The San Francisco call., 1897-07-20
CALIFORNIA;
WARM WELCOME
Citizens Invite President
Mckinley to Visit
This State.
He Should Survey This Empire
and Annex Hawaii, They
Said.
Commercial and Labor Organizations
Of Each County Requested
to Join.

California Hall, on Bush street, was
crowded last night with patriotic Califor-
mans who wished to extend to President
Mckinley an invitation to visit this
State.
E. M. Calvin called the meeting to
order and A. de la Tore Jr. performed the
functions Of secretary.
A note was read from Peter J. Shields,
private secretary of Governor Budd, an
nouncing that the Governor was out OF
town when the invitation to address the
meeting was received, and that therefore
the Governor would be unable to be
present.
The following list of vice-presidents was
read:
George E. Morse, William S. Barnes. ]. d.
Spreckels, E. f. Bert, E. C. Palmlerl, z. S. Lau-
meister, Charles Manwaring. F. L. Brown,
Charles Alpers,A. NJ. Ebbetts. John Lackmann..
A. Rojo A. Ruef, F. E. Mascherini, Max Pop
per. E. B: Pond. John D. Seibe, 7. G. Masteller,
Charles w. Kyle, T. B. Morton, T. F. Bachelder,
J; J. Sullivan, p. B Cornwall, David Kerr E
Caden asso, NJ. F. Taylor, G. w. Baker, J. +.
Sheehan, A. w. Voorsan Frank Sumner,
K. X. Duckworth.
Mayor Phelan. on being introduced as
presiding officer of the meeting, made a
brief speech. He understood that an in
vitation had been already extended to
President Mckinley to visit California
and all that they had to do was to CO.
operate with the committee on invitation,
and by public meetings of citizens, Boards
of Trade and other commercial organiza-
tions express to President Mckinley their
eager desire to have him visit this State
and to receive the hospitality of the State.
l. H-I.
welcome" continued the Mayor. 81 am
sure that all people are willing to CO
operate in the good work. 1t would be a
great honor to San francisco to entertain
the President of the United States. Only
on two other occasions in the forty-seven
years that the State has been a mem Der of
the Union has California entertained a
President during his term of office and
those occasions were the visits OF Presi-
dent Hayes and President Harrison"
The State would be honored by visit
from President Mckinley, the Mayor con-
tinued, and the President himself would
be BEN Gifted in so far as it would give him
an opportunity of viewing the extent of
the territory over which he presides. 1t
was perhaps unfortunate that the outlying
territories were not in such close touch as
they might be with the rest of the Union.
Many years ago the objection was made
that Washington would not be a central
point very long, but team and electricity
have since then annihilated distance and
have placed the remotest parts OF the Ma
tion in contact.
The Mayor spoke of the annexation OF
Hawaii as a question in which the people
of California were deeply interested. 1t
was, therefore, fitting that the President
and the mem bers of Congress should visit
this State in order that they might inform
themselves as to the sentiment of the peo-
pie of the Pacific Coast.
Henry l. KowaIsky was introduced as
the next speaker. He announced himself
as approving of the action of the com nit
tee No citizen OF this State regards Cali
fornia more kindly than does the Presi-
den. of the United States. President Nc
Kinley had TWO brothers who lived here
in business for many years and earned
the respect of the citizens at large. The
President visited this coast some years
ago with his niece escorting her home
from school and resided here several
months In the re esidence of his uncle, B.
T. Mckinley. The President has shown
his interest in California by giving 1t the
first Cabinet position that it ever mad the
homer of filing and giving it to an hon.
ored citizen. Hon. Joseph McKenna.
I'VE are not speaking as Republicans,
but as Californians," continued the
colonel, land we know that the same well
come as was given to Hon. William J.
Bryan will be given to President Nc
Kinley. We will give him the same well
come as we gave to Hayes and Harrison,
not because he is what he is personally,
but because he is President of the United
States. We admire his manhood and the
ladies will give to him who is known as
the most correct and affectionate of hus-
bands hearty welcome and you will also
give the same welcome to his wife,"
Colonel T. V. Eddy followed and ex-
bio in to in ha nft
In this country to-day all roads LEAD to
Washington and ali roads that amount to
anything lead from Washington to San
Francisco. There are many great reasons
why we should invite the President to
visit this State and why he should accept.
We have great questions on this coast
which should engage the attention not
only of the President but of Congress.
The question OF annexlng the Hawaiian
Islands was one of the greatest questions
that have confronted us for many years.
San Francisco as the metropolis of the
great West is the place where the Presi-
dent should learn those things. The
mem bers of Congress also could learn
more by coming here than they could
from all the representatives that could be
sent to Washington. If the Preside ent
were to come to San Francisco and talk
with the Mayor. the merchants and the
bankers he could see the great good that
annexation would do to California.
I'VE should have no hesitation to ex-
tend him an invitation to prolong his tour
from the Yellowstone Park to San Fran.
CISCO"
On motion of William Mcintyre the
suggestion was adopted by unanimous
vote.
A note Of regret from w. H. L. Barnes
was read to the effect that prior engage :
ment prevented his attendance. II e
added: