The San Francisco call., 1896-11-23
MERCHANTS NEED
TO Be A UNIT
Five Years of Progress Has
Not Injured to Their
Benefit.
Peculiarities of the License Ordi-
nance That Are Not
Understood.
A Decent City Hall for Oakland
Should Figure in the Municipal
Platforms.
oAk1Ann orrror sAN FRANo1sco CA11,l

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL,)
9OS Broadway, Nov. %.
The time has now arrived when there
should be in this city powerful mercan-
tile organization. During the past five
years all the surrounding towns, even as
far as Haywards, have been brought al
most into Oakland by FREQUENT and cheap
electrician service. The trade of Oakland
has almost doubled, but with little ap-
parent resultant benefit to its merchants
This is due to lack of a concentration of
interests.
l. There is Merchants Exchange and q
Board of Trade, both OF which organiza-
' tons have done good work, but there has
always been considerable friction between
them, which has prevented any joint ef-
forts for their mutual welfare. There are
many changes necessary before Oakland
and surrounding territory can grow COM
merclally, and these cannot be brought
about by any clique or party, but can only
be secured by unity of action.
Tn e forecast OF the changes is most GER
.tainly thorough and intelligent under
standing of the needed license system.
That 1t is now pr imltive, crude and discrim-
mating there can be no doubt The leyying
of all manner of licenses on the solicitors
and deliverers from outside places has
worked great harm to local merchants
Firms who formerly did S100 worth of
business week in this city were driven
to establishing branch houses over here
and now do four times the business.
Berkeley retaliated by passing a prohibit
i've license and a leading mem ber of the
Merchants Exchange was forced to open
a branch store in that town in order to
hold his trade and evade an extortionate
license. A leading member of the Board
of Trade and large manufacturer has
L. ~
his travellers because of prohibitory local
licenses, and the business they obtained
no longer comes to Oakland.
Several commission merchants cross
the bay every morning to buy produce IN
San Francisco that is produced in Ala
media County, and which is brought back
= here for conspmption, and which process
is the result of the license imposed on
producers who bring their goods inside
the fire limits.
These are few of the details that need
adjustment, but so long as the interests of
few are to be paramount to the welfare
OF the community Just SO long will Oak
land suffer. There will be no improve
ment till there is a powerful commercial
organization dominated by the spirit of
men whose ideas travel farther than their
store door. Such an organization could
by the. appointment of various commit
tees deal with all the problems now being
handled by the various bodies and would
make possible the establishment of
Produce Exchange which is an actual ne
. cessity in an agricultural county like Ala
media.
Very rarely is the proper credit accorded
the District Attorneys Office for the milk
OF human nature which it frequently dis
.penses in the conduct of criminal cases.
More frequently the Office is harshly critI-
cized and hampered in the discharge of
its duty by those who do not under
stand how matters stand or who
are. willfully prejudiced. 1t is gen.
orally considered that the duty of the pub
lie prosecutor is to attempt to land in Jail
every one who breaks the laws. This is,
of course, true in the case of criminals,
but there are many young people arrested
who do wrong, not fully comprehending
the nature of their offense, or because of
the influences of older companions who
have motives for leading them astray. In
such instances Justice can be best SUBJ
served by the exercise of kindness and
humanity, and the foundations of good
citizenship laid instead of life of crimi-
naity.
During the incum bency of District At
torney Shook several of these instances
have arisen and young men who under a
less humane administration would now
be convlcts are reputable members of So
ciety. A lew years in the District Attor-
news office reveals all the phases of hu-
.manity's weakness and teaches that
reformation is not always brought about
by virulent prosecution.
Alameda has at least one thing that she
can point to with the finger OF pride
while the finger OF derision is pointed
toward Oakland. The Encinal City has a
municipal building that is q credit to her,
while Oakland has a wooden barn that is
periodically condemned by the Board of
Health.
Aiameda's handsome brick and stone
bloCknot only adds 10 the dignity of the
municipal government. but it is an insult
to expect any of Oakland's officials to
show its municipal pile to visiting
Mayor, and yet Alameda IS several classes
behind OAKLAND in the rank of cities.
In few weeks the various municipal
tickets and platforms will be placed be-
fore the public, and the one that is pledged
to secure needed improvements will be en-
titled to the largest share of support. A
plank providing for an ample municipal
building on the lines that have been laid
down so often would command more re-
spect than the ster eotyped, meaningless
language that is so often foisted on the
voters. STUART w. BooTH.