The San Francisco call., 1907-03-11
Denies Real Estate
Boomers Started
Movement
BY -. ~. WyCOff
Secretary of Berkeley Chamber of Commerce

OOdetoil VI Oclhcic1 ChoHBei VI IVHilleaW
The movement to transfer the capital
OF the State Of California from Sacra-
mento TO Berkeley was inaugurated by
which is composed Of merchants, bank
ers, real estate men, manufacturers and
citizens engaged In other occupations
in the town OF Berkeley.
Criticism OF this movement as
scheme OF real estate spectators alone
is false in it's entirety. II is probably
true that real estate men would reap a
benefit from the removal of the capital
to Berkeley, but this is a mere incident
OF the matter. And that the removal
Of the capital to Berkeley would benefit
the business of the town in many di-
rectlons is not TO be denied AS this
would be true OF any town to which
the capital might be removed it cannot
be used as an argument against NOV
ing the capital to say that the town of
Berkeley would be benefited thereby.
Neither do we consider it any argu-
ment against the moving of the capital
10 say that the city of Sacramento, to
some extent, would be injured by the
removal The whole question IS whether
or not the majority Of the people of the
State Of California would be benefited
by such removal and this question is
fortunately now before the people for
determination.
strained and unusual construction
OF the law as regards the number Of
votes that VIII be necessary to carry
the proposition of removing the capital
mas betl placeQ upon II by Mr. Weln-
stock The law does not require that
an absolute majority Of all registered
voters should vote in favor of the
proposition, and nowhere is there any
thing in the law which suggests this.
As is well known, constitutional
amendments are carried by a mere ma
jority of the electors that vote for or
It is, in fact, useless 10 argue upon
the legal construction of this provision
OF the constitution, for il the Sacra-
L.
llloglcal conclusion reached by Mr..
Weinstock, the courts of the State will
have a chance TO determine that ques-
tion.
If. as Mr.. Weinstock saws. If is an
absolute certainty that the necessary
vote cannot be procured TO carry this
measure, why is he. together with
some other reputable citizens of Sacra-
mento, making such strenuous efforts
TO defeat II at the polls? The measure
passed both houses of the Legislature
by more than two-thirds vote 1t
has been signed by the Governor. The
only remaining step is for the people
70 voice their approval or disapproval
at the polls, and this will necessarily
be done, for there is no way at the
present time to prevent the people
from voting upon this measure.
AS TO Mr.. Weinstock's statement that
the services of political managers were
hired TO cOerce and intimidate the mem
bers Of the Legislature into voting for
this measure under threats of dire po-
litical vengeance, we will state that we
know OF no hiring Of political man
ayers. OF no coercion or intimidation.
nor OF any threats. We do not believe
that any coercion or intimidation was
practiced or could have been prac-
riced upon the members Of the
Legislature. But we do believe that
the members of the Legislature voted
TO submit this matter TO the people of
the State because Of the spontaneous
and almost unanimous demand from
al over the State Of California, from
Chambers Of Commerce and from indi-
viduals, that the question be submitted
TO the vote Of the people.
The Chamber Of Commerce. of
course. cannot control in any man
nor the utterances of speakers
at public meetings. It deplores the
fact that some harsh statements may
have been used at times with reference
to Sacramento, and it begs to assure
the people Of the State of California
that no slurs viii be cast upon Sacra-
mento during the campaign to follow
The fight viii be based on the propo-
sition that removal OF the capital will
benefit the State, the whole State from
north to south: and during the course
VIII prove conclusively that the State
viii benefit by the transfer will be
given wide publicity.
Never, at any time. has the statement
been made that the Capitol at Sacra-
mento was damaged by the earthQuake
nor has any statement been made at
lnfer-
ence could be drawn. It would serve
no purpose 10 deny in detail any of
the various statements that have been
attributed to the proponents of this
measure by Sacramento citizens
AS stated before utterances of the
press cannot be controlled in any man.
ner, and the Sacramento people should
realize this as well as anyone else, for
the statements contained in one of their
leading newspapers have been entirely
inconsistent with the statements made
EnF al nI TnFr~ r.1r
members of the Sacramento Chamber
OF Commerce As a matter of fact. the
Sacramento people and the press of that
city (by attributing to sponsors for this
movement arguments which were never
used, giving these arguments wide pub
licity, and then denouncing their falsi-
ty) have done more than the propo-
nents OF removal 10 cause damage to
Sacramento.
1t is stated that 70 build a new Cap
itol would rob San Francisco of some of
its vitality needed skilled labor. and
therefore be detriment to that city
II this argument is meritorious, then
the rest Of the State must fold fits
hands and do nothing until San Fran
cisco is rebuilt 1t must be remembered
that the Capitol building cannot even
be commenced for two years from the
present time. Neither will it cost the
people Of the State, in our Judgment
anything like the figures quoted by Mr.
Weinstock. AS matter of fact, under
the new constitutional amendment
lature with but two dissenting
votes in one house and one in the other
the revenue TO be derived from corpor-
ations is to be devoted exclusively to
State purposes. We are assured by the
secretary Of the tax commission, who
has carefully computed the revenue to
be derived from corporations under the
new plan. that during the year 1903.
which viii be the first year OF the new
tax scheme, there will be surplus over
the expenses of the State Government
Of more than 100000, and that this ex-
cess Will increase rather than diminish
in the succeeding years.
AS a magnificent Capitol building
such as the State of California ought
to have will require some years in con-
struction, it can readily be seen that
the entire expense of constructing the
new structure viii be provided for by
the ordinary methods of taxation on
corporations alone.
In conclusion. we can only say that
the campaign, as far as Berkeley is
concerned, will not be one Of vilifca-
ton, nor will it in any way reflect upon
the city OF Sacramento. II Sacramento
chooses 20 make this the issue of the
campaign she will have only herself
to blame II she suffers thereby.
So as far as the Berkeley Chamber
of Commerce is concerned. 1t will pre-