The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-10-16
WfINSTOCKUPHOLDS
GRAFT PROSECUTION
Letter From Merchant Creates
Enthusiasm at Heney Meet
ing in Dreamland Rink
Cheers Greet Statement That
Attack on Bribery Does Not
Hurt Business

Raised to pitch Of extreme enthu-
siasm by The reading Of a letter from
Harris Weinstock, head of the firm of
Teinstock. Lubin & Co, in which he
stated in plain and emphatic terms that
ii was the manifest duty of every
American citizen to vote against bride
giving and bride taking. vast au-
dience at Dreamland rink gave Fran
els J. Heney a reception last night the
warmth of which has nOt been ex-
ceued at any previous Heney meeting
Ia this campaign
The letter from Weinstock was read
bv Walter Macarthur, chairman OF the
meeting. II was in response TO d let
Ter from the secretary of the Heney
league. asking his opinion as TO the
statements that business has been nurt
by the graft prosecution.
ANSWER UPHOLDs PROSECUTOR
Weinstoclz's answer was cOmprehen-
sive. direct Not alone did he show by
figures that san Francisco had en-
loved this year greater prosperity than
ever before. but declared that even If
business had been injured by the pros
ecution of graft il would be better for
The community that there should be
temporary interruption OF financial
nrosperftv. rather than an acceptance
Of bribery and wrong doing
The letter coming, as il did, from one
of the leading businessmen of the city,
received earnest attention. but as the
reading continued and the views OF the
writer became known. Macarthur was
interrupted time and again by Noelter-
Gus cheering.
Fenev. whose voice was in poor con-
dftion. made brief address toward the
close of the meeting. Macarthur IN
his opening remarks, said that as tie
people of san Francisco STUDIED the
situation they became once again en-
rhusiastic for Heney and would ultl-
matelv give him majority at the
POLLS greater than ever before accorneu
= candidate. Attorney Charles ,.
Wheeler also spoke.
LETTER FROM wEINsTOCK
Here is Weinstocks letter:
san Francisco, Cal. Sept. %, 1902.
Mr.. T. G. WILDER, secretary FfahCls
j. Heney club. san Francisco. Cal.
Dear Sir. This is in reply to your
letter of the 22nd. in which you say
with Vehemence by the political OPP
ponents of Mr.. Francis J. Heney IN his
campaign for the Office Of district at
torney of san Francisco, is that his
work should be stopped because II Is
hurting business.
You ask me as a businessman to ex-
press my views on this point,
Since my return TO San francisco
after an absence Of over year and z
half in travels abroad ] have had al
oDDorfunftv of meeting businessmen
large and small bankers. real estate
men and others. ] have been INFORMED
hy some or the = leading bankers o.
San Francisco that conditions are anc
for some time past have been norman
lhat money is plentiful and IN active
demand, and that interest rates are ne
higher for commercial purposes thar
they were before the fire. l have FUR
:ner heen told that the wholesale mer'
chants have been and are dong very
satisfactory business. nave foun1
that while certain retailers VINO out O
an undue spirit Of enterprise nave
somewhat discounted the future ant
organized their business upon a scal'
ahead Of the times are not doing s.
large business they had expected
numerous other retailers tell me ina
they are doing a business Tar beyon'
their eEpecto tons. and a SoooiN pro
portion of them have said that the,
are doing a better business than the!
did before the FIRE
GOOD INDEX OF TRADE
A good index to trade is the clearing
house transactions. The reports of thu
San Francisco clearing house. as fur
nished me by the California Promotion
committee, show that for the first elgh
months Of 1905 the bank clearlngS Weri
Sll65T6O. O91.O5. Nineteen hundred an,
I'VE was the banner year for San Fran
cisco before the fire. Despite this fact
the bank clearings Of san Francisco 70
the first eight months of 1909 wer
S1247955. 62O.15. This shows in
crea sc of SS2.195.529-l0. d gain of NOR
From all the available Information a
hand ] End that or the whole the vol
ume Of business is greater in San Fran
cisco than it ever was before. / an
therefore unable TO see how business
has been hurt by the graft prosecution
1ae burden Of proof on this poin
properly rests with those making tn
charge. They should present facts an
figures verifying their statement tina
business has been hurt by the graf
prosecution before they can hope L
have il accepted as fact.
Granting, however, for the sake o
argument that business has been. still
is being and viii continue to be hur
by the endeavor TO bring public wrong
doors 70 justice. what OF ftp
II a powerful body of corrupt me-
should get together for the purpose o
committing treason by overturning an
for selfish reasons taking possession o
the government, would be hesitate &
resist them because to do so woul
mean civil war in the end and, for tn
time being. consequent injury {
business?
EFFECT ON BUSINESS
No war that this people ever Tough
50 paralyzed and for a series of fou
years so hurt business did the civi
war of 1861. Breathes there an Ameri
can who would exchange for all tn
dollars lost to business during tina
frightful conflict, the security, tn
strength and the perpetuity of our re
public vOuchsafed as the result of tn
civil WARP
II today this republic should be a
Essential to the cause Of civic right
eousness is individual honesty. Kno
collection Agency has for sixteen year
been lighting for the payment Of jus
old In l,.s