The San Francisco call., 1899-09-05
A CENTER OF EXPRESSION.

u AKLAND has long been known as the
Athens OF the Pacific" It's Attic reputation
~ was not derived from the salt works the
bay beach. but from the number and excellence OF
its schools The State University though located in
Berkeley between the bay and Grizzly Peak, has been
claimed as really suburban institution OF Oakland.
and from that down the ward school in which Pro-
lessor Markham writes the Man With a Hoe ami
is the actual man with a rawhide who ncucates IN
tellectual gunnery among the young, these schools
have enjoyed a reputation which justifes the nick
name
That their work has not been in vain, the
Greek reputation OF the city unjustifed, is being
proved daily Oakland has become the center OF ex-
preston There have been extracted possibilities not
supposed to have existed in the English language.
No reference IS made to the guild OF Grecian orators
who have long spangled the air with figures OF speech
so decorative that birds charmed to the glowing
scene OF their performance and bees gather honey
from the atmosphere sweetened by eloquence. There
is developed in Oakland another besides this high ART
which converts speech into perfumery.
The city officers, chosen by the people, who live
and move and have their being according to the
scholastic canons who increase in geometrcal ratio
and decrease die and pass hence after the phosophic
rules set by Socrates, in their public exits and
frances and their official forms OF speech have
newed the best traditions OF the peripatetic school
and talk not only like books but like books, as
new as those OF the Elizabethan age were in their
time
Recently the Assessor OF this center OF expression
was summoned to Sacramento to justify his official
judgment OF valuations The experienced tormentors
who compose the State Board of Equalization put
him on the rack and proceeded TO extract perspra-
ton from him by way OF to their quiz. Pro-
ceeding from one extreme OF official curiosity 10
another they finally reached the limit OF Attic en-
durance, and the Assessor explained that the only
answer flowed from his pores, because mo live, liy
ing man could answer that question"
Put this beside ST Pauls most straitest sect" and
Shakespeare's most unkindest cut OF all, and "Oh
that this too too solid flesh would melt and it looks
level into them all It's antthesis "no dead, dead
man rises in immediate strength and fully equipped
for use
The Assessor is not the only fountain and source OF
expression The Mayor OF Oakland not long SINCE
desiring to avoid asperity Of feeling aroused in
the Auditors Office by criticism OF its chief.
and published a letter in which the criticism OF the
chief was admitted but the admission was hand in
hand with the solemn declaration that the Mayor did
not have the Auditor in mind when he criticized him!
That alone delicious but after all it merely
the honeycomb which contained the nayoral sweets
OF expression Tor ne added In fact, believe may
say that have almost said perhaps more than once.
that you were the best equipped man ever elected
Auditor"
Surely there is expression that may go down in
the Auditors family heirloom. 1t is an ex-
preston that be painted than the lily
nor gilded than refined gold
Oakland Felix Happy Athens OF the Pacific.
where such expression has become as natural TO the
people as their songs to birds