The San Francisco call., 1910-10-11
SEEK To BUY
NEWS SPACE FOR
THEIR ATTACKS
Editors Approached With Offers
for Publication of Disguised
Poisoned Articles
Chronicles Discovery" of Land
Title May Be Scheme to
MuddIe HarbOr Question

the state with definite propositions for
the purchase Of space for the publica-
ton OF poisoned news, designed TO in
duence the voters of the state against
the improvement Of their own property
without expense 10 themselves.
Representatives of the interests that
have brazenlY fought San Francisco in
the legislature and at the polls have
gone through the streets clinking the
coin OF their employers
BUYING ~NEws" SPACE
Their agents have visited the editors
and managers Of newspapers with DEN
mite propositions for the purchase OF
advertising" space to be devoted to
matter disguised as news in opposi-
ton 10 the project for which the peo-
pie Of San Francisco returned a SIX 10
one vote.
That the opposition to the Islais
creek improvements had attempted TO
reach the metropolitan press has been
an open trade secret for weeks.
Its operations in the interior were
disclosed on Saturday. when the mem
bers Of the California press association
were taken around the bay. Members
# the association freely discussed the
offers made TO them by a representa-
rive OF the Islais creek opposition and
discussed quite a freely the obvious
attempts Of some Of their Official hosts
10 prevent any discussion Of the Islais
creek project
NAY CONFUSE QUESTION
HOT upon the heels OF these dis
closures comes the Chronicles "discov-
erv" OF an alleged city title to water
front property far removed from the
IsiaIs creek project but discovered
in & manner that might easily result
IN confusing the whole water front
question in the public mind.
AL the November general election the
voters of California viii be called upon
10 ratify three San Francisco water
front propositions and a San Diego har-
Dor bonding proposition. One of the San
Francisco harbor propositions is for
bonds in the sum of $l.O00,00O TO be
used for the acquisition by condemna-
ton OF So blocks of submerged lands IN
the Islais creek district Ratification Of
those bonds will not impose one cent of
tax burden on the people of California.
The bonds are TO be charge upon the
harbor of San Francisco. Their ratiflca-
tion will make possible the enlargement
of the harbor by AZ miles Of wharves
and will end for all time the possibility
Of private interests owning or controll-
ing the finest harbor on the Pacihc
coast
CARRIED OVERWHELMINGLY
The Islais creek proposition has been
ratified by the overwhelming vote of
the people Of san Francisco. II has the
unqualified Endorsement Of the Mer-
chants exchange, chamber of COM
naerce. Merchants association and the
the big organizations in the Federated
Harbor Improvement association. 1t
has the unqualified Endorsement of
Governor Gillett, of the incumbent and
preceding San Francisco municipal ad-
rninistra tions, of the Commonwealth
club, Of organized labor and Of the
great civic and commercial organiza-
lions of the state. 1t has the unquali-
fed Endorsement and the active CO.
operation Of the great shipping in
:e-ests.
1t has the opposition of the lumber
interests and the steam schooner in
ferests associated with the lumber
carrying trade. masquerading as the
snip owners association.
STOP AT NOTHING
Those interests fought the original
submission Of the project They fought
II at the polls two years ago and by a
campaign Of made education tricked
the commercial organizations Of south
ern California into lighting it at the
polls. They fought resubmission by the
last legislature and fought it in a
manner that charges of improper use
of money few thick and fast. Several
legislators took TO cover when an in
Vestigation was threatened. The propo-
sition was resubmitted-
The opposition has never slept on its
oars. One of the incidents of the Edi-
torial associations bay trip on Satur-
day was the disclosure of the efforts
Of a representative Of the Islais creek
opposition. who represented himself to
the interior editors as a relative of
Duncan Mcpherson Of Santa Cruz. Nc
Pherson made a straight proposition for
the purchase Of advertising space
which he purposed TO use for matter
hostile TO the IsIais creek improve
rnents and which was 70 be run in the
guise of news"
10 CENTS A LINE
only one OF several editors who said
they had been approached could be
reached last night That was Editor
Kelly of the Palo Alto Times. Kelly
admitted that Mcpherson had made him
a proposition and that the representa-
tive Of the interests had used as an ad-
ditional argument the statement that
his proposition had been generally ae-
cepted by the interior press and that
he had not been compelled to pay more
than 10 cents line.
Yesterday the Chronicle discovered
that the city might have sleeping title
70 water front lands in China and Cen
tral basins ano thaI IN view or this
possible title the city might cancel
the Santa Fe's lease. supposed to have
been made by the state, and go into the
hsrbor business on its own account
In its educational" disclosures the
Chronicle did not uncover a jointure in
that lease by the city through Mayors
Sutro and Phelan. Such a disclosure
might have resulted from an inspection
Of the duplicate in the possession of the
harbor commission or upon inquiry di-
rected TO President Stafford of the har-
Dor commission.
In terms sufficiently vague to muddle
the whole water front question, the
Chronicle disclosed" transfer of
water front title by the state to the
city OF San Francisco, an alleged for
getfulness on the part of the city and
subsequent transfer OF the same prop
erty by the state to other parties either
by sale or under leasehold.
PROPERTY FAR DISTANT
What the. Chronicle carefully re-
Trained from disclosing WIS that the