The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-06
THE OAKLAND BANQUET.

The merchants of Oakland have at last
realized the great importance of their city.
At the banquet given Thursday evening
by the Merchants Association the abiding
common-sense of intelligent men found
expression in determination to unite the
great mercantile forces of the city into one
powerful machine, which shall have for its
object the development of the manifold
natural advantages which Oakland enjoys.
For too long this splendid city, rich in the
money of her residents and in those
Astounding natural charms and advantages
which should have made her greater than
is, has been content to develop without
a higher purpose than comes from the for
warding of individual interests. AS a
consequence she insensibly fell under the
evil power of selfish interests, which
stripped her and fattened on the plumber
She lost her water front when she had,
next to San Francisco, the finest on the
coast. She permitted the Southern Pa
cifc to secure monopoly of her shipping
facilities and hold her at its mercy. But
Oakland is reused at last and is putting
forth her giant strength to burst the bonds
that enslave her. She has been making a
desperate fight for her stolen water front
and victory seems in sight and will be
secured if there is such thing as justice
in the world. And Thursday night she
decided to shattef the bonds in which the
Southern Pacific for so many weary years
has held her.
This forward movement on the part OF
the merchants is the elimination of the
work that has been proceeding for some
time on other lines. They understand that
they have an interest fully as vital as that
of any other in the city, and their organi-
zation and determined attitude, working
in cooperation with the activities which
were already in the field, will insure the
fruition of Oakland's highest ambition.
Realizing the fact that her geographical
position not only makes her the entrepoi
for the commerce of San Francisco, but
that she has independent harbor facilities
which might be utilized to her account,
her merchants have organized themselves
into a body of men determined to see that
the most shall be made of these superb
advantages.
OF course, the most vital thing preached
by the speakers at the banquet was the
opportunity for competitive transportation
presented by the San Joaquin Valley Rail.
road. That Oakland must secure all the
advantages which reside in that oppor-
tunity was the most prominent thought in
every mind. Justly resenting the charge
that she is merely a suburb of San Fran
cisco, her merchants, to whom the ques-
ton of transportation charges and facili-
ties is directly vital, are determined to dc
all in their power to aid the peoples line.
That they can secure the Valley road, il
they display the proper spirit of enter
prise, there can be no doubt. 1t is simply
matter of making the inducement suffi-
GENTLY strong. One of the first evidences
of their earnestness would be the signing
of the CALLS pledge to ship by the Valley
road. This should be accompanied with
generous subscription to the shares of the
company, and with donations of a right Of
way and land for depot purposes. We
have no fear that Oakland, now that hel
spirit is reused, will be found wanting in a
single one of these particulars.