The Washington herald., 1908-05-28

criminate him. He has been demanding
trial for some time but the prosecution
Is not going to get 10 his case until the
underlings are disposed Of Whether or
not the prosecution has acted wisely In
delaying his trial there can be no ques-
ton OF the fact that the United Railroads
did obtain the right to string overhead
trolley wires over the city streets by pay
ing bribes to the city officials.
The argument is heard in the business
and financial section Of the city. among
bankers and merchants, that Calhoun
ought 20 be permitted to go free because
ne has done so much good for the city
This great service was that he consoli-
dated the street railway lines. watered
the stock enormously, was paid huge
fee for the service and is reaping the
/ financial rewards usual in such cases.
Two other men have also done some
/ thing for San Francisco one OF them.
Rudolph Spreckles has furnished the
money 20 carry on the prosecution Of the
grafters. His motives are attacked. and
/ Mr.. Calhoun declares with passion that
/ he is being prosecuted by Spreckles out
/ Of personal malice. The other servant OF
! the city who has done much is Francis
j. Heney He has worked two years as
! the chief prosecutor OF the graft cases
without pay and without hope OF finan-
\ clal reward The services of Heney and
/ SprecIles are not mentioned In those
/ financial circles where business is
/ sacred.
When Heney first undertook the prose-
cution he warned Spreckles that all these
/ things would result He predicted that
when the prosecution failed to stop with
the labor union culprits and went higher
i up" that they would find men OF wealth
and social position arrayed against them
that enmity would be engendered, that
assassination itself was 10 be feared
Spreckles did not turn back. He had
tried TO form q committee OF wealthy
men to back the prosecution. but hs
was unsuccessful. so he put up the frs
10000 himself. Heney went to work
William J. Burns, q secret service de
tective. went QUO and got the evidence
| The guilt of the grafters and the brlberi
has been proved over and over again
but the convictions are not 20 be had.
The situation IN san Francisco TO-DAY
is fraught with great danger TO the city
and 70 other municipalities IN the nation
When the grating was brought TO light
men said: Look what a labor union Sc
OF officials did" But now the thing ha
changed. The majority OF the people o
this city believe the guilty ought TO b.
punished. whoever they are; and the.
have said so at the polls. But If tn
guilty are not punished. II the CRATER
and the bribers go free, whose fault vii
it be? Not that Of the labor unions. No
that OF the people. II viii be the faul
OF men in high standing in the com
munity. men Of wealth. men who believ
themselves 10 be honest. II will be IN
fault Of business men who think IL IS
crime for a city official 10 force a saloo
10 buy whisky from the concern in whic
that Official Is interested, but who see n
wrong in transaction by which
business man gets valuable franchis
by bribing those same corrupt officials
OF course, not all OF San Francisco
business men are engaged In this cam
paign to defeat justlce-but practically a
, the men in the conspiracy are bushes
men.
II San Francisco's conscience Is stille
20 sleep by the campaign now bein
. waged by the criminal rich and their De
tenders, If the prosecution Of the graftsn
, criminals fails because of this campaign
, then the cause of municipal honesty :
America will be given a blow from whic
, it cannot recover in years. But II IN
! people OF San Francisco listen TO thu
, conscience which IS still speaklng-if the
Will send "A few criminal politicians and
few criminal business men to prison-the
American cities will look TO San FrancisC
as a leader Il Is for San Francisco
. say.
; tCopynght. Eos. by Frederic J. Haskii-,
I ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS in CaIifoznis