The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-12
Friends Bitterly Denounce the Vicious Charges
Made Against Him.
Ready and CaUStiC Answers to the Examiners Attack on
the Speaker, and Its GTauitOuS Insults to the People
!. Of East Oakland and Berkeley Whom
BE Represents.

Of the Board of Trade and In the very
front rank of progressive merchants; of
for Mayor; of City Attorney w. A. Dow,
who will almost assuredly be again elect
ed in March; OF eX-AssesSor Lecke; OF
Professor Inskeep r. H. Chamberlain,
publicans; of "Borax King F. NJ. Smith,
and thousands of other intelligent men
whose intelligence and standing is second
10 none in the county. And these are the
''rice-eaters," the long hairs the peo-
pie known as ''church-goers'' and as
''cranks and crooks who make long
prayers and make smart business turns -
according to the Examiner.
An East Oaklander remarked tonight
that the Examiner evidently looks on
Wright's Assembly District as being of
the same nature as some of the Phiup-
pine Islands.
Il am a neighbor of Mr. Wright" said
Harry A. Melvin, and have the utmost
confidence in him. 1 believe that he will
do what is expected of him by those whom
he represents. I certainly object to the
Burns people or anybody else casting any
slurs on East Oakland. I have never
heard. Of the term 'rice-eater' applied to
this city, and 1 do not think we are long
haired Such talk is childish. 1 have no
fear that Mr.. Wright will do anything to
disgrace himself or his district We run
this district, and we rather pride ourselves
on our intelligence
J W. Nelson, president of the Oakland
Exposition and a leading Republican, says
that II the statements of the Examiner
and the anonymous Burns man were not
so evidently intended to be insulting they
could be construed as compliment TO
Mr.. Wright.
such nonsense is ridiculous" said Mr..
Nelson, land 1 cannot see why the Burns
people should circulate it. While II is
true that the race track representatives
have voted for Burns, East Oakland, l
believe, has no fear for Mr.. Wright. Why
should not a man be shown that his COM
partnership is not desirable if he be a
supporter OF Burns? Certainly political
ostracism is the inevitable punishment Of
such betrayal. All honor to Speaker
Wright for refusing to obey Mr.. Burns.
The stupidity of calling an intelligent
community a horde of 'rice-eaters' is as
monumental as some other things that are
daily being sent out by the Burns people"
opinion that Speaker Wright is not in
danger of going wrong. Il have met Mr..
Wright but little" he said, but I have
heard a great deal of him, and I am sat
isfled that he is q man Of much indepen-
dence. 1 know he is not a 'rice-eater'
his district lacking in intelligence. Such
statements as those published to-day
cannot but help Mr.. Wright"
Attorney de Cola. DR.. O. L. Jones and
scores of other Republicans expressed the
same opinion, and a paper could easily
of the reputable citizens of Mr.. Wrightss
Assembly District. whom the Examiner
has tnsulted by calling them ''rice-eat-
ers, which those who have Travelled in
Eastern countries know is a synonym
for coolies and beggars.
The direct insult TO the churchgoers Of
this city is no doubt Colonel Burns re-
ply to the resolutions of the Oakland Min
tsterial Union condemning Burns as unfit
for a United States Senator.