The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-03-27
DELIVERS ADDRESS ON THE Re.
BUILT GAN FRANCISCO.
n~ELpFULNESS NEEDED
fFinancier Makes Address on the Con.
ditions Maintaining in the callfor-
mia Metropolis, and P~rophesies Great
Future for Il.

Il
reception was given this morning by
the San Francisco chamber Of. COM
merce to D. o. Mills, as a token Of
appreciation by the business COM
munity of his efforts to promote the
prosperity of the city and state.
President Charles G. Moore. OF the
chamber Of commerce, presided and
spoke in behalf Of that organization
and other commercial interests. Mayor
Taylor delivered a cordial address Of
welcome to which MI. Mills respond
ed, speaking in part as follows:
Mr.. President and Members of the
Chamber Of Commerce:
l hardly need to say that it gives
me great pleasure to be greeted as
am today by your assembly, and to
find myself still kindly remembered
by the business community Of this
great city-the place where my most
active and perhaps my happiest years
were spent.
I came here in the spring Of 1849
and have seen San Francisco survive
many trials. It never had q greater
one-hardly any city ever had q great
er one-than the earthquake and the
fire, Of two years ago; and certainly
no other city ever showed greater
courage in meeting disaster and sur
mounting it. 4
I predict a greater future for the
city than perhaps many Of you antici-
pate.
a Fairy Tale.
The plain story OF restoration since
the fire seems like a fairy tale. In the
period of nearly two years the build.
ing operations fled exceed 100000, 900.
In the case Of almost every building
the cost, as some of US well know,
gentlemen, exceed the original esti-
mate. So we may safely assume that
the buildings erected since the fire
have cost about 100000 00. AS near
as can be ascertained, all but $4,000
900 Of this vast sum sis local money.
San Francisco cansthus point to
great commercial successes and to
many civil successes. in spite Of all
her troubles and disasters. II she has
not yet had all the successes that we
hoped she. would have 1t is well to
recognize this. and to realize what
the causes have been. They are not
peculiar to our city, but belong gen.
orally to the later life Of our whole
country. There r signs Of an in
creased loss Of public spirit, accom-
panied by a decline in mutual forbear.
ance,, and in the just recognition Of
each others rights. But in some al
these respects San Francisco has snf'
fered to a pronounced degree.
Struggle Should Cease.
The increasing struggle between
capital and labor needs to be com
posed. It ought to be understood that
there is no general conspiracy of cap
ital against labor, and that there car
be none. Those who lead the organ
izations Of labor to believe that there
is, do them d great injury, as well Al
the public at large. San francisco
has had an undue share Of harm from
this source. Every workingman has
right, equally with every capitalist, t
an open market, a right to the oper
shop. government that does no
secure this is a false pretense and !
is not worth what it costs.
Great as have been Sur efforts a
recovery, they need to be vet greater
and to rise to a level even highr thar
in thespast. Yet the men Of our pas
have great lessons for us, and arr
G. good examples.
AT my age no doubt my memories
naturally go back to those who tool
part in building this city up, from
1849 onward. Most of them are gone
remember their enthusiasm, thei
courage, their ability. their integrity
They were a cordial, warm-hearte'
set of me They had unbounded faitl
in the future OF this city and Of thi
whole coast. They expected grea
things here. and they accordingly lai
good foundations We need to EN-,
late their actions.
Emulate Settlers.
9 Ny best hope for those who com