The San Francisco call., 1909-11-16
Letters From The People
WOULD HONOR RALsToN

Editor Calls l have read with inter-
est your publication of the report of
the commission upon the remaining of
streets and highways in this city, and
am highly pleased with the idea ad-
vanced therein and with nearly all of
the suggested changes. The commits
sion seems to have pursued its task
with nice discrimination and very
credtable taste, and l sincerely hope
that it's recommendation will, in the
main, be adopted.
There is one instance, however, in
which it appears that great mistake
is being made, and an injustice, prob
ably unintentional is about to be done.
and to the prevention of that l venture
to address my humble protest
/ was born in San Francisco, at
day so remotely past that there are
now but few whose advent here ante
dates mine, and I presume upon the
privilege of an .old timer to say my
say as spokesman for the uncommemo-
rated of generation ago.
My reference is to the proposed
change in the name of New Montgom-
cry street. / am as appreciative as any
good Californian should be of the honor
that is due to our learned and venerable
friend and fellow citizen, Professor
Davidson, and / heartily indorse the
proposal to dignity some worthy high
way or public place with his respected
name, without waiting to make it
posthumous tribute, but 1 am confident
that Professor Davidson will be the
first to decline such an honor if it be
granted only at the cost of a historical
and ethical faux pas
The man for whom that thorough
fare ought to be named is the man who
made it; who not only conceived the
idea of opening it through the shabby
district of shanties and sand lots
which ianked then fashionable Second
street, but who actually created. the
land on which it lies out of the spoil
of Second street cut" by the opening
of which he not only captured that
stronghold of society for the uses of
commerce, but sent its wealthy resi-
dents to create a new refuge on Mob
HILL" thus separating the residential
and business quarters along natural
lines.
No citizen ever held a clearer pre-
vision of the coming greatness of San
Francisco, and none ever formed more
practicable and intelligent plans for the
forwarding of that greatness; nor did
any ever accomplish more, notwith-
standing the bitterest oposition toward
"
/, than the victor in the fSecond street
war" the builder of the Palace hotel
and the maker and sponsor of New
Montgomery street, our once most ia
nous citizen. William C. Ralston.
smaller man would have given his
own name to the street which he had
created and which he meant to be the
banking and financial center, the Wall
street or Threadneedle street of the Pa
cific coast, but none but a big man, a
great and forceful civic character. could
have done what he did in contest with
the strong men of those days.
DE mortis non, nisi bonun." II he
had failings they were those of the big
men of today, without known excep-
ton. If he made able and determined
enemies who, aided by the treachery
of those whom he had right to deem
his friends, succeeded in pulling him
fate of those who venture to lead in
an envious and self-seeking world: but
il can not be denied that he did things
big things for San Francisco, and his
name should be commemorated for the
benefit of those who were not privileged
to live in the old heroic days by "a more
worthy memorial than a little lane
among the pastures out by the county
line.
Let the name he gave the street he
made if it must be changed. be replaced
by his own. and let Ralston street, like
Shaftesbury avenue and the Boulevard
Hattssmann. stand as an inspiration to
the progressive citizen and as a rebuke
to the narrow minded and selfish prop
erty owner who says "D--n the Burn
ham plans, Yours truly.
W-AI. &C. WALLACE.
2o2 Balboa building