The San Francisco call., 1897-09-10

opened the meeting with brief and terse
speech. ailuding TO the cause OF the days
jublation. He stated that the assembly
had heen gathered 10 celebrate the fact
that Visalia was ION the map" thanks to
the San Joaquin Valley Railway. He in
troduceu Hon. William H. Afford as the
speaker OF the day.
Mr.. Afford began-with a brief review of
the early beginning of Visaia: He called
attention to the fact that Visalia was the
only town in the valley not built by a rail
road.
"The sole cause of this celebration, !"
said he, lis that the incoming railroad
will lift some of the burdens that rest up
on the trade OF this community. Life here is
now to be easier, man Is to have more time
for the good things of life. Mankind is
elev tied Just as fast as the burden is lifted
from the patient shoulder OF trade"
Mr.. Afford recurred at some length ora
torlcally to the history of trade from
Phenicia down TO Great Britain. His eu-
logv OF trade was brilliant and protracted.
ut was and it is trade declared he,
land trade alone to which We must as
cribe the grandeur of the progress of our
own country. Thought flies where COM
merce flies before ideas light the path of
trade. In its last analysis the question OF
trade is the question of human liberty.
"a competing railroad reduces the tax
by lowering the freight, legislature in
creases the tax by charging more fol pro-
ductlon. The same is done by city coun-
ellis. This is the ensiavement of trade.
We are free in every other way. Now let
us not rest until the prophecy made by
the arrival of this Valley road il fulfilled
and we have stricken all the letters from
our trade"
Colone. Frank H. Powers of the law
department of the San Josquin Valley
Railroad was then introduced. Mr.. Pow
ers said in part:
There could be TO body OF men, directors of
any enterprise. who would not be proud and
grateful for such reception as this. But 1t
would be worse than presumption for us to
think 1t personal or even in tended entirely as
compliment to the great enterprise we rep
resent The directors appreciate thai they are
but the representatives OF a railroad which hiss
been built peoples road by the peoples
money 10 serve the peoples wants made
necessary by the crying needs OF the producing e
people in the interior OF San Joaquin Valley
and that this reception is practically mutual /
lubiiation over the completion OF one stage OF
the peoples solution OF the transpor Ia ito n
question.
have taken hold OF the public mind. You
have been joined on the jugular vein of COM
merce by new artery. We all hope 10 profit
by tive, as represen tatiyes of the CONNER
cial and financial interests whose original
contributions have made the road possible,
have been invited to join with you, our CO.
laborers, in grand celebration over the
arrival of the first passenger traiz to reach
your lovely city over the new road
Your achievements and possibilities for fur
ther greatness are part OF the history of Cali
fornia. What schOolboy does not know of
Tulsre's fruitful vineyards and orchards. her
orange and citrus fruit products, her lum Der
and grazing industries and vast irrigation
projects, her prune trees that bear 100
pounds TO the tree, her lumber pines which