The San Francisco call., 1897-11-29
Facts as They Are Now Being
Presented From Both
Sides.
POLITICS OF PAST And PRESENT.
- Coming Conference May Result
in a Very Important
Decision.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCIsCo CALL,
90S Broadway Nov %

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCIsCo CALL,
9Oo Broadway. Nov. %.
During the coming week Oakland's Off
Gals will be called upon to decide whether
or not the tens of Thousands OF dollars
spent out of the city treasury in the efforts
to recover the water front shalt be de-
ciared to have been absolutely wasted, or
whether the contracts now in existence
between the special attorneys AMI the
city shall be carried out to completion.
The proceedings of the last few days
have raised a suspicion in some quarters
that there is something wrong. Judging
by the history OF the past thirty years
this is not surprising. In fact it would
be surprising if it were not so, for GER
tainIy the dealings between the Water
Front Company and allied corporations
and the city of Oakland during that
period have not been such as TO invite
confidence on the part of the latter.
At the proposed conference to be held
this week between The Board of Trade
delegates. the city officials and the repre-
sentatives OF the corporation many hon.
est opinions Will be expressed. Probably
some OF those who take part will be un-
Justly accused OF uterior motives. This
should no. be, for all the parties referred
TO have long been familiar with the his
tory and lack of progress of this city be-
cause OF its water front being held so long
in chancery. 1t should be presumed that
the city's represeD tatiyes are sincere and
that they viii work with an eye single to
4 DaElanu's best interests.
The Water Front Company can also be
ceuenGed upon to work for its own inter-
ests and the question to be faced is this:
A-- these Two interests identical or can
.1ey by any compromise or calling off of
iU-ure IL igation be harm onized?
This question is most certainly not one
TO pe answered hystercally or thought
lessly. 1t IS the duty of every citiz n
consclentiously interested in seeing this
city grow to consider tie matter and all
that eads up to it fully and carefully.
There IS no indication to un nbiased
mirds tat there is dis position ITO sell
out TO he railroad con pany." President
J. ?. Taylor of the Board of Trade, Sol
Kahn, N. J. Keller and other directors
who acQuiesced in opening up the CORES
pondence with the Water Front Company,
are honest, progressive citizens. Their
interests are here, and it cannot for
moment be supposed that they, either as
private citizens or as prominent men in
the commercial world, would do ANYTHING
to oppose their best interests. E. G. Ses-
s.ons, who is the acknowledged agent of
the railroad company, has also been a
prominent factor in developing a section
OF the city, and cannot be accused Of
dou bic dealing. F. S. Douty, who sent
such a pretty reply, fraught with promises,
to Board OF Trade, although little is
known of him on this side OF the bay, is
credited with being a man OF his word 1t
must also be acknowledged that the water
front undeveloped is OF no more value to
the corporation than to the city o. Oak
land, and with these facts in mind it is
the duty of every body to decide by the
past what will be he best course 10 take
IN the future.
Probably no more unbusness-like pro.
ceedings are to be found III any munich
paity than the agreements and contracts
= entered into between the special attorneys
and the city of Oakland in August. 1898.
At that time DR.. Pardee was Mayor and
his purpose in originating the litigation
was to determine for all time the owner
ship of the wafer front With this end in
view negotiations were entered into be-
tween Messrs. Davis Hill, Powell and Priu-
gle and the city OF Oakland. Every &C ion
taken and every ntiment expressed set
forth most pos!tiVey that there should be
no compromise ana no yielding on the
part of the city until the great case ha
been passed upon by the court OF final re-
sort. For this purpose the sum of so, 600
was paid to the attorneys to take hold of
the litigation and press it with al possi BILE
ability and diligence to a conclusion.
Had the City Council OF that time and
the attorneys been as we'll versed in poi-
tics as they are true in Loyalty TO Oak
LAND, the contracts would never have been
drawn up. Owing TO the clause in the
city charter which forDids the payment
OF the money Of any one fiscal year for
anv work done in anolner fiscal year, it
was necessary that sle whole $4,000
should be paid in the fiscal year 1893 81
T IS was done. No provision was made
in case of the death or unlOoke dior inca
pccItaticn OF any of the attorneys, and no
one seems to have given a thought to the
absolute certainty that there would be
many changes in the political complex
ion OF the Council betwe the drawing
up OF the contracts and TT Onc.u usion OF
the litigation. The expected happened.
A Council is now In Office which has little
or no sympathy with the general ideas OF
administration as outlined and carried
out by DR.. Pardee and Mr.. Davis in 1893.
The intervening four years and more nave
seen n great change, and the attitude Of