The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-04-25
Herrin'S Scheme to Diversity the
Programme at the Annual
Railroad Banquet.
SubOrdinateS May ExtO the Chief but Must Not in
the Future Shower Each Other With Praise.
Merchants Fail to Respond

template that solid and respectable
merchants of San Francisco shall be
the chief takers. When the health of
c. P. Huntington is proposed the re-
spected merchant, according to the
programme, will arise, adjust his vest
and strike an attitude of Veneration.
He will refer to the promoters and
builders of the Central Pacific in gen
eral way, but reserve the special fund
of praise for Huntington. OF course,
he must be careful not to "slop over"
in the presence of the young Crockers,
who still retain a memory of their
fathers achievements as a railroad
builder.
The respected merchant will tell how
CALAMITY Mr.. Huntington suppressed
the Mussel Slough rebellion and eX-
PEELED from a fertile region Of Cali
fOrnia all the settlers who were not
slain in defending their homes. Refer
ence will be made, with delicate shad
ing, TO the blending of railroad bust
ness and politics during the period that
Governor Stanford was president of
the company, and then the great re-
form wrought by Huntington in di-
vOrcing the road from politics will be
alluded to. This reference, according
to the programme, will elicit cheers,
but the youngsters in the service of the
company will blush for Herrin while
they cheer for Huntington.
When the programme was unfOlded
in the yellow building all praised it's
originality and none questioned it's
beauty but when Herrin sailed forth
to find the merchants to praise his
master he found many willing to feed,
but none read to fiatter The day
which opened so bright and promising
for Herrin closed in gloom. All the
merchants of Front, Market and Bat
terry streets were shy. None wanted to
talk at the banquet.
To-day Vice President Stubs may
try his eloquence on some of the big
shippers to induce them to come and
extol Huntington for his public spirit
in reducing tariffs on freight. If the
new scheme, conceived by Herrin, ut
terly fails in practical operation, the
railroad banqueterS will be compelled
TO fall back on the original crowd Of
after dinner orators. In that event
Douty, Sproule and the new passenger
agent, Mccormick, may be pressed in
to service to introduce something new
in the lexicon of praise. The banquet
will take place as usual, and Mr.. Hunt
ington will be there.
The story goes that George Croker
has taken alarm at the prospect and
has arranged his affairs to leave San
Francisco for New York before the
banquet begins.
Late last night it was decided at the
yellow building that something unique
and edifying should be presented. If
no merchant can be found to extol the
president of the corporation one must
be brought in. by force, if necessary. to
make speech In the presence of the
magnate, and to assert in that speech
that w. F. Herrin of the law depart
ment made a superb fight in the Legis-
lature to elect Dan Burns United States
Senator. 1t was resolved, whether or
not a merchant can be persuaded to
speak, that Manager Fillmore should
respond to the toast, Why l Was Not
Sent to the Old Peoples Home"