"The System," As Uncovered by the San Francisco Graft ProsecutionHichborn, Franklin
History
"The System," As Uncovered by the San Francisco Graft Prosecution
Hichborn, Franklin
Political corruption -- California -- San Francisco; San Francisco (Calif.) -- Politics and government
[333] The Call, in speaking of the Taylor-Langdon meeting said:
"Young Mr. Ryan ought to have been at that meeting. We have
nothing against Mr. Ryan except that he is not the man of the
hour. We shall not even reproach him with his youth. That is
not his fault and he will get over that. But he is not the man
of the hour. The people have said it. Mr. Ryan embodies no
principle. To the people of San Francisco he means nothing in
particular at this critical time. He might have read that
message in the mighty roar that went up from the meeting in
welcome of Dr. Taylor. Mayor Taylor stands for something,
stands for much. Mr. Ryan has only his own ambition and a
certain command of language."
[334] The San Francisco Call, in its issue of November 5, charged
that orders had gone out from the United Railroads to "vote
for McCarthy and the Union Labor ticket--straight." In the
cars of the United Railroads appeared dodgers which read:
"Workingmen. Workingmen--Are you going to put a big stick into
Spreckels' hands to club you over the head with?"
[335] The same is true of the Los Angeles Times, which has a
national reputation as an opponent of organized labor. The
Times, while at issue with Mr. McCarthy on the question of the
desirability of unions, was scarcely less vehement than he in
denunciation of the San Francisco graft prosecution.
[336] One of the allegations made against Heney was that he would
not prosecute Patrick Calhoun, because Heney's brother-in-law
was employed by Calhoun as a detective. This argument was
intended to weaken Heney and the prosecution with the union
element that Calhoun was endeavoring to crush.
[337] In a political advertisement which appeared in the San
Francisco Call November 3, 1907, Mr. McGowan said: "If elected
District Attorney I will prosecute every man accused of crime,
regardless of his position in life. I will continue the
present graft prosecution with more vigor, and the District
Attorney's office will not be used for politics, nor to
disturb business. I will be the District Attorney in law and
in fact, and I will never allow any man or set of men to
control the office for any purpose. I will honorably enforce
the law without the aid of any millionaire's money."
[338] Langdon, at the opening of the Republican campaign, took up
the question of the prosecution's policy in granting immunity
to the Supervisors. He said:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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