The San Francisco call., 1903-01-05
THE NEEDS OF THE CITY.


Year we have recounted the good which we
- now possess and pointed out the bright pros
poets that promise better things for the future.
Optimism has had its utterance 1t is now timely to
turn to consideration of the defects OF situation
and devise means for providing a remedy for them.
The Merchants Association Review devotes its New
Year number a pertinent discussion OF that phase
OF the situation. 1t points that there many
things needed to promote the welfare OF the city and
the State and urges united action toward their
complishment. The plea merits cordial response
from the press and the public Much has been done,
but more remains to do. The laying OF the Pacific
cable and the opening OF the Orient to foreign trade
are opportunities for San Francisco and for Cali
fornia but the profits of those opportunities must be
reaped by labor They will not come of themselves
to enrich people who make effort to seize the
opportunity and turn it to advantage.
In summing up the needs of the city the Review
says: San Francisco needs better government. She
needs better administration of the water front
She needs more seawal and better wharves. She
needs all the added room for commerce that such
plans as the Improvement OF Isais Greek would al
ford. She needs improved thoroughfares to accom-
modate her growing traffic and increase the facilities
for handling the freight OF her railways and steamer
lines She needs better transportation arrangements
with the Pacific islands and the Orient She needs
direct steamship line to Alaska She needs lower
port charges and especially she needs emancipation
from the potage monopoly that has her ocean trade
by the throat and arbitrarily taxes and hampers her
commerce. She needs better understanding with the
State at large on all subjects of common interest
such irrigation and State promotion east of the
Rockies. She needs better pavements cleaner streets
more small parks, greater harmony in her archi-
lecture trees on her residence horoughfares and all
her hills clad in verdure and beauty as added atrac-
tions TO strangers"
All OF those things, of course, are not to be OBJ
tanned in year There may indeed be differences OF
opinion as to whether some OF them ought to be
sought for at all In city where sunshine is so valu-
able would be doubtful good to line our residence
streets with trees. Such adOrnments in the East are
rot only beautiful but are needed because the swell
terng OF the Eastern summer makes shade al
ways agreeable, but it is questionable whether the
beauty would compensate in San Francisco for the
interference with the sunshine That however is
minor point and of little moment The main
thing is that Our conditions as a metropolis are by
no means what they ought to be. and it IS duty
to co@Siter at the beginning OF the year what can
best do TO improve them.
The Review presents strong argument for public
support in the efforts OF the association to carry out
plans for the desired Improvements. 1t says very
truly: The individual cannot do such work alone
He has neither time equipment expert assist
anoe. Organization, however. gives him all three
1t is the only method by which great public ends can
be gained.
It is gratifying to note that the association has
now more than 1900 individuals and firms on its
Iol all OF whom take an interest in its work 1t was
rich enough to make $1,000 donation to increase
the comfort OF San FIancsco's citizens and visitors
without fear for its own exchequer Yet as the Re
II
should be but the nucleus Of far bigger and
stronger body-a union OF all San Franciscos bus-
ness men whose actuating principle should be united
action for cty's good
The time IS proptous for undertaking great en-
terprises OF public well as of a private nature
Business IS good commerce is expanding profits
are increasing and wages rising. The sales OF
realty last year the largest in the record OF the
city. New structures rising all round.us. Every
evidence OF the time justiies the conclusion that
population is rapidly increasing. We shall never
have better time advance plans for municipal i'm
prOvement, and it is be hoped the unity of action
needed Tor such improvements. will be forthcoming