New-York tribune., 1899-03-26
TOPICS IN CALIFORNIA.
BENEFIT FROM THE RAiNFALl~boo'-
ANT FEELING IN BUSINESS CIRCLES
PROSPECT OF EXPANSION of
III Adj, TIIE Orient.
TRADE IN THE ORIENT.


Inst week continued with only brief intermis'
sions all this week. giving the fields so thorous
n soaking that all grain crops and most OF INV
fruit will now be assured Of a good yield W'th"u
further rain The storm has been almost uh-
nrecedonted for March in duration and amoun'
NJ rainfall but the rain has been so gentle iha'
little damage has been done Some streams nave
flooded their banks especially In the nat Sar
Joaouin Valley country. The ranfal Is III
longer watched with care. except IN the ui'
lower San JOAQUIN Valley In most parts OF the
State the rainfall for the storm VIII amount 10
ten or twelve inches, and even In the drles'
districts II will not fall below two or three ncheS
The snowfall in the mountains has also Dee'
heavy. which serves to assure an ample water
supply for miners and for the irrigation VI
orchards There have been slight overho"s
about stockton, but In the main the losses from
this cause have been slight. No one VINO mas
not weathered a dry year In CaIforh'a ca"
appreciate the burden Of Apprehension that mas
been lifted from the shoulders Of the farmers
and business men by these heavy rains All
business this week showed marked improve
ment over last week. and there Is tone OF
huovancv IN all lines OF trade that speaks well
for the growth and prosperity Of the State this
year
This buoyant feeling is increased by the pros
pect Of the great expansion Of the trade OF San
Francisco and the State. owing to the retention
of the Philippines and the development Of their
rich resources by American capital. This feel
ing was voiced this week by Whitelaw Reid, in
a short speech at a banquet given to President
Harper Of Chicago University on Thursday
evening In few strong words Mr.. Reid
90 afQnt n
Philippines. and outlined the great future in
store for San Francisco when the trade Of Ma
Mia and Of the big Chinese ports came TO her
gates He saw in the awakening OF China the
development Of San Francisco's commerce and
manufactures. which bade fair to make this city
the rival Of New-York. His address created
much enthusiasm and its effect Will be good as
it will serve to dispel much of doubt in regard
to the wisdom and benefit OF expansion created
by President Jordan Of Stanford University
and other enemies OF what they are pleased 10
call American imperialism"
Though the Rothschilds. of London. have denied
the report that they would establish bank In
this city. with capital Of S5OOO0OO, IT s still
an open secret on Change that large ins;itu-
ton will be started soon. and that the Roth
schilds will be among the heavy financial back
ers of It. This institution will deal more largely
in mining properties and the financing Of sugar
plantations than in regular banking business.
In fact II is the beginning Of the great financial
development Of San Francisco. which is sure to
follow the opening up Of Hawaii and the Phil
ippines TO American enterprise and the competi-
ton OF our merchants for the trade Of China and
the Oriental coast.
Governor Gage has saved California from the
effects of many bad bills which were passed by
the Legislature that adjourned early Sunday
morning. but he has approved several foolish
measures. one Of these is the law to compel
the signature Of the writer Of every personal
criticism appearing in a newspaper and an
other is the anti-cartoon bill. rorbidding the
publication Of the cariCature. even Of the por-
trait. Of any person without consent The Gov
ernor in signing these ant-newspaper bills has
been moved by the feelings Of lawyer, who re-
CARDS the sensational press an invader Of
the privacy Of the citizen. He has demon
strated that he is trying to carry on the State
government in an honest and economical way.
The freedom he has shown in rejecting the ap-
plications Of political bosses for places for their
followers and in vetong the bills that simply
open the door to the looting of the State treas
ury has commended him to the people Though
he has made mistakes Of judgment. he has
shown independence and courage that promise
we'll for the success of his term.
President William Harper Of Chicago Uni
versity was "A prominent figure at the Charter
Day exercises Of the state University and the
Easter exercises Of Stanford University. He
also gave detailed account OF the methods by
which his institution has been built up. at
a large banquet in his honor. which was at
tended by all prominent educators Of this city
and vicinity. Or. Harpers visit has given a
great stimulus to the two universities, and has
excited new interest in the choice of a president
for the one at Berkeley.
Thousands have crowded the meetings held
here this week by Mr.. Moody the evangelist It
is ten years since Mr. Moody was here before.
and in this interval he notes a keener interest
in religious matters on the part Of the public
Many persons have been denied admittance 10
his meetings. because the hall could not accom-
modatc those who wished to hear him.
Despite the heavy rain nearly every night the
Ellis Grand Opera Company has had good
houses at all the performances and on the
nights when Meba sang. standing room was at
a premium. The greatest success was scored
with Romeo and Juliet" though there was a
big house for Les Huguenots" Gadski also
achieved success. especially in aida" Her
singing with Ceppi, the tenor, in the third act.
created as much enthusiasm as anything dur
ing the opera season. The Bostonans in Rob
Roy" drew crowded houses all the week at
the Columbia Theatre. They here for five
weeks. and the sale f seats shows that they
will do a good business Besides Rob Roy"
they will give another new piece, THE Sere-
naders." which has not yet been presented here
John J. Haley. known for nearly thirty years
as the municipal land agent OF the Southern
Pacific Company, died this week. at the age Of
eighty-six. Haley was a skilful lobbyist and
succeeded in securing many valuable city fran
chises for his company. He a man Of un-
usual abilities. and no one exceed him I'm
minute knowledge Of the resources of Cali
fOrnia.