1s49 Burnett "
S. Sherwood, John A Sutter, WilliaI
~ Steuart and John w. Geary wer
the contestants. They ran as independ
ents without partisan designations c
hvowed affiliations. The figures are
ls49-Peter II. Burnett-.--...........-.. 6.Tl
1S5l-JOhn BiCler. D.-..-.---..-.-.....- p. 81
lSS3-John BigIer. D.................... IS. OF
1851. Neely Johnson. Am sc. q
1S57-John B. Weller. D..-...........-.. SO. i
1S59-I. > Latham. Sec D D------.----- 81 p
IssI-Leland Stanford. R.--.-...-..-.... $500
as63-rrederick +. Low. union. 64 .2s
18Th. II. Haight, D. D-.--.............. 49. *
5s7i-Newton Booth, R....,............. e2,5
IST5-Wiiam Irwin, D...--.-........-. 81 .5s
lsTB-Ge0rge c. Perkins. R.............. 6T,9s
ISS2-9eOrge SuoBemsn, D.---..-.-.+.-.- 80, ,6s