The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-04
THE HALF-M|LL|ON CLUB
Prominent Citizens Say Its
Plans Are Practicable
and Feasible
The Mayor of Santa Rosa Thinks
the People of the Interior
VIII IndorSe Them.

In order to test the sentiment in the
minds of business men regarding the prac-
ticability and feasibility of the plan of the
promotion committee of the Half-million
Club as published in THE CALL, reporter
called upon some prominent men for their
opinions. f. w. Dohrman of the Mer-
chants Association said:
Regarding the idea expressed by the commit
tee that it is necessary TO develop the interior
in order to increase the population of San
Francisco to SOC, 900, l should think there
would be no doubt in any ones mind concern
ing this, as all must admit that the healthy
growth of any city must depend upon the sur
rounding country, and this is peculiarly true
of San Francisco.
We never can have too m&py people in the
State, provided they are the right kind of
people, but we could easily have too many
people in the City who depend for their living
upon supplying the people in the country.
Therefore do not think that under the present
condition any efforts need be, or in fact should
be made inducing other than people of means
to come to San Francisco, but every effort
should be made to induce people who wish to
make their living out of the soil or who wish to
invest their money in our lands and make
their homes with us, to settle in the State.
LIE Roy G. Harvey was next seen. He
said:
1 have heard of nothing proposed that, in
my Judgment, is as comprehensive or practical
as the present plan.
"But how is the money going to be raised to
carry out such plan on such an elaborate
scale?" was asked.
The committee has some plans in mind by
which 1t can obtain money, but it would not
be wise to make them public at present. Cali
fornla has always shown herself ready TO meet
demands for funds when well-devised scheme
for public work has been presented, and even
if the means for obtainining money re-
ferred to should not be thought best to adopt 1t
is probable that through the agency of the in
terror improvement clubs and the County
supervisors, who, understand, are allowed
to appropriate an aggregate of 1868, 900 for adj
vertising purposes per annum, sufficient
amount can be raised to defray the expenses OF
the work as laid out.
Mayor Woodward of Santa Rosa, who
was in town yesterday. said that he has
given the plans of the promotion commit
tee great deal of thought. and believes
them wise and thoroughly practical.
Mayor Woodward is one of the State COM
mittee. and expects to take up the subject
OF local improvement club as soon as he
returns to Santa Rosa.
w. NJ. Bunker says that he has seldom
given a subject of public nature more
careful thought than that bestowed by him
upon the plan as outlined by the COM
mittee of which he is chairman. He saw
during the excursion through the State
| the Importance of the movement and was
surprised to see how universally it was in
dorsed. He has been in receipt since the
excursion OF many letters from prominent
men in the towns visited expressing their
surprise at the delay of the Half-million
Club in carrying out the plans as outlined
during the excursion.
Mr.. Il. Dalton says that he thinks the
plan as far as he understands it is good
one and that the Half-million Club should
do some thing without delay.