The record-union., 1896-02-04
MANAGER FILCHBR REPLIES.
Answers the Criticisms Against His
Official Conduct at Atlanta.
says the state Development Commit
tee Has Done IrreparabIe In
jury to California.

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 3.-The
Bulletin" tonight says:
Manager j. A. Filcher of the State
Board of Trade has declared war
against the State Development Com
mittee which to-day, he says, has
caused the circulation of numerous
slanderoas reports concerning his Off
cial conduct at the Atlanta Exposition
He ayers that if the State Development
Committee is looking for trouble, he is
in position to give the members of
that organization all they want.
II have it on good authority" said
Mr.. Filcher to-day, that the reports re-
Gently published concerning the Cali
fornia exhibit at Atlanta were inspired
by the State Development Committee
If that be true, the committee has done
irreparable injury to California, for by
the criticisms of it's representatives at
Atlanta the work of the State Board of
Trade was made to suffer. Yet, despite
this, California was awarded nearly
120 gold and silver medals, about six
times more than any other State re-
ceived'
Mr.. Filcher stated that he would not
feel the criticisms passed upon him half
so much had the character of the people
on whose statements they were made
been such as to warrant their truth.
This man w. H. Walters said he,
who was authorized by the committee
to represent it at Atlanta, turns out to
have been professional beat. He rep
resented himself everywhere as being in
charge of the California exhibit, and
did us incalculable harm. While at At
lanta he posed as a minister, and actu-
ally visited Sam Jones, the revivalist,
claiming to be a renowned preacher of
California. He secured $100 from an
Atlanta bank, on his claim that he was
manager of the California exhibit, and
few days later left the country, and
have not heard from him since. He
came from Oregon, and only spent
few months in California. Yet, despite
this, the State Development Committee
authorized him to represent California,
and it is on the garbled statements of
such a man that the committee attacks
the work of the State Board of Trade"
Mr.. Filcher also spoke of the work of
Mrs. McCann, who was authorized by
the committee to lecture at the exposi-
ton in the interests of California
.'She only delivered one lecture" said
he, "and the subject selected was
'Palmistry' 1t was through her that
we lost the competitive gold medal. She
wore badge as big as napkin and
represented herself as a commissioner
from California. / did not care for this,
but she meddled with affairs that did
not concern her and consequently did
the State great injury. 1 protested
with her in vain, but Notwithstanding
her interference the California exhibit
was enabled to capture large majority
of the medals for the best exhibit
The operations of Mr. Click. who, as
Mr.. Filcher says. was also representa-
tive of the Development Committee.
was discussed. Mr.. Filcher said Click
was worse than useless at the exposi-
ton, and by his peculiar conduct did
the State great harm
1.-THE Development Committee can ac-
complish no good for California by at
tacking the State Board of Trade re-
sumed Mr. Filcher. Il cannot rest
quietly under the insinuations cast out,
and the time has come for us to defend
ourselves. I do not wish to enter into
a controversy with the committee. but
if the attacks upon US do not cease, /
will give fuller particulars concerning
the operations of its representatives
while at Atlanta"