The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-09-01
ORGANIZATION IS
PARTY PROBLEM
Formation of State Central and
Local County Committees
Hangs Fire
By GEORGE A. VAN SMITH

By GEORGE A. VAN SMITH
Organization of the state central
committee and the San Francisco
county committee are the preconvention
problems of most concern to republic
cans generally and party leaders par
ticularly. The fear that Hiram w.
Johnson may not return to San Fran
cisco before the state convention
meets next Tuesday only adds to the
perplexity Of the situation.
Organization of the local committee
may be postponed until Johnson is
able to sit down in the party councils.
The indications are that he will not be
able to participate in the plans for or
ganization of the state convention and
the. state central committee. Eleventh
hour shifts on the party checker
board have resulted in disarranging
some of the tentative plans laid i'm
mediately after the primary election
DAVIS FIRST MENTIONED
Immediately after the primary cleo
ton it was generally conceded that
former Mayor w. r. Davis of Oakland
would be. chairman of the state con-
NSllllOH u De OTSdn1Z0u III Dan ran
cisco on September 6. Davis was one
of the organizers of the Lincoln
Roosevelt league He is one of the
vice presidents of the organization
which finally triumphed over the ma
chine. He was one of the mainstays
of the primary campaign of 1910 and
the man relied upon to gather the
comparatively small campaign fund.
In 90S he was the leagues sacrifice
candidate for chairman of the Sacra-
mento state conVntion. 1t swas be-
lieved that as a matter of sentimental
justice as well as political right that
Davis would be made chairman of the
first convention controlled by the men
with whom he had made the fight
Davis name was not included in the
list of delegates to the state convention
selected by the Alameda county steer
ing committee Since he will not be
member of the convention he can not
be chosen to preside over its delibera-
lions.
STETSON FAVORED
Senator John B. Stetson of Oakland,
one of the reform leaders in the state
senate and a close political friend of
former Governor George c. Pardee, is
the apparent choice of the Alameda
county contingent for chairman of the
convention.
4 iiaaj ority of the party leaders have
gwenSup hope of securing either Ches-
ter Fl. Rowell, Frank r. Devlin or w.
r. Davis for chairman of the state
central committee. Apparently by gen.
eral consent the Craftsmanship of the
new party governing body is to go to
Southern California and lies between
Meyer Lissner and Marshal StimSon of
Los Angeles.
Lissner's selection is urged on the
grounds of his exceptional abilities as
Tnt.
California or more particularly Los An
geles where he is the genius of the
non partisan movement known as the
Good Government organization. HIS
dominant connection with that organi-
cation and his personal hostility TO
some of the republicans who VIII help
make Johnson's campaign are the
strongest arguments presented against
his selection as manager OF the republ1-
can campaign. For instance, Governor
James N. GiIlett and Secretary of State
Charles r. Curry were the first republi-
can leaders not identified with the
Lincoln Roosevelt league TO congratu-
late Johnson and offer him their serv-
ices on the stump and in the field. 1t
might prove extremely embarrassing
for both Lissner and Gillett to be as
sociated as campaign director and cam
paign orator.
STIMSON A REPUBLICAN
Stimson. while closely associated with
Lissner in reform politics in Los An
geIes and in the state, has ever been
regarded as a republican. HIS selec-
ton as chairman would go long way
toward removing the inspired fear or
party organization disloyalty to some
of the party nominees. In the south he
has never failed to fight for the repup-
Iican ticket regardless of his own lack
of success as a factionalist at the pri-
mary elections. He has the commence
of the republicans of Northern Call
fornia. be they leaguers, regulars or
what not Although none pretends that
he has the exceptional organizing abil-
tiles of Lissner 1T is vigorously con
tended that as q party harmonizer he
1uorId he on a par with w. X. Davis
or Frank r. Devlin
DEyrRICK FOR SECRETARY
EXCEPT for some local ambitions there
annears to be no marked division OF
oninion about the wisdom of the selec-
+jon of Charles r. Detrlck Tor secre-
tarv of the state central committee
AS secretary of the Lincoln-RooseVeil
league DERRICK covered himself with
noIitjcal glory In the fight for John
SONS nomination. He was one of the
few men in the Lincoln Roosevelt
lea que who broughe any political asset
into the movement, and he has the
confidence of both the long and short
hair republicans, if he is too uncom-
nromisingly a party man to suit some
of the recent additions to the repub-
lican party. In Derrick the straitlaced
renubiicans recognize a party man
whose efforts would be exerted for
every republican nominated by the d.
rect vote of the people. His devotion
to the fight for Johnson and the
leagues candidate cost him the nomi-
nation to the assembly in his home
district.
PLATFORM PROGRESSIVE
AS suggested by The Call last week
the republican platform question is not
a problem. The actions of all the counN
ty conventions dominated by the ma
ioritv element In the party have in
sured the adoption of a state platform
both progressive and aggressive, as
well as uncompromisingly republican.
The platforms adopted by the San
Francisco and Los Angeles county con-
ventions confirm the state platform
forecast made by The Call on Sunday.
Chairman w. II. Jordan of the re-
firing county committee has called a