The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-19
THE CONTEST BEGINS.

The fact that the Washington Post deems
it expedient to open a fight against the
proposition of holding the Republican
National Convention at San Francisco is
sufficient to indicate that the matter is
receiving serious attention in the centers
of political activity. That is fine point
gained.
1t is reasonable and generous to assume
that the Post, in arraying its arguments
against San Francisco, is perfectly sincere.
Its objections, briefly stated, are made
quacy of hotel, railroad and Geographic
accommodations, and the distance and
time involved. That is ALL
With regard to hotel accommodations,
the CALL has shown that outside of Chi
cago and possibly New York, San Fran
cisco has more extensive hotel accommo-
dations than any other city in the country /;
that the commercial and family hotels
alone can accommodate 5000 strangers
above their usual business, by reason of
the fact that there is an extraordinary
number of these establishments in the
City. This is accounted for in the fact
that we have no apartment houses and
that the greater cost of maintaining pri-
vate establishments gives rise to this
peculiar condition. These accommoda-
tons can be nearly doubled by the remark
ably large rooms-to-let, restaurant and
private house accommodations. If we can
arrange, as we did several years ago, to
accommodate 1900 persons, on the occa-
sion of the National Encampment of the
Grand Army, we can easily accommodate
more than 1900 now. New Orleans, a
smaller city, has cared for $4,000 visitors
at its Mardi Gras celebration. It is not
likely that the National Convention will
bring more than 5000 visitors, and the
regular hotels, boarding houses, lodging
houses and restaurants can accommodate
them.
The assurance given by the president of
the Hotel Association that not only will
there be no overcharging, but that dele
gates will receive special low rates. ought
to be consoling, especially when it is re-
fected that the ordinary rates here are
low, and the restaurants are the best and
cheapest in the world.
As for the objection that the distance is
great and the time occupied in covering it
would be long, that is true; but this hap
pens to be one of the strongest arguments
in favor of the proposition, as we shall
show. That any objection should be
raised on the score of inadequate railroad
facilities is miserably absurd. The South
ern Pacific alone can handle the travel,
and this leaves out of the account the
Santa Fe, the Union Pacific, the Northern
Pacific, the Great Northern, the Canadian
Pacific and other overland lines that b ave
terminal facilities in San Francisco.
This brings US to consideration of the
telegraphic facilities. 1t is true that these
do not offer large margin for newspaper
specials" but it is also true that all the
news agencies can be fully accommodated,
besides all the private business appertain-
ing to the convention, and all this in addi-
ton to the regular business from the coast.
If there is newspaper in the Union that
would not be glad to be rid of the enor-
nous extra expense of several pages of
special kilograms daily, costing incredible
sums of money, we should be pleased to
know where it is published.
The advantages of holding the conven-
ton here are these: The intelligence and
patriotism of the Republican party can see
and understand the needs and resources of
vast territory in which the future devel-
opment OF the country is to find exercise,
and that is where the advantage of the
long trip is found; the expense would be
hardly any greater than if the convention
were held in the East; vast ANNOYING
rabbie OF hangers-on would be left behind,
and, best of all, the visitors will find in
California lavish hospitality, the hearth
ness OF which the seyerer conditions pre-
vaiIing in other parts of the country effect
ually prohibit.