The San Francisco call., 1899-03-31

~ n the first page of The Call of
/ December 90, $685. appears a
statement of the advance of S25, =
~ 900 to the State by Mr. Claus
Spreckels, to relieve sufferers by
the drought in Monterey and San Luis
Obispo counties. The head lines over
the statement read:
CLAUS SPRECKELS ADVANCES
S25, 900 TO RELIEVE
STARVING FARMERS.
Check for Fifty Thousand Proffered to
Governor Budd-Committee of Lead
ing Citizens Appointed to Distri-
butte the Relief Fund.
Then followed this statement:
9 Plans were devised and put into O
@ effect yesterday that will afford 8
o ample and immediate relief for the o
@ destitute farmers in Monterey and @
Q San Luis Obispo counties. In The Q
g Call of last Sunday statements @
= were published describing the ex- Q
y tent and nature of the destitutiOn @
x in that region. The intelligence Q
= conveyed to The Call was at the
y same time placed before Governor
Budd, who announced al once that Z"
prompt measures would be taken
@ to provide temporary relief and @
o bridge over the distress until the
o Legislature convened. 8
o Yesterday a representative of
@ this paper waited on Governor @
Budd and referred to the fact that
@ at one time in the history of the @
State, when no public money was
y Immediately available for the sup @
y port of one of the State institu-
= tions, Charles Crocker advanced g
x from his own means the sum of
y $50 900, and was subsequently reim-
a. bursed by the State through ac-
o tfon of the Legislature. The Gov Z
o ernor remarked that there might G
o be some difficulty at this time in n
@ finding man so generous and o
o public-spirited as to advance the o
@ money needed to alleviate the dis o
Q tress In the counties mentioned:
g The representative of The Call g
o suggested that the Governor so
@ with him and present the case to @
o Claus Spreckels. The suggestion o
@ was readily accepted, and they O.
o called on Mr.. Spreckels, who lis y
A tened with close attention to the
8 Governors statement of the situ- =
@ alton, and then without hesita- q
o ton, Mr.. Spreckels proffered his o
o check for $50 900. o
o Governor Budd had no thought 8
@ of suggesting greater sum than o
o $25 900, hence he was surprised and o
Q Spreckels prompt and generous o
. response. The Governor, upon re- 8
Election, decided that one-half of
g the amount named by Mr.. Spreck- Q
z els would be sufficient to meet the
= urgent necessities Of the situation. 9
. Very good" remarked 9I Mr..
y SpreckelS, I'VE will make the g
a check for $25, 900, with the assur- Q
8 you can have it,"
O The Governor, desiring that Mr..
o. Spreckels should clearly compre-
- hend the case, explained that the
y question of reimbursement would
rest wholly with the Legislature. g
y The latter manifested no uneasi-
g ness on that score. He said he had @
= given away larger sums than that o
g and If the amount should not be q
x repaid he could get along very well
= without it. He said he was taking g
o care of fifty families IN that re-
O. $50 900 to the farmers of that To-
o cality, which would be repaid, he
@ fancied when they were favored a
y with good crops.
relief to those in need of assist
9 ance is now disposed OF until the q
Q Legislature sees fit to make an =
o The relief can be quietly and =
@ speedily afforded in systematic q
Q and methodical manner There 8
9 will be no occasion for printing q
Q picture of every person obtaining y
o help, together with his name and
o biography. A sack of flour may be
o sent to a family in need Of it, and
o illustration of the family tree will @
a rot be required as condition of
= relief. @
Now that all the money needed o
y has been secured there will be no @
q excuse for importuning merchants o
8 of the city every hour of the day @
o to contribute either cash or mer- Q
= chandise. Should Governor Budd @
o find the sum of $25, 900 inadequate he Q
o can go to Claus Spreckels and get @
o 25,000 more. There will be moth Q
o ing to justify any individual or @
@ any community in organizing a Q
begging expedition to visit the g
g Eastern cities of the country The =
o great and rich State of California
g will amply provide clothing, sub
0 sistenee and seed for the dis
9 tressed farmers. The greatest dam \
Q ger now confronting the State is
@ that an army of beggars will take q
Q the field and in the name of starv-
q ing humanity seek collect ~