The San Francisco call., 1901-11-14
WARNS CITIZENS
AGAINST APATHY
Congressman Loud Says
Seattle Is Getting
Our Trade. =
Favors Policy of Selfishness
as City's Hope for.
Prosperity.

| Congressman Eugene F. Loud, in an
address delivered last evening before tho
Richmond Improvement Club, declared
! that the Inauguration of transcontinental
railroad communication in 1869 marked
the commencement of San Francisco
retrogression, and that Seattle, unless
prevented by the strenuous efforts of San
Francisco's friends, will soon control the
| trade of the Orient as well as that Of
! Alaska.
1t was the regular meeting of the club,
which is one of the most active organiza-
tions of its kind in the city. Congress-
man Loud has been a good friend to the
Richmond district, and his presence at
the meeting last night was made the oc-
casion to extend to him the district 8
thanks for past favors.
| The Congressman was introduced by
Chairman 0. K. Gushing and spoke in
part as follows:
When 1 addressed this club year ago told
you that all I could speak to you about was
what L didn't know about improvement clubs
1t is embarrassing, you know, to a man who
talks only politics to talk about improvements
Improvement clubs. see. have been establish
| ed all over the city. They have been establish
| ed for the benefit of the respective communi-
ties.
City's Retrogression.
With the coming of the transcontinental rail-
road in 1869 San Francisco's retrograde move
ment began. 1t continued until 1898. Up to
1869 San Francisco controlled the trade Of the
! point for the entire West. The incoming of
the transcontinental line and subsequent rail-
all came from San F'rancscos championing the
% cause of outside places San Francisco took the
| ment of all these terminal points. We began
with Reno. This was followed with others,
and gradually the railroads took away from
San Francisco all the increased trade.
! From 1869 and until 1898, when the Spanish
American War began San Francisco has lived
| the trade central and northern rts q
! of the State. The outbreak of the brought
San Francisco to the front as the city in the
! look to this port as the place from where the
trade of the Pacific would ultimately be con-
| trolled. But we can't sit down and just let
| all this happen. We must fight for our posi-
tion. Let San Francisco become one grand i'm
| provement club. Seattle is running US a
sharp race. She has secured the Alaska trade
! and now bids fair to get the best of the trade
with the Orient. Seattle works for Seattle. Let
US remember that selfishness is the controlling
factor of success. Humanitarianism is beauti-
! full only theoretically If you have anything
you don't want let the other fellow have that.
| We can compete with the rest of the world only
| when we put ourselves on the same plane as
the rest of the world. 1 hope to see men of
all classes in this city working together for
the best interests of San Francisco. Seattle
and other places will take care of themselves.
Elected an Honorary Member.
In response to some questions regard
| ing the postoffice in the Richmond dis
tr1ct Mr.. Loud said the fact that there
was no foreign money order department
! there was the result of oversight on the
part of the local authorities. He said the
American postal system was the greatest
| in the world.
The club adopted resolutions thanking
| Mr.. Loud for his past interest in the
| Richmond district and asking his services
in the securing of more letter carriers for
that end of town. The club also elected
the Congressman an honorary member.
0. K Cushing, George r. Fletcher and
H. U. Joudin were appointed to represent
| the club at the Chinese Exclusion Con-
vention on November %. ]. M. Wilkins
addressed the meeting and told how q
few words spoken to Congressman Loud
some years ago had resulted in the es-
tablishment of a postoffice at the Cliff
| House.
81 know it." he said, "for I'm Post
Government for my services"