The San Francisco call., 1896-01-22
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
Some Matters of Interest Dis.
cussed at It's Annual
Meeting.
THE FUNDING BILL SCORED.
Gist of Resolutions Passed-Addresse
of the Retiring and Incoming
Presidents.

Many of the City's merchant princes at
tended the annual meeting of the Cham
ber of Commerce yesterday afternoon.
Among those present were: R. G. Sheath,
William l.. Merry, A. Gerberding, George
Davidson, Louis Sloss Jr., L. H. Clement,
Hugh Craig, John l.. Howard, Louis B.
Parrott, F. Chapman, Charles M. Yates,
A. B. Field, Arthur E. Towne, George A.
Newhall Charles Nelson, f. W. Van Sick
len, ii. t. Scott, a. J. Ralston and others.
Owing TO the absence of President w.
ii. Dimond in Southern California the
meeting was called TO order by Mr. Craig,
proceedings commencing with the reports
OF the secretary and treasurer Secretary
Clement reported that during the past
year three members of the chamber had
died, thirty had resigned and two had
been dropped from the roll. During the.
year Ill new members had been secured,
the total being now 1884, as against 30S on
the 1st of January, 1895.
These reports being approved, the adj
dress OF the retiring president, w. III. Di-
mond, was read by the secretary. 1t was
in part as follows
Gentlemen of the Chamber of Commerce of
san Francisco: After two years of service as
presiding officer of your body and many wears
service as trustee, in this, my final report to
you as president, may be pardoned for i'm
pressing upon you at this time my views re-
garding several important measures as yet not
consum mated, but for which the Chamber Of
Commerce of this City has long and strenu-
ously labored.
Recent DEVELOPMENTS at home and abroad
have brought to the front the importance of
the 1sthmian canal under American control
The pamphlet on the subject recently distrio-
uted by this chamber, the exact knowledge and
unquesuoned eloquence OF our members who
have advocated the building of this canal
leave practically nothing to add to the litera-
tuTe on the subject.
One of our honored members anE Senators
from this State has already introduced bill
in the Senate, and is using his best endeayors
TO have measure adopted by Congress that
Will speedily bring about the construction of
this most important waterway, considered
either from a commercial or military stand
point. The measure, also urged by q member
OF the House from this State, may become
statute by legislation; although such grave
subjects are now before Congress this vital
measure for the Pacific Coast is liable for the
time being TO be laid aside.
Should that unfortunately be a fact this
cham ber should redouble its efforts TO bring IL
before the next Congress, never wearying of
the good work, but persisting until all obsta-
cles are overcome and success crowns our
efforts. 1t may perhaps have escaped your
notice that hook entitled 1.-The Key to the
Pacific-the Nicaragua Canal" written by an
eminent English engineer calls attention to
the fact that Great Britain viii lose and the
United States gain by its construction. Here
is an extract:
Through the Suez canal England has at
present the advantage of the United States as
regards China, Japan and Australia by about
Atlantic cities OF the United States will be only
1000 miles farther from Hongkong and Central
China generally than Britain 1900 10 1900
miles nearer the northern ports OF China, Korea
ana Japan; 200 miles nearer the average of
the western ports of South America; 1900 miles
nearer New Zealand. The canal Will bring
New Orleans 1000 miles and the gulf ports
from 100 TO 1000 miles nearer again than New
\ ork. The canal will place the States in touch
with 800 100000 people with whom at present
they have comparatively little intercourse
namely, the people of China, Japan Korea
Australia, Malaysia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru
and Chile.
This means, of course, that the supremacy.
control, etc, we (the BFitish) at present possess
IN the trade of Eastern Asia and Australasia
wIlisbe strongly attacked by the,United States"
Another important subject, TO my mind, is
the development OF interior water trsnsporta-
ton. On the 4th of November last the people
OF the State OF New York voted TO expend
f9,ooo,OOo TO improve the canal system OF the
State-a system that for at least five months of
every year is locked in the icy grasp of the
Arctic frosts The millions expended by the
State have not only returned an immense
proht IN building up its manufactures its
cities and towns-glying cheap transportation
and making its farms Yalua ble-but returned
In actual cash, over and above first cost, inter
profit since Dewitt Clinton declared the Erie
canal open TO traffic.
Is there not a possibility of combining State
and private enterprise with the well-expended
but all too meager fund from the National
Government to put our interior waterways in
condition that will approximate the grand
system OF rivers and canals in the Empire
State? There seems TO be much food for
thought in this important subject of interest
alike TO the city merchants and the country
producer. This fact may be emphasized by
quoting the statement made public a few
months since, that in spite of Pittsburg's mag
niheent railroad facilities, 10000 bushels,
or about 1S6, l75 tons of coal were shipped by
river late in the fail, requiring 81 towboats,
1913 barges.and 20 hatboats to carry it,
The chamber during the past year has in
creased its usual expenditures by Issuing the
Nicaragua pamphlet and by sending TO the
Trans-M Mississippi Congress able representatives
of California commercial worth. That the
money was well expended results prove and
the enterprise shown by this chamber in the
past in such direction should not be allowed to
flag;
into able hands, and in taking up the labor
the new board finds the organization tinan-
cially in a prosperous condition with an in
creased creased mem be!rship, unanimIty and enthu-
removed from our members hip able and
earnest men.
William Norris, William Steinhart and
Robert f. Bunker, all have gone where busi-
ness cares cease to trouble. But our ranks have
been recruited with young and enthusiastic
Ban Fran clScanS, ana the loss from our cOun-
ellis of skilled and tried labor for the advance
ment OF our City, State and coast must be made
good from the loyal efforts of our younger
added to those who have been tried
and not found wanting, who for years have
been working for our mutual advancement
/ cannot close without thanking my fellow
trustees for the earnest support given me. and
again calling attention to the unfagging dis
labors of Senator Perkins at Wash- |
ington in behalf of California; in fact nor he
alone, but the whole California delegation de-
serve the warm thanks of this chamber for
their gallant efforts to promote in Congress
the welfare of our State. To our secretary is
due the thanks of the trustees and the cham
Der for his efficient work, particularly his sue
cessfu. efforts to increase the membership OF
this body, which after deducting deaths and
designations shows net gain of seyenty-six
members for the year, result largely due 10 |
his personal efforts To the whole Chamber |
for the honor conferred in selecting me to pre-. |
side over your deliberation the past year, ex- |
tend my heartfelt thanks.
w. H. DIMoNp, President.
The following memorial to Congress was
next read:
To the Honorable Senate and House Of Represen- |
tdttues in Congress Assembled: Your memorial. |
ist, the Chamber of Commerce of San Fran |
cisco, respectfully and urgently reiterates its
prayer TO preceding sessions of your august |
organization for the speedy construction ofthe |