The San Francisco call., 1898-02-13
WIPE OUT THE SCANDAL.

FPORTS iron, Chicago published in The Call i l/yesterday, disclose a shameful scandal Tn con- 4 nection with the management of the exhibit es- tabshed in that city by the San Francesca Alaskan Trade Committee As matters stand the exhibit mas been virtually abandoned the city discredteo, ana Us trad. injured to an extent which will prove serious unless immediate steps are taken to repar the wrong
 According to the reports the agents let i'll charge o the exhibit have been guilty ot almost every con cevabe form of betrayal of trust They negecteo 'e work required of them they wasted the funds in the hands they permitted some of their number 10 aa- yertise the business of particular tfanspo''".io companv to the disadvantage ot other san Francisco companies engaged in the same traoe, they ihousen in dssipatons carried to disgracetul excesses' anu so1 hecane so outrageous in their conduct that the
 ooretor of the hotel in which they lodged threat ened to turn them out.
 + annears the neglect of duty and the debauchery began as soon as the agents found themselves III charge of the exhibit and the funds when eH- Governor Sheakley arrived at Chicago to direct the work of the exhibit he found the committed repufa-
 ton had been ruined the funds wasted and everything in such confusion that 1t was impossible TOT hm 10 do anything more than to dismiss the dishonest agents pay their bls them from expulsion from the hotel. and then pack the exhibit of to railroad "
 home in Pennsylvania.
 It would be worse than useless to try to cover up
 scandal of this kind It might be hushed Up in San Francisco but not in Chicago, and 1t is Tn Chicago where the evil of it is felt San Francisco has been discredited there the money her merchants sub scrbed to promote their trade there has been wasted The only thing to be done is to make the scandal known here in order that people may be aroused to remedy the evil before is too late It Is to that end The Call addresses itself The wrong to the city has been done and we expose it for the purpose ot brinoing about some action to redeem credit as speedily as possible.
 telligent men concerning the value of prompt action in this emergency The Alaska trade already active IS quickenng itself for the great rush of the spring and the summer Experts estimate the rush will continue for at least two years and will lead to the develop ment of industries in Alaska that will bring about permanent trade of great importance. We must ad- vertise in the East get that trade and the Eastern advertising must be done very largely III Chicago. Every day lost in redeening the wrong done by the agents of the exhibit there is loss of money to our spring trade and to the prestige of commerce
 Immediate action should be taken by those in au- thorty to investigate the Chicago charges and see if there is way Of punishing those who have so grossly abused their trust The offenses have not been petty misdemeanors growing out o incompc- tence and dleness They have been, according to the stories shameful outrages against decency well as morality Such offenses cannot be hushed up and should not be condoned The Alaskan Trade Com mttee will be expected by the public to act at