The herald., 1897-09-14
A LOVE FEAST
Reception to the Dovenor
Party Yesterday
SPEECHES AND PUNCH
GUESTS AND HOSTS EXPRESS
CORDIAL AMITX
Several congressman Openly Favor
San Pedro and Promise Their
Support-People Eulogized

1t was particularly enjoyable alike to
hosts and guests. The distinguished
visitors were escorted from the Van
Nuys to the club and directors rooms
In the chamber Of commerce building,
which had been effectively decorated
with branches of pepper and flowers and
they were met by large reception COM
mittee Of the members, who were as
sisted by number of ladies.
Mayor Snyder and many Of the city
and county officials, as well as large
number of prominent Los Angeles men
and women, moved about among the
guests, and there was l1andshakirG fol-
lowing words of introduction on all
sides; old friends met, new acquaint-
ances were made and mutual express
sions of cordiality and good will were
the order of the hour. About 1880 Gen.
eral Forman introduced Congressman
B. B. Dovenor, of West Virginia, who
spoke of the revelation that Los Angeles
had proven to him and his party, and
said:
I'VE came across the desert into your
beautiful State, and since then it has
ences. We have been entertained most
royalty everywhere, and this visit will
ever be a green spot in our memories,
and not the least pleasant recollection
will be the reception given by the Cham
ber of commerce. We have seen
your harbor site at San Pedro
and today we are going to Santa
Monica. AS member of the Committee
7 iee.
that there will not be much longer delay
in the work on your harbor going for
ward"
At the conclusions Of Congressman
Dovenor's speech there were cries of
walker" and General James A. Walk
err was introduced. He said:
Ladies and Gentlemen: I have been
thinking so much of the beauties of
your country that l have not thought
of talking. l have heard about Califor-
mia, and I have read about California,
and thought 1 had a good idea of it be-
fore 1 came. I have been in your State
three weeks. The books didn't tell
the half Of it. There is no coun-
try to equal it on the face of the earth.
I thank you all for the free-hearted
hospitality which has been extended TO
U.S.
The next speaker was Congressman
John H. Bankhead of Alabama, who
spoke of the luxury of the journey, the
magnificent country in the middle west,
and of the oasis that California is after
the desolation of the desert. He further
said:
I'VE have probably Travelled as much
over California as any party that ever
visited it, and everywhere we have
been met with an open-hearted hospi-
tality 1 have concluded that what you
want is not more wine or brandy, flow
ers or fruit; but what you do want is
deep water down here at San Pedro,
We turn our backs on the setting sun
and leave you 10 dwell in flowers. We
will take up our homes under our native
magnolias-we have some flowers our
selves down on the Gulf. When you
come East come down to Alabama.
That's great State. AT Mobile
we are loading great ships with
the finest steel made in the universe, and
we're sending it to England and selling
it for $40 a ton, and with iron that is sell
ing for $3.50 ton, underselling them right
on their own ground. We're making
steel rails with which to armor your
great battleships."
Congressman Brumm of Pennsylvania
was next introduce and said:
THE impressions we have received OF
your beautiful and great State are in
describable. was proud of my country
before, but now I am more so than ever
never realized before what it was
to be an American citizen.
thought we had cereals and fruits;
thought we had cereals and fruits;
thought we had big trees. Back ther.
We have to cultivate everything to max,
1t grow; have to root out stumps ant
blast rocks to find place where thing:
will grow. Out here see the furrow:
and trenches of the cultivator, not t
make grow, but to weed out, so as to le
grow. California is a great Europe il
herself.
Now about your harbor. 1t woull
be a mean congressman who wouldn'
vote you anything you want. l am no
on the committee, but through the cour
tesy of its members I have visited will
them several rivers and harbors wher
improvements were to be made.
mo place l have ever visited strike
me SO forcibly as this harbor of yours
l am on general principles always il
favor of internal Improvements, and be
lieve we should only stop at the poin
of impossibility in the way of money
You, out here, must have little pa
tience. Our trouble just now is to ge
money, not to know what to do with it
We hope We are about solving the prob
lem, and I promise we'll see that Cali
fornia gets her share.
General Alger has been criticised. ]
may be unjust. 1t may be rather lacl
Of ability than a wrong disposition
The government may be adopting
policy of inaction, but the time will com
when no secretary of war, no president
no congress can stop internal improve
ment.
your harbor at San Pedro has beel
put by Almighty God in a position to b
utilized by the people. In a matte
like this, there are only two questions, 1
II necessary, and, Will it be honestl
spent? Our harbors are the very pul
sating heart Of commerce-our rivers tn
arteries--keep back the harbors and tn
interior of the country will suffer.
1T is mistaken policy of some rail
roads to want to monopoiize things-t
have no harbor they cannot control. TIL
way to encourage patronage is to Civ
= railroad healthy competition. Th