The San Francisco call. [volume], January 24, 1900, Image 1

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

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Continued on Page Two.
REASONS FOR THE
CALL.
The election of a United
States Senator.
Amending of section 2524
of the Political Code, which
gives control of portions of
San Francisco Bay to the Har
bor Commissioners.
Enactment of a law author
izing the transfer to the fund
of the Harbor Commissioners
of moneys in the San Fran
cisco depot sinking fund.
Enactment of a law creat
ing a Commissioner of Public
Works.
Repealing of the wagon
tire law.
Repealing of the act con
cerning the manner of locat
ing mining claims.
Amending of section 3494
of the Political Code relating
to the sale of school lands.
Authorizing the Governor
to assume charge of the sale of
State public lands.
Establishing a uniform
government for State hos
pitals.
Amending the act estab
lishing a State Lunacy Com
mission.
y Empowering the Governor
to summarily dismiss during
a recess of the Legislature all
officials appointed by him.
LONDON, Jan. 24, 6a. m.— A dispatch from Pretoria says a great battle has raged
sixty hours. The British attempted the relief of Ladysmith Saturday. Thirty thou
sand British infantry under Buiier and Warren were three times repulsed wjth great
loss. Forty British cannon were engaged in the terrific bombardment.
the Idea of the Intervention of European
powers is gaining adherents in Influential
quarters. The Dally Mail's correspondent
regards the signs as unmistakable and
mentions especially suggestions printed in
the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Office Jour
nals.
MONTAGU WHITE IS
PLEADING IN VAIN
WASHINGTON. Lliuftr : y-2.lontasu
Whitfi, who has come to tr«e United. States
in the interest of the Boers,- unofficially
discussed the situation, in South Africa
to-day with Secretary Hay and made it
plain to that official that the Transvaal
republic desired the mediation of the
United States to end the war. Nothing
that Mr. White stated; however, is calcu
lated to cause any change in {he attitude
of this Government.
"That attitude will continue to be strict.
Impartial and absolute neutrality," said
an official with whom I talked. The only
"An attempt will be made to seize Spion Kop, the salient
of which forms the left of the enemy's position facing Trichards
Drift, and which divides it from the position facing Potgieters
Drift. It has considerable command over the enemy's in
trenchments."
BOER HEAD LAAGER, LADYSMITH, Monday,
Jan. 22. — A battle has been raging along Oliviers Hock road
since Saturday between the Boers under Pretorius and 6000
British. The fighting is in full swing at Spion Kop. The
Boers under Botha and Cronje have been sent thither. The
British elsewhere are only making a reconnoisance of the Boer
positions. President Steyn was under fire at the foremost posi
tion of the Free Staters.
so it is impossible to see into it properly. It can be approached
only over bare open slopes, and the ridges held by Warren are
so steep that guns cannot be placed on them. But we are shell
ing the enemy's position with our howitzers and field artillery,
placed on lower ground behind infantry.
"The enemy is replying with Creusot and other artillery.
In this duel the advantage rests with us, as we appear to be
searching his trenches, and his artillery fire is not causing us
much loss.
Continued .on Seventh Page.
Political considerations, both foreign
and domestic, press upon the milltaryau
thcrlties the necessity for speedily accom
plishing something. These authorities
may have been persuaded to urge General
Buller to attempt his great operation
without adequate' preparation. This im
pression, whether true or not, is abroad. '
Apparently Lord Roberts has nothing
whatever . to,, do with General Buller's
operation. General Buller and the War !
CfHce communicate with each other di-«
rect. Buller's scheme was conceived be
fore Lord Roberts arrived at Cape Town
and .its execution was begun on the day
he landed. - The fact that the judgment
of Lord Roberts has not been brought to
bear upon the movement does not add to
public confidence.
The Times, commenting editorially upon
General Buller's dispatch, says:
"It. can but tend to Increase the severe
strain from which the nation Is suffering.
We must await the result of his attempt
to;seize the formidable Boer position with
courage and cooiness. Hlb success may
be decisive, but the danger of the attempt
is evidently great. The intense excite
ment of the besieged in Ladysmith may
be imagined.
"General Warren is moving with com
mendable. Indeed imperative caution, but
it must not be forgotten that delay, how
ever caused, must tell in many respects
in favor of the enemy. The Boers have,
it is true, fallen back when hard pressed,
but they have gained time to bring up
men, guns, ammunition and supplies to
the position they have selected for their
principal stand and to intrench it in
thorough fashion, the fashion they under
stand so well. Until that position has
been taken and its defenders routed and
badly cut up the relief of Ladysmith can
not be considered here."
From Vienna comes the statement that
contingency that will cause the United
States to change its policy will be an in
timation from Great. Britain that it is de
sirous of the employment of the good of
fices of this Government, and no tntim.i
tion of this character is expected in vi^w
of the present temper of the British people.
Evidently there has been a radical char.i£f>
in Mr. Whites- plans. It was stated on
Sunday by a person close to him that he
would see the President on the following
day. White did uot. however, appear at
the White House. When he called on
Secretary Hay to-day, I am reliably in
formed, he opened the conversation by as
suring the Secretary that he presented
no credentials, that he did not seel; rec
ognition as a diplomatic agent of the Boer
Government and that he was here for the
purpose of looking out for Its interests in
simply a private capacity. He then b«
gan a statement of the causes of the war
and conditions existing in the Transvaal.
Because of the valuable information he
was able to give Secretary Hay the latter
was very glad to listen to, what Mr. Whltft
had to say, and the two remained closeted
for nearly a half-hour. ;
When The Call correspondent saw Mr.
White to-night he confirmed the fact that
he had been courteously received by the
Sacretary of State, but refused to further
discuss the matter. I understand, hew
ever, that Mr. White is very much grati
fied at his reception and the. willingness
displayed by Mr." Hay to listen to the
statement he made. It is expected h«
will remain in Washington looking out for
the interests of his, Government... He has
not presented credentials, though it la
possible he may do so, but in any event
he will look out for^ the''Transvaal inter-
ARTILLERY FIRE THE
HEAVIEST IN THE WAR
LONDON, Jan. 24— After a most anx
love day for the entire Britis-h na
tion, frorr. laborer to Cabinet Mm- |
istcr. the War Office this morning
at 2:13 o'clock gave out a dispatch '
¦ from O^irral Bulger which. ITr.oti
¦what had been hoped and prayed for. was j
net wlt^t had been feared since the veil]
of silence fell upon the field of battle j
Monday. General Warren, it appears, has
not been able to make much progress
*:nce that day, owing to the strength of
the Boers' Intrencbtnents, but had suc
ceeded in holding the ground which he
had won. Evidently his position is peril
ous, for Genera! Buller, telegraphing at
6:20 o'clock yesterday afternoon, tiatcd
that an. attack upon SpJon Kop. the ctn
ter of the Boer position, would be made
that night. By this time, if Sir Redyers'
Intention was carried out. the attack has
been made, and the British have cither ]
struck the decisive blow for the relief of
Ladysrnith or r.av*-, as was tlie rase wit fa
their previous night attacks, been forced
back by a rifle blast irom the Boer
trenches.
Tbe lons silence and admission that i
General Warren had been unable to gain
further by methods employed dur
ing the four days' previous fighting, and !
th.it he had not been able to advance for |
two days. nV. Indicate that General Bui- j
U r had determined to make a night attack i
as a desperate resort.
Before mi<inight rumors flew thick and
fast. A great crowd gathered at the War j
Office, only to be icld there vas no Intel- !
licence to impart. Mr. Balfour was one l
ci the c&H^rs.
Reports during the afternoon, which up- j
ee-t ihe Stock Exchange, to the effect that :
Warren had been defeated and had lost !
two battalions as prisoners, while not be- j
lievfd. had a marked effect upon the
nerves of the public General Bu'ler's
long sjlence still further incre-ased the j
gleon No cew« could not have beer,
thought goo 3 news in this case, for tho !
reason that when General Buyer's ad- j
v;. r.ce was progressing favorably for the j
British arms there was plenty of news.
When London will know the result of |
the night attack will depend largely upon ;
•whether the British' are successful. If
victorious. General Buiier is not likely to
lose much time in notifying the Govern
ment, and news fbould reach here some
tirre this morning. If he be thrown back,
there is no telling how many hours may
clap»e
As to the fighting, all the intelligence
received In London yesterday came
through Boer sources. From the Boer
laager before Ladysmith came Ihe in
formation that ther" had been engage
ments on Ollviers Hock road, between
Pretoria! and a British force estimated
at COOO men. and that brisk fighting had
been going on at Spion Kop, whither
Gentrals Botha and Cronje have pre
ceded.
The road to Oliviers Hock Pass runs
through Acton Homes, so that the earlier
part of the message refers to the action
Of Saturday, but reference to a battle at
Epion Kop would indicate that on Mon
day the central point of the enemy's
position was as?a.ik-d.
from General Buller's dispatch General
Warren on Tuesday was holding the
Eame position as that which he gained
in the two days previous, so Jhat if an
attack was rr.ade on Monday it must
have failed. It was General Warren's
original intention to make a wide de
tour from Trichards Drift westward, but
the progress of his left wing was stopped
on reaching the ridge running down trom
Bpfob Kop toward Acton Homes, which ,
was strongly intrenched by the Boers.
As it would have been Impossible to se
cure communication and transport past
this obstacle, the general returned to j
Trichards Drift on Saturday and began j
his series of engagements.
NEW YORK. Jan. 21.— A special to the
•Sun from Pretoria, dated Jan. 22, via
Lourenzo Marques, says: Heavy fighting
was reported en Saturday for twelve
miles along the Tugela River. The Brit
jt-h artillery fire, was the heaviest that has
been experienced during the war. It is
estimated that over 30,000 troops were en
paged in an assault on the Tugela
heights, which are occupied by the Boers.
The iigir.ir.g front extended for twenty
three miles. The artillery fire met with
no response from the Boers until the in
fantry attacked their position. The Brit
ish made thrre assaults and were each
time vigorously repelled. The Boer gen
erals were Hans Botha. Schalkburger
and Lucas Meyer. The British cannon,
! numbering over forty, maintained a
i frightful concentrated fire. Every time
j the British stormed the Boer position
| they were reinforced by fresh divisions,
I but their efforts were useless.
Yesterday the hostilities ceased, and the
I British ambulances were busy for ten
I hours picking up and attending to the
I wounded on the field of action.
The garrison at Ladysmith attempted
to make a demonstration, but the Beer
crutpo.ns gave the alarm and the attempt
Tias prevented. To-day everything around
tht beleaguered city is quiet.
On Saturday night the British garrison
at Ladysmith sent up a dozen rockets
showing a blue light. These were prob
ably signals to General Buller's relief col
: um:i, which is fighting south of the
j Tugela River.
Commandant General Joubert has just
celebrated his sixty-seventh birthday.
Mr. Adalbert Hay. the nuwly appointed
American Consul, has advised the • Gov
ernment that he will reach Delagoa
Bay during the current week.
CHEERING NEWS WANTED
BEFORE PARLIAMENT MEETS
LONDON, Jan. 24.— The Morning Post
and the Standard touch lightly upon the
unpleasant features of Euller's dispatch
and take hope from the projected night
attack, but all together considered the
dispatch looks like preparation for worse
news. .•
According to General Buller the Boer'
position Is rather more elevated than his,
about three-quarters of a mile oft.
British infantry could not advance in
daylight over the op*n elope. To Gen
eral Warren it looked like an impasse,
bo General Buller determined to make a
bold attempt to take Spion Kop. the j
salient angle of the Boer ground, com- j
manding it for some distance. If
achieved. It will not even then mean a
rapid walk to Ladymith. There are at
Parliament will meet In five days. The
Cabinet has been hoping for one rallying
British success to cheer the country and
to command, generous support for fresh
revenue measures. Among these will be
probably an increase of the Income a
shilling to the pound, but this would only
provide the cost of five weeks' hostilities.
The duties on tobacco, alcohol, tea and
coffee are likely to be raised. •
. The Cabinet will meet at the end of the
week and discuss the situation. /;._.;«•.
WATCHING FOR THE
SENATORIAL
LIGHTNING.
JBgJ^ EADERS throughout the city
jgjgi and State will observe that The
MjjP^ Call was right when It declared
that Governor Gage would call
ly an extra session of the Legis
lature. The Governor's real
design was never concealed by
a veil of mystery. According to the proc
lamation the members will assemble at
Sacramento next Monday. "When they
wll! adjourn no one can foretell. :
Judge Dibble, who Is the recognized
leader of the Burns faction In the Assem
bly, expressed the opinion yesterday that
the work outlined In the Governor's call
coujd easily be accomplished In two
weeks. It is his Judgment that the sire
die adjournment of the Legislature will
take place before the middle of February.
Other members expect a longer session,
holding that the work cut out cannot be
completed Inside of thirty days.
The Senatorial contest reopens with sev
eral candidates in the field. General W.
H. L. Barnes will not re-establish head
quarters at Sacramento, but his support
ers insist that his chances of success have
increased since the adjournment of the
regular session and that he must not
think of retiring from the struggle.
Irving M. Scott will reopen headquar
ters in the Golden Eagle Hotel. It Is v.o
longer a secret that U. S. Grant's former
managers. Milton Green and Jim">3
Brown, are actively supporting Mr. Scott.
Ex-Mayor L. R. Ellert is not Idle or in
different. In the Senate John F. Davi* of
Aoador and in the Assembly F. E. Dun
lap of San Joaquin will uphold the cau<3e
of the shipbuilder.
Mr. Scott authorizes the statement th.*t
he is a candidates He offers no objection
to an open caucus of all the Republican
members of the Legislature. He will ob
ject, however, to any plan or scheme for
secret balloting.
D. M. Burns is still in the field as a
candidate, but the cry of "Burns or no
Senator" is hushed. His advocates say:
"Colonel Burns is willing to go into cau
cus and take hia chances with other can
didates." Confidence in Burns' ability to
win may exist, but there is no open boast
ing of his success, on the quiet the stoo
ls circulated that Gage did not call tho
session until Herrin and Burns were con
vinced that they could swing forty-three
votes in caucus.
The Call's information is that Burns
cannot increase his original following of
thirty, yet the fact is well known to this
journal that Burns men on the quiet are
circulating the report that Dickinson,
Morehouse, Cutter. De Lancie, Merritt.
Iluber and Raw can be lined up for tha
colonel when they are needed.
The Influence of the Republican State
Central Committee will not be cast in
Burns" favor at the extra session. Execu
tive patronage has been distributed and
therefore cannot be held out to reward
the supporters of Colonel Burns. The
enactment of Gage's proposed legislation
giving the executive authority to remove
appointees would open the patronage
pasture, but members of the Legislature
will Investigate this measure before com
mitting themselves to It.
Folltlcal gossip is to the effect that
Burns is to have a new manager. M. R.
Higgins says that he cannot accept the
position. Major McLaughlin is not men
tioned as an available candidate for tha
job as he is handicapped by weight and
inability. It is said that Hervey Ltndley
ia out of favor and out of training. A re
port is current that Thomas Field of Mon
terey, a former representative of the Pa
cific Improvement Company, will handla
the reins for the colonel.
John A. Barham, member of CongreS3.
representing the First District, is a can
didate for United States Senator, but has
r.oc yet displayed any positive strength. In
the absence of a regularly accredited
manager, the Sonoma delegation, repre
senting both political parties, may look
after the Barham fences.
Assemblymen Raw. Arnerich. Eugene
Sullivan end Barry an,d Senator Hall
are serving their country on the water
front. Their names are Inscribed on
the payroll of the State Board of
Harbor Commissioners. It is under
stood that each will apply for leave of
absence to attend the extra session. As
semblyman J. M. Hanley of San Fran
cisco has been appointed to the lucrative
position of deputy District Attorney under
the new charter, and therefore cannot at
tend the session. If his resignation ha*
not been forwarded to Speaker Anderson
It ought to go by the next mail.
Dr. Marvin. Assemblyman from Hum*
boldt County, is holding down a place m
the medical department of Agnews Asy
lum for tne Insane. He may visit Sacra
mento, but the story goes that he ia not
inclined to extend his northerly Journey
to Humboldt County.
The story is again told that no money
will be expended by Huntlngton and Her
rin to promote the election of Burns. In
ileu of cash each new supporter of tha
colonel will receive a chromo of Wright,
Simpson, Jllson and Cospex.
WHY THE GOVERNOR
CALLED THE
EXTRA SESSION
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
STATE OF CALIFORNIA,
SACRAMENTO. Jan. 23. 1000.
in AKEREAS, an extraordinary
AP /f\ no occasion exists, requiring the
£1 M ¥3 convening of the Legislature
JsJLjUr J& of the State of California for
Xjjg&kgSr the purposes hereinafter par
. ticularly eet forth:
Now. therefore. I, Hanry T.
Gage. Tis Governor; by virtue of tSw. power
conferred upon me by section 9, article V.
of the constitution of the State of Califor
nia, do . hereby convene the said Legisla
ture, to assemble in extraordinary session
at the city of Sacramento. State aforesaid,
at the State Capitol, on Monday, the
twenty-ninth (2Sth) day of January, in
the year of our Lord 1900, at 1 o'clock p.
m. of said day.
The purposes for which I have by this
proclamation convened and for which I
do hereby convene said Legislature to
meet . in said session are specifically as
follows:.
First— To elect a United States Senator
from this State to fill the vacancy now
existing, caused by the expiration of the
term of oince of Hon. Stephen M. White.
Second— To consider and enact a law to
take immediate effect, amending section
2524 of the Political Code of the State of
California.
HARBOR FRONT DEFINED.
In delineating 1 officially the meandering
line of the city's water front the Gov
ernor makes no material pnangre. The
limits are those lai'i down in the old law.
The description, as contained In both the
law and the message, is as follows:
Section 2324. The Commissioners shall
have por.sPF.slon and control of that por
tion of the bay of San Francisco, together
with ail the impro\ ements, rights, privi
leges, casements, appurtenances connect
ed therewith or In any way appertaining
United States.
In the call the Governor has given to the Legislature latitude enough to make the ses
sion as long as the discretion of the legislators may dictate. The people of the State may pay for
a meeting of two weeks or two months. They may discuss the possibility of the reform
of State institutions, but will still have the grim satisfaction of knowing that the Governor of
this State is expending their money in an effort to make his political creator an ornament of the
United States Senate.
GOVERNOR GAGE has called an extra session of the Legislature to convene next Mon
day at noon. His Excellency, in explanation of his announcement, gives sixteen reasons
why the session should be called and the people of the State should be made to endure the
expense of the session. These sixteen reasons, as The Call has announced time after time, may
be reduced to one. Governoi Gage wishes to pay his political debts, and he has convened the
Legislature in extraordinary session for the simple purpose of electing Dan Burns a Senator of
the United States if it is possible to make enough members of the State Legislature untrue to
their trust as public officers.
In the proclamation which announces the extra session of the Legislature the Governor
declares that a United States Senator shall be elected. He says that the State laws governing
the water front of San Francisco need reform; that the laws governing schools and lunacy asy
lums require amendment. His sixteen reasons for the call for an extraordinary session must in
evitably be reduced to one, which is the desire to make his Mexican master a Senator of the
Sixteen Reasons Are Given for the Call, but They All Reduce
Themselves to the Single Purpose of Electing Dan
Burns to the United States Senate.
LONDON, Jan. 24, 2:15 a. m. — Contrary to the announce
ment made shortly before midnight by the War Office
that nothing further would be issued until Wednesday
forenoon, the following dispatch from General Buller, dated
Spearmans Camp, January 23, 6:20 p. m., has just been posted:
"Warren holds the position he gained two days ago. In
front of him, at about 1400 yards, is the enemy's position, west
of Spion Kop. It is on higher ground than Warren's position,
His Excellency Orders the Legislature to Meet
Next Monday in Extra Session, •
From Pretoria Comes a Report of Serious Dis
asters to the British Arms After Sixty
Hours of Fighting — No Progress Made by
Lady smith Relief Column.
BULLER AND WARREN
THREE TIMES REPULSED
WITH HEAVY LOSSES
GAGE BOWS SUBMISSIVELY
TO HIS MEXICAN MASTER
VOLUME LXXXVII— NO. 55.
SAN FRANCISCO, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 1900.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL
least two fair positions behind Splon Kop
or Lookout Hill.
THE CALL MORE THAN SEVEN MONTHS AGO PREDICTED
THE SPECIAL SESSION SUMMONS.