The record-union., 1896-01-14
A RINGING PROTEST AND PLEA.

In another part of this paper we
print a letter addressed to the San
Francisco Calf of yesterday by Will
lam H. Mills, that ought to be read by
every man who entertains the senti-
ment Of fair play and believes that com
mon Justice is an attribute of manli-
ness.
1t has ever been the fate Of men who
have unselfshly attempted to do some
good in their community to be assailed
by the mean and malicious charge Of
having Interior motives. Their sincere
desire to benefit their county, or city,
or State, by suggestion and plan sub
mitted to the judgment of their fellow
citizens, invariably finds some opponent
who pretends to discover a selfish and
unworthy motive underlying such pub
lie spirited activity.
Perhaps it is we'll that this is so, be-
cause virtue always gains in
value by contrast with its assailants,
and the sneers of the maleyolent and
the small minded. Mr.. Mills, in the
purest public spirit, and as an officer of
the State Board of Trade, suggested
that the supremacy of San Francisco as
the metropolis of the coast, would be Sc
cured to it more surely by making in
it's seat an exhibit of products that
should represent the entire Pacific Coast
and the adjacent and tributary islands,
and not be circumscribed by the narrow
bounds of the State.
The reason for such an extension Of
the work of the State Board of Trade,
which by the way is not the property of
San Francisco, but is maintained by
twenty eight counties, are few, simple
and irresistible. While occurring to
every man with a thimble full of brains
and capacity of vision to lift his eyes to
a horizon not limited by his immediate
environment, they will be confirmed and
emphasized in judgment by reading Mr..
Mills trenchant and pardonably Sc
we're letter, in which he does not mince
matters, but strips mendacity of a
seeming of truth, by exposing it naked
to the scorn of a discriminating public.
1t is this spirit of envy, jealousy and
suspicion that prompts narrow souls to
impugn motive and find for every hui
man action an unworthy purpose, that
has handicapped San Francisco these
many years and made it suffer by con-
trast with the broad, generous and pro-
gressive spirit that characterizes Los
Angeles, and which bids fair to make
the latter city a dangerous rival to the
former for commercial supremacy.
What Mr.. Mills has written, expressed
in unmistakable English, has the forti-
fication of truth. 1t needed to be said,
and we are glad that he has demon
strated his courage to say it, and put it
of record over his signature.
If California is to ever get out of its
swaddling clothes and assume the garb
of virility, it must do it now and speed
lily. If it is to remain the peevish, teeth
ing. mewling child of jealousy, thing of
small mindedness and whimpering pue-
rility, it will be because of the influences
Mr.. Mills scores so severely, and that
may succeed in binding it forever in its
cradle.
We commend the letter to all readers.
1t rises above the personality of its
author, and departs from defense OF
himself to the level of plea in the name
of this State and coast, for broad mind
edness. public spirit and a commerce
something better than broking
and peddling.