The San Francisco call., 1908-03-27
Former Secretary of the Navy
Pays His Respects to
"Muck RakerS"
''MOst Efficient Fighting Ma
chine Afloat," lie Says, and
Sentiment Is Cheered

the Eqtitable life assurance society,
and ox-secretary of the navy. came TO
the defense OF the United States feet
last night at the Fairmont hotel. the
occasion being banquet given him by
the san Francisco chamber of com
merce. His audience. recognizing in
him one not at all difident about Civ
ing expression 10 his facts as he saw
them. however harsh and Objectionable
they might have sounded. and knowing
him as authority on the subject,
responded TO his words with cheer
upon cheer.
1T is much easier said he. for
muck rakers and others TO criticise than
il is TO construct or command a fleet.
II is so easy to attract attention by
finding fault and so difficult by max
ing good.
Then in few words he went on to
declare his faith in the American navy
end concluded by comparing a battle
ship to 4 city with each requiring the
need Of cooperation for the attain
ment Of the best results. Said he:
Notwithstanding all Of the criticism. am
thoroughly convinced that today the American
navy Is ship for Sbi1. man for man and gun for
6oats; and while deprecete 10 the fullest eN-
rent war with any country. am sure that were
f 10 cone our navy would aeeuit itself in 4 vay
thst would thrill the hearts Of every patriotic
American. No man can come in close contact
with the American navy without having the
greatest admiration for its ships its officers and
its men. No man who knows the American navy
a. il Is today has any reason to worry bout the
present nafionsl defense No one can stadv the
history of the American navy or visit the naval
academy 1T Annapolis and there the young
men who are 70 become cur future naval offcers
without feeling that the American navy is equal
70 any and every emergency.
NEEDS COOPERATION
Ia order that the feet may win battles it must
have absolute cooperation in all Of its units and
IN order Tor great city TO forge ahead there
must be eliminated and above all in city or
on bsttleship where TIE highesr results are de-
SIRED, there must be patriotic public spirit
Among the most interesting speeches
OF the evening was that delivered by
Charles h Bentley, former president
OF the chamber of commerce He
opened his remarks by dwelling on the
friendship existing between Paul Nor
ton and Cslifornians, q sentiment
touched upon by every one of the
speakers Of the evening. and then
branched of to the results of his re-
cent trip east
While in Washington" said he, Il
called upon Secretary Garfield and he
reiterated his former declaration to
the effect tnat if the people of San
Francisco desired a portion of the
Hetch Hetchy valley as a reservoir
and provided there were no legal COM
plicarons, he would do has best in
seeing that the city got it"
- Bentley went on to say that con-
frary to his expectations, he did not
find the finger of scorn pointed at San
Francisco by the other cities of the
country.
Instead" said he, II found condi-
ticns similar to those here. The other
cities were having their exposures of
dishonesty and graft and their citi-
zeus in their own shame felt thankful
TO San Francisco for what it has done
IN exterminating dishonesty in public
Office and driving the grafters from
their places of power"
MAYOR TAYLOR'S PROMISE
Mayor Edward r. Taylor spoke on
the same theme, declaring that the
city had to be and was going to be
not only physically clean, but morally
clean also.
Warren R. Porter, lieutenant gov
ernor of the state, complimented San
francisco on the work accomplished
within the past two years. declaring
that the people of this city were the
Eritiest, gamest bunch he ever saw"
Charles G. Moore. president of the
chamber of commerce, presided at the
banquet and, in opening the speeches
said that the expression of friendship
Of Paul Morton on the part Of the
LA-ollDCA u COullueIC6 was not QUe 10
his position, but to his individual quail
sites and for his great faith in Cali
fornia- A scholarly address was given
by BENJAMIN Ide Wheeler
Among the guests at the banquet
were:
e F.; Anewait, L P. Allen.
Paul Bancroft, " p Barnes, G. n. Beal. John
n. Blsskower. Charles J. Bosworth, V g.
5ozoe, " A Bissel. r. ]. Bentley. Charles
Brsndenstein, Fred Il. Beaver, 7. z. Bonneau
Charles q. Bentley. Chester W. Burke
v. B. Cope. J. p Currier, Edward Chambers
Richard B. Carr. c. H Croker, George d.
Cooper, D. Z. Campbell.
Charles J. Deering, Dr. b. B. de MarvilIe
Ut. Z. Z. porr, W J. Dutton, Il. c. DORneis
Charles n Elliott Milton Il. EsberE.
Jsnes y. Pagan, J. c. Fyfe, NJ J. Fontana
- KjIiIs@ 1 .. seI.tl.. o Grange. b. W. Geodall.
saiSSess s B. eolGDefs. 4. T 4. Goldberg, 'S I. g. g.
IarO Hoemnl, L L. Hubbard. william Herr
mann, e.: W. Hopkins. II. T. Howard, c. o.
HOOKER, J. Downey Harvey, c. Holterhor Jr,
W l. Hsthsway.
Homer q; King. Frank B. King, James A.
W.. h Ia Boyteaur. Z. R Luenthsl
=. Lyseh. J. p Lombard. George h. Lent. C s.
PsuI Merton. Charles c. Moore. Peter
.. Martin, Garret W. McEnerneJ. A. Moao4ti Sasr
a q. Muller. Walter s. Martin John D. Nc.
her, G. K Mcintosh. John F. Merrill NJ Hail
1fcAIlister. F. W. Mcdonald, Thornwell MnllaIiv
G. ~. Mccormick, Mabry Mcmahon, g. B. Moore
irving 2. Menlton. Henry J. Morton, william
q, MugEn. William A. Mcgee Frederic p
hafse. Percy T. Morgan Gavin McNsb. Frank
George T. Nicholson.
Lieutenant Governor Warren Porter. Captain
IL. Payson, Charles ". Pike. James D. Phe-
Ian, Allan Pollok, Fred NJ. Pickering
James holpn Jr-, A J. Rich, Q. T. Runyon
Merritt J. Reid. Henry L. Rosenfeld.
A. Sbzrborc, A h z. Schmidt, R. a. Swayue
George Z. starr, NJ Senda- Or. Grant SeIfridge
John b. Speck. ". J. Shotwell, A. n Shields
y W sharon, D: Stoney, A. NJ. Simpson Eigin
etodosro. j. r Selfridge, Clarence NJ. Smith
3 9. Iognaxzi, h Tsuds, A. G. Towne Mayor
EdEsrd kobeson Taylor, S. F. Taylor.
DR.. ". W. Cnderhill.
Or. Benjamin Ide Wheeler z Mvron Wolf
Z. W. Wolfe, J. Parker whitney, j. ". Wright