The San Francisco call., 1910-09-09
BOURBONS PLACED
in QUEER PLIGHT
sIniun" Giving Democratic
Leaders Ask Controller Nye
to Return Gift Nomination
By GEORGE A. VAN SMITH

BY their decision to request State
nomination that they thrust upon him
the leaders of organized democracy
have placed their party in an unfortu-
nate plight and which may be made lu-
dicrous by Nye's probable refusal to
provide himself with an opponent.
The Nye case is essentially different
from the third congressional district
situation. In the third district Know
land, republican, won the democratic
nomination for congress by default,
but without the deliberate cooperation
party other than their failure to pre-
sent candidate for their party's nomi-
nation.
SEEK INSURGENT AID
The comparative ease with which in
surgent republicans defeated regulars
and standpatters for denomination in
the second, fifth and seventh districts
and the scare given Smith by Kirby in
the eighth shed new light across the
democratic path. The bourbons believe
that strong democratic candidates
stand a chance of defeating regular
incumbents with insurgent republican
votes and that in any event such can
didates would get votes for the demo-
cratic state ticket
Kirby has cleared up the eighth dis
trict situation for the democrats by
declaring that he will not accept the
nomination they gave him by the writ
ing in process. Hawson. the sixth dis
trict democrat who won his party nom
ination without the formality of fling
for it, has created another vacancy by
discovering that he has not been an
American citizen long enough to quail
ify for a seat in congress. Democrats
were formally nominated in the first,
second, fourth, fifth and seventh dis
tricts, and now if Nye and Knowland
would reHnquish their democratic
nominations the state central commit
tee could put four men into the fight
for votes for the state ticket. Regard
less of what Congressman Knowland
may decide to be the politically appro-
pirate action. Nye is in a position. to
taunt democracy about "injun'' gifts
NYE INDoRSED
At the Jefferson day banquet the
meeting of the party council in San
Francisco last winter 1t was decided
that Nye should be given the demo-
cratic Endorsement. The explanation
for that decision, was q twin affair.
Nye it was declared had been a good
public servant, entitled to democratic
consideration. and beside all that the
republican machine might beat him for
his own party nomination.
Subsequently at the democratic state
conference al Los Angeles the decision
to support Nye took the shape of a
party program and was announced as
such. When the big wigs of the party
met with the state central committee
in San Francisco to fix up their single
slate for a state ticket the controller
1af+ Ill he II
passed to write in Nye's name. The
word was accepted by the bourbons of
the state without question. They PEN
ciled Nye's name in on their ballots
from Siskiyou to Imperial. Under the
law he is the democratic and the re-
publican nominee to succeed himself.
The republican nomination he won in
fight. The democratic nomination
was presented to him, but the repre-
sentatives of the party want them
presents back" now.
NYE SITS TIGHT
Nye has not taken the public into
his confidence if he has decided to re-
turn the democratic nomination unused
and unsoiled. The supreme court has
sustained the legality of the written in
nomination and Nye has but to pre-
serve a dignified silence to insure his
reelection without democratic opposi-
tion.
State Treasurer Williams, who won
republican denomination without oppo-
sition. refused months go to get him
self in line for a request similar to
that sent to Nye. Williams strength
was so apparent that the machine did
not attempt to present a primary candi
date against him when he was in
dorsed by the Lincoln Roosevelt league
Democrats freely admitted that he
could not be beaten and there was
vigorous talk OF giving him written
in democratic nomination to pair the
one framed for Nye. Williams prompt
ly cried aloud for help. He gave 1t
out cold that he did not want a demo-
cratic nomination through the writing
in process. He made it clear that he
had no quarrel with those democrats
who might see fit to vote for him if
he won the republican nomination. He
also made it clear that he purposed not
to expose himself to the charge that
he was not a republican before the pri-
mary election nor to democratic COM
plications after the primary election.
Wherefore Williams is not put to the
necessity of returning a democratic
gift with thanks for the temporary
compliment or the alternative necessity
of rude refusal.