ODE SAN FRANCISCO LETTER.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13005, 6 January 1908, Page 9

ODE SAN FRANCISCO LETTER.

a (raoM or/a err.riu. coaazsroNDiavT.. SAN FRANCISCO, December 0. TLII-. GRAFT' TRIALS. TJ IP second trial of etipe.-i.il interest o those |.>l!.n\in_i the trend ot events in Son Francisco has terminated. Tirey L Ford. f-x-Attoruey-Oeneral ot California, and leading coun.-ei .'.! the 7-nitod Railroads of this nt;.. ha-, been acquitted «f one of tho charges «>f brioerv pirfem-d ag-.inst him. This was th p veond trifll. The. tir.-t requited in a The failure of t!;e feoond at:'nipt to convict was not unexpected. Whi> tho evidt-mo was \ror.<'. ar.d wri! presenter!, yet tho t«v.:in:ony «-»f the ex-boss. Abo P-ucf. was ' needed to link th«» piece-, together. P.tift i.- under detention, he. having conf.^.d f !)i> zn-\t. and whilo the graft j.rosccuto;:. have, not taken the public ,nto their coi_denco to tell why he was not .-iilied to tho witness chair, it is generally believed that the shr«»wd dew refused to testify unless ho was promised immunity. There is no doubt that the price was considered too hi>:h, Hn d it vw decide<l first to test tho ' evidence without the important wit,v.. )rt No waß taken in Tir<\v " Ford's case, boctiuse ho has been indicted on several counts, and siibse- ' quent trials will likely result in conviction, should all tho strength of tho prosecution bo thrown, in tho balance. This second trial was interrupted by several weeks of legal holidays, called by tho Governor to relievo tho bunks I fiom financial pressure. During this time the jury was kept under restraint in the leading hotel, and there is no doubt that tho prosecution lost force by the long delay. . "Patrick Calhoun is now on trial. The millionaire President of tho United Railroads Company of San rrancisco, t-harced with bribing tho city s exofiiciaia in order to secure tho street for his own purposes (in which ho was Kuccossfull. is hghting for his liberty, and while he has many enemies in tho community, cone will cainsay his hbiiity as aa adversary.. The evidence i» expect-rd to prove stronger than in tliecaF© of Ford, but whether the District Attorney's office will call Abe Iluet" to testily, thefeby. in the publio - mind, granting him a pardon for his civic iniquities, remains to be seen. There is no doubt that San Francisco and New York (where Calhoun is a financial power), and every city and hamlet in the United States, will keenly watch the progress of this trial —th most important of tho series. AN AID TO CIVIC RIGHTEOUSNESS. The famous Oliver Graud Jury has been discharged, in the natural order of events. It. secures its name from Foreman R. P. Oliver. Of all the grand juries of tho stirring times of San Francisco, this ono of eighteen citizens will probably go down into history as the hardest worked and the nblest cleaner of the festering places <_f the municipality. Tho Oliver Grand July was in existence one year and twenty-four days. It held 115 meetings, and examined 597 witnesses. " The indictments returned numbered 441. It was instrumental in turning nut of office the •'boodling'' supervisors ; and thrusting ex-Mayor Schmitz and Abe Rufef mV) durance yilo for their fearful crimes in the timo of the stricken city's extremity. And the indictments against millionaires are evidences that Oliver and his fellow jurors are men whoso.efforts were impartial, and marked 'iby bravery and devotion to civio duty. ELECTION NOTES. As an aftermath of the municipal election, tho writer asked tho Tax Collector or San Francisco why he was not renominated by tho Union Labour Party. His record is excellent. He has handled millions of dollar* yearly without a word cf scaudal attaching itself to tho office. "Simply because 1 wouldn't go down to tho County gaol and ask tha 'big fellow' (i.e.. ex-Mayor Sohmltz) for tho plaoo on tho ticket." The statemeni is true. At a midnight meeting in the County gaol tho "slate" was selected. Ono of the papers as>ked whether tho Union men would support a "Drison-mado ticket.'' To their credit bo it 6aid, they throw tho balanco of 'power to Mayor Taylor and his efficient colleagues. It might be asked how a political gathering could* asscmblo in such quarters. JKx-Mayor Schmitz is . awaiting the decision of tlio higher Courts on an appoal from, judgment rendered against him. Ho is in the custody of tho Sheriff of San Francisco, who was elected on tho so-called' Union Labour ticket, and who was a candidate of tho 6ame party at tbo election just passed. Under such favourable management, tho erstwhile Chief Exe- '_ cutiv© was able to keep almost open house, and Schmita'a followers were in a position to confer with him at any timo. One of the leading workers for the Good Governmeut League ticket was vVilham Greer Harrison. He is a brother of E. M. O. Harrison, for fears a ■: • prominent school teacher of Auckland, an^^ J t «®., earl 7 of tn » Thames goldneld William Greer was known to the residents. Since coming to San Irancfcsco-be has prosporcd, and after a residence of over thirty years, ho took out his citizenship papers a few months ago, and turned hia back on King Edward. This action caused his opponents to say many sarcastic things. .Iney commented on tho zeal of tho new -citiaen-who enjoyed all the privileges ot residence for so long without taking the step to participate in tho affairs of the community, who mad© his money in l>al_.orma, and then had the audu"- " to ,. tv attempt to run an election. William Greer's ea.rs must hay« burned, but ho said nothing whilo ho worked, and after election smiled on his detractors, THE FINANCIAL FLURRY. A special session of tho California provided ways and means to meet tho unprecedented money situation. Various laws and ameiuf- - ments were adopted, and tho date heretofore set for declaring delinquent the State taxes was set ahead several months. This will enable the banks to retain millions of dollars in coin in their vaults to meet other demands. ihe withdrawal from tho banks of tho T «t sum yearly turned into California s treasury by the taxpayers, would V* rt »i*dy affect the stringency. A Hanking Commission to reviso and strengthen tho laws governing tho hnancja! institutions was appointed by The Lejrislature. The Governor had declared legal holidays for some time. "5° Protect tho banks, and now '"special - "."hdays" have sunerseded to meejt the situation- Clearing-house certificates •'•'c &ti!l in use. backed by the financial * trench of the locil banks. These . f *rt'___ca_ fts are usolefv« for ntonc-y- ---'. ? r «er purchases. or for pay- ".-•. 13 8 taxes. and much confusion . results. Cheques ■ drawn on Cali.toraiari bonks will not be acin the East while tho hblidav '/& in vogue. There is loud talk '»i the situation clearing and confidence ' 5 e c Urni:, K- hut there is .stili n well<lefinrd feelinc that all is not w»eH. I-low- ; yer, the- millions in gold received from ' fcuropp have had a marked effect' in r reassuring tho pooplo. and another to the same end was the action '.w tho San Frantisco Ixinks in attrtHung gold for gold deposits. This, dt^- '-. tßion resulted in the withdrawal of ittoney from safe d»-j»osit vaults, trunks, °'<1 stockings, -lr.d kindred hidingPlaces. •POOR TRADE CONDITIONS. Thousands of men arc out of tni--Ptoyaieni in California. The difficul-

tics in procuring cash have resulted in the stoppage ot work on buildings. Not only arc the mechanic, of the budding trades Miffering, but- the men of the skilitd crafts, and labourers, too, are ldic in Large- numbers. It looks as though th<- winter H-awm will be severe tro-ii many .standpoint:-. Kinpiuvcrs in si>me Inns art' <t ret.nctiou 'of wagir*. Naturally. their men wi:i re.>i>. this step. The- Homo Telephone Company of San Francisco cut the wages of their .street workers from 2d<?l. 50 <-f>r.ts 10 'Jdi>l. 25 coins a d-iv. Tne Board of Public Works induced the coiiipa'i.v to reconsider its action, pointing our that 2dol. 50 cent.s a day wa.-; ;i v *•_->• i >w wage tor present-day condition-, tliat. storekeepers would suffer t:o;n a eui in the rate, as well as the hundreds directly aif<cted, and that public policy would bo subserved by maintaining peaceful labour conditions ond the old war.p. The men were reinstated after a few dny.s' idleness, tho company agreeing with tho deductions of the municipal authorities. In this incident there is evidence of the possibilities of industrial turmoil that por-t<-ud.« no good for San Francisco.