The San Francisco call., 1910-05-25
TARPEY BUMPS
AGAINST The
PRIMARY Law
Vote for Taft Threatens to Bar
Fresno Man From Demo-
cratic Governorship Race
Can Not Swear He Cast Ballot
for Majority of Bourbon
Candidates in 1908
By GEORGE A. VAN SMITH

Will the provisions of the direct
primary law, coupled with the fact that
NJ f. Tarpey supported President Taft.
prevent the Fresno man from entering
the fight for the democratic nomina ton
for governor?
Tarpey admits that he is unable to
answer that question. Leaders of the
Bell democracy answer it affirmatively.
The terms of the direct primary cleo
tion law would appear to give the same
affirmative answer.
John B. Sanford, vice chairman of
the democratic state central committee.
says that Tarpey can not expect the
support of democrats. Secretary John
F. Murray of the state central COM
mittee declares that the primary law is
an insurance against Tarpey's candi-
dacy Murray declines to say what
action the state centraE committee Will
take if Tarpey asks it to circulate his
touching Tarpey and his tentative can
didacy by saying:
"Tarpey will not run"
Tarpey in Doubt
Tarpey is struggling with some
doubts himself. He purposes to secure
expert legal opinion upon the provis-
ions of the direct primary law and his
own status before he issues any pro
clamations to the people in general and
democrats in particular
n.
Gratis, who want to put Tarpey against
Bell, is the creature of the fact that
Tarpey voted for the republican presi-
Dental electors in 1908. He publicly
Bryan, long before the 1908 election
and he now admits frankly that he kept
his promise. The direct primary law
provides that candidate seeking a
place upon the official primary ballot
of a political party shall ma Ike an affi-
davit of his partisan Affiliations.
In that affidavit the candidate must
declare that he is a member of the
party whose nomination he seeks; that
he affiliated with that party and voted
for majority of its candidates at the
last preceding general election or that
he did not vote at that election
,, Voted for Republicans
Tarpey voted for the republican cleo
tors. If the electors are to be con-
sidered as separate candidates they
constituted a majority of the county
ticket which Tarpey voted in 1908. If
that be true can Tarpey swear that he
voted for majority of the candidates
of the democratic party at the last
general election? If he can not make
that affidavit he can not secure place
on the democratic primary ballot and
can not contest the nomina ton for
That provision of the primary law
had not been called to my attention. .
said Tarpey last night. II can not say
that I am or am not eligible. [ must
have the question looked up. but have
no desire to quibble about it. Truth is
truth. I voted for Taft but voted the
rest Of the democratic ticket, whatever
1t was If that bars me from the
-gubernatorial race, / shall have no
complaint.
IL was one of Bryan's original sup
porters. / supported him vigorously
and admired him greatly. After his
first campaign he changed his poll
cies too rapidly for me to follow. Above
all that, he became virtually a free
trader. | am not free trader and
never have been The tariff question
was my chief reason for opposing
Bryan. 1 did what thousands of demo-
Gratis did; but 1 did more. l took the
public into my confidence. / did what
believed was best for the nation, for
business and for the men who work:
can not see how any businessman
could support Bryan. was frank about
it then. l have no desire to deny it