The San Francisco call., 1910-07-16
BOURBONS GASP
AS FOLK FLITS
THROUGH CITY
Missouri Leaders, Haste Causes
Local Democrats to Shout
His State Slogan
SpaIding Enters Fight for Flinf's
TOga, Despite Protest Of
Scripps
By GEORGE A. VAN SMITH

The democracy. of San Francisco was
not called upon yesterday to consider or
assist in the plans laid by former Gov
ernor Joe Folk of Missouri TO line up
California behind his ambitions to be
the next democratic president of the
United States.
Folk paid san Francisco a hurried
visit yesterday. He came from the
Yosemite. and left almost Immediately
for Fresno. accompanied by Chester II
Rowem. president of the Lincoln
Roosevelt league. Folk and parties of
his personal representatives are laying
the wires which they hope will lead
Folk TO the democratic nomination for
president in 1912 They have been at
work for months throughout the south
and west, and California has recently
been made one of the bases of their
operations.
Folks coming had been widely her
aided and the democratic chieftains in
san Francisco had groomed themselves
TO meet and discuss Folk and the sit
nation. It has been generally under
stood that Folks representatives and
Folk were working with and through
The Bryan men. and that the Missouri
democrat had an understanding with
the commoner. If Folk saw any of the
Commoner's friends i'm San Francisco
Yesterday that fact was skiIlfuny con-
cealed He came with the head Of the
Lincoln Roosevelt league md left with
the leader Of the reform republican
forces. 1t may be that Folk intends TO
return TO SAN Francisco for confer
ence with the democrats, but the bour-
bons have not been notified TO that
effect and are frankly puzzled.
sPALDING FOR SENATOR
The fear that The republican party
would not he given an opportunity to
indulge itself in direct primary fight
over the selection Of a candidate for the
United states senate was without foun-
dation. California is to have a senator
ia primary scrap. 1t is TO be three
handed affair. Edwin A Meserve of
Los Angeles put a damper on the ma
chine hope that light advisory vote
would go 10 John T. Works. the Lin
coin Roosevelt league candidate by de-
fault. That hope was based on d deeper
desire which involved legislative re-
pudiation Of that vote on the ground
that there was no contest The formal
fling Of MeserVe insured a. scrap. Now
comes A -. Spalding OF San Diego. who
VIII be full fedged candidate for the
United States senate before the sun
goes down tonight.
Senator Leroy A. Wright of san
Diego. co-author and sponsor for the
direct primary law, passed through
san Francisco last night laden with
the petitions which. when filed with
the secretary Of state this morning,
viii give Spalding a place on the Off
IL
petitions carried by Wright represented
u counties and verified total of reg
istered republican electors more than
sufficient to make Spalding a qualified
candidate.
ENTERS Under PROTEST
Spalding has been importuned for
weeks by prominent party men in the
south. Three times he entered formal
refusals To permit the use of his name
as candidate for the United States
senate The republicans Of San Diego
and other southern counties had vir-
tually given over hope of getting
Spalding into the race. when he be-
came embrOiled in controversy with
T.. W. Scrpps. who informed Spalding
that he must answer several questions
before Scripps would advocate Spald-
ing's candidacy with the 100. 600 voters
with whom Scripps declared he was
the questions and another. The added
answer was that he would run for the
senate against his wishes. but in spite
of Scripps. AS further and final an
swer Senator Wright started for Sac
ramento with Spalding's petition for a
place on the ballot.
All the pOther about legislative can
didates fling their petitions with the
secretary Of state is. according TO Sen
stor Wright and the San Francisco cleo
fion commission, needless and I'm no wise
suggested by the provisions of the
direct primary law. According to the
Sacra nlento dispa tches the justices OF
the appellate court have advised the
secretary of state that all petitions for
legislative candidates must he filed with
the secretary OF state. The primary law
provides that petitions for candidates
running in districts comprising more
than one county must be filed with the
secretary OF state; those for candida tes
running in 4 single county with the
county clerk or registrar of voters. In
the latter case the law provides that
the clerk or registrar must forward
the petitions to the secretary of state
within 10 days after their receipt
LAW READS PLAIN
The law is so absolutely plain that
il needs no construction or interpreta-
ton said Senator Wright last night
The candidate for legislative Office
whose district is wholly within single
county is required by the law to file his
petition with the county clerk or reg.