The San Francisco call., 1906-12-26
ANSWER.
A WARM one
Welcomes Secretary Hitch
cock to the Company
of Indicted Corruptionist
ROOSEVELT
QUOTES

James D. Phelan has replied to Sec
retary of the Interior E. A Hitchcock
and as an Introductory slam offers the
int1matfon that it was none other than
Hitchcock's opposition to the Hetch
Hetchy water scheme, Of which Phelan
is warm advocate, that indirectly re-
suited in the destruction of San Fran
cisco by fire.
TT seems to be a failing of great
to ascrfbe mental obliquity and similar
motives to their opponents who have
worsted them in debate" said Phelan,
who then goes on to say in part:
When exposed the plot of the
Mayor and the Board of Supervisors to
force the Bay City scheme on the peo-
pie after the Supervisors had officially
repudiated the best and least expensive
water supply, namely, the Tuolumne
or Hetch- Hetchy system, the only an
swer OF the Mayor was, not that my
premises were wrong, but that my
mind was affected and that I must have
some selfish interest in standing up for
public right.
"Now comes the Secretary of the In
terror, Hitchcock, who, after reading
my expose, declares almost in the lam
guaEe Of Schmitz that so far as he Is
concerned 1 am only Incompetent, ir-
relevant and untruthfulJ likewise, that
l have nm az to grind. 1 welcome the
Secretary to the company of an indicted
corruptiOnist and will proceed to WELD
my ak.
The main question is. Did the secre-
tary deny San Francisco unjustly and
unlawfully the right to a reservoir
right of way in Hetch Hetchy Valley?
He did, Could not the city have laid
its pipe line in four years? 1t could.
Would 1t not have in all human proba-
bility resisted the earthquake? Yes.
Then must Secretary of the Interior
Hitchcock bear his share of response
bflfty for the destruction of the city.
He did not only everything In his power
to leave us to the tender and, alas,
inadequate mercies of the Spring VAL
ley company, but he exceeded his power
and avoided his duty. The record speaks
for itself
~ regret that the Secretary should
have descended to personalities. But
1 rejoice In the impregnable honesty of
the President. He has, L observe, re-
quested the Secretary to surrender his
portfolio next March. Next March San
Francisco may ask for its right-rights
which cost nothing, but which will en-
able US to enjoy sOne of the best water
supplies I'm the world,' according to
Pinchot, and an ideal system accord
Ing to Enthusiastically Federal officials
without fear and without reproach.' -
In conclusion Phelan apparently
takes keen delight in quoting the letter
President Roosevelt dictated in the
presence of Secretary Hitchcock taking
the Cabinet officer to task for his at
titude toward the Los Angeles water
bill
Note the postscript of the letter..
says Phelan, 'and in your minds eye
observe the facial expression of Sec
retary Hitchcock The postscript com
tains the statement of the President
that, having read the letter aloud in
which he favored the passage of the
bill he found that everybody that heard
1t agreed to it-you, Mr.. Secretary
says the President. as well as Senator
Flint. Director Walcott and Mr. Pin
chot-and therefore. l submit 1t with
far more satisfied heart than when
started to dictate this letter. -
In your minds eye observe the fa-
cial expression of Mr.. Secretary Hitch
cock" says Phelan. This is his part
ing shot. Now for another barrel from
Hitchcock