Los Angeles Daily Herald

Gubernatorial Aspirants.

The election at which the people of California will choose a Governor, to succeed the present incumbent, is but little more than half a year in the future. The near approach of the day when the successor to Governor Booth shall be named, is arousing politicians and gubernatorial aspirants to action and the names already reported, of those who would like to be Governor comprise quite a list. There will be three kinds of candidates-Democrats, Independents and Republicans. At present we shall name over a few of the first-named party's patriots who would like to devote four years of their valuable time to the business of playing figure-head to the Golden State. The Herald is an independent journal, and from its independent standpoint it looks at the character and qualifications of aspirants—not their political complexion. We may also have an opinion as to a man's chance of election. In this, however, it is more than probable our views will not be concurred in by many of the candidates or their friends. Of one of the candidates-Senator Roach-the Herald has heretofore said a good word. He is a thoroughly honest man, but will find many in his own party who will doubt his ability to satisfactorily fill the gubernatorial chair. He is already opposed by many of the old leaders of the party, whom he has in times past aided into office. Thos. Finley is on the list. His strength is of a negative character; that is to say, nothing can be urged against him, if nothing is to be said for him. Senator T. J. Keys, of Stanislaus county, is named. "Honest old Tom" has been too much the friend of the Central Pacific Railroad Company to be the friend of the San Joaquin valley Grangers. However, if called upon he would wield the Executive baton with a muscularity astonishing to light weights. Irwin, of Siskiyou, has aspirations equal to the frog that blew himself to smithereens on a drinking bout with the ox. He is a man of large pomposity and little mental calibre. He was to fame and fortune unknown until he chanced to be one of the immortal baker's dozen who sustained Governor Haight's veto of the railroad subsidy bills. The prestige he gained by this chance shot he lost through his shilly-shally course on the Freights and Fares bill during the last session. When Irwin is Governor of California, Norton I. will be Emperor of all the world. Farley, of Amador,—portly James—would like to be called Governor, but he voted to carry those subsidy bills over the Governor's veto, and thereby hoisted himself on his own petard. Larkin, of El Dorado, would make a good Governor, but there are ten thousand men who would make just as good who will never run for the office and yet come just as near being Governor as Henry. T. C. Ryland, of Santa Clara, is a candidate of fine ability, but being a Catholic he will be opposed by the Crescents of San Francisco.
Senator Boggs, of Colusa, would accept the place but he is a Democrat of the Bourbon school, and the independent element does not take kindly to that class of candidates. Jackson Temple, Governor Haight's law partner, is a candidate and has been during the memory of the present generation. As during all the long years that are now numbered with the past the people have not recognized Mr. Temple's claims, we see no reason why they should do so now nor in the future. Judge A. C. Bradford, of Fresno, is one of the best men in the list, but Farley and Irwin will oppose his nomination on the ground that they are wiser than he, which is not true. Last on the list comes our townsman ex-Governor Downey, The Governor is young, handsome, rich, liberal, to a fault, but as the Herald cannot support him of course his chance of election is just no chance at all.