SATURDAY The San Francisco Call JOHN D. SPRECKELS Proprietor CHARLES \V. HORNICK . General Manager ERNEST S. SIMPSON Managing Editor Addr.M AU ComwunifMiont to THE SAX FRAACISCO CALL Trlephon*. A*k for The Tall. The Operator Will Connect Yon With iur Department Yon WUh BUSINESS OFFICE Market and Third Streets. San Francisco — Open Until II O'clock Kvery Night In the Year. EDITORIAL ROOMS Market and Third Streets MATN CTTT BRANCH ICSI Fillroore Street. Near Post OAKLAND OFFICE— IOI6 Broadway Telephone Oakland 1083 ALAMEDA OFFICE— I42S Park Street Telephone Alameda 55 i ____ BERKELEY OFFICE— MC 9 Shattuck Avenue Telephone Berkeley 77 \u25a0CHICAGO OFFICE — r.larquette BMp. .C. George Krogness, Representative NEW YORK OFFICE — 30 Tribune Bldjr. .Stephen B. Smith. Representative WASHINGTON BUREAU — 1406 G Street N. W....M. E. Crane, Correspondent smscnirriox iiates Delivered by Carrier, TO Cents Per Week. 75 Cents Per Month- Single Copies 5 Cents. Terms by Mall. Including Postage (Cash With Order): DATLT CALL (including Sunday). 1 year 58.00 DAILT CALL (including Sunday). 6 months 4.00 DAILY CALL— By single month :....-. _.\u2666..„_..* 75c SUNDAY CALL. 1 year — .~....*. 2.50 WEEKLY CALL. 1 year 100 _«'_,__.;...; ( nn a c the judgment of the immense majority of his colleagues on the bench, to declare a law solemnly enacted by the Congress to be That was a criminal case and the President asked that the Government be given the right to appeal from such decisions. An appeal lies and will be prosecuted by the Government in the matter of the liability act. but legal opinion appears to favor, the belief i hat Judge Evans was right in his ruiing. If the Supreme Court should hold that way it is the business of the States to fill the gap. The present law r of California\ is a survival of medieval As for Johnson's bill reqtiiring railroads to provide every pas senger with a scat, it belongs to the cla^s of impossible and vision ary legislation that its progenitor cultivates for purposes of getting even with somebr.dv. The bill belongs in the same category as the law against newspaper cartoons and comes from the same source. Merely personal grievances "can never be given the force of law. Johnson's passenger bill, for instance, reduces itself to absurdity because to make it valid it would be necessary to provide that NO COMPROMISE ON DIRECT PRIMARY \u25a0 - \u25a0 > - "... .\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0<\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0] A hbLMBL^ MAN STET>ON S bill proposing a compromise !\ between the existing delegate convention s\-stem and the di _£j^ rect primary is undoubtedly well meant, but there is reason to regard it as dangerous, because it would be likely to block the way of the radical reform that the circumstances undoubtedly require. The fact must be obvious .xo every man who has paid the most casual attention to politics that the delegate system has developed inherent vices that cannot be cured. It must be cut out root and branch. It is the mainstay of the political boss, the means and currency of trades and bargains by which public office is made merchandise, with "the interests" at one end of the bar gain and the cheap politician at the other, while the people are left out of consideration altogether. ';>; I Stetson's biil will, however, fill a useful missionary purpose in the Legislature. Discussion of its provisions will enlighten mem bers on the working of primary laws, but its provisions are cum bersome and clumsy. not throuch any fault of its author, but be cause its awkward machinery is made necessary b3 r the constitution as it stands. The first thing to do is so to amend the constitution as to permit the enactment o£a complete and simple direct primary law. selecting the most approved features of the Oregon, Wiscon sin and Minnesota acts for this purpose. That is the logical and straightforward course which it is hoped the Legislature will adopt. WHERE DAVIS GETS HIS PULL MUNICIPAL favor extended to the deadfafl conducted by Supervisor Sam Davis, under the name of a theater, finds fresh illustration in the failure thus far of the Police Com mission to revoke the license of the Davis saloon attachment. $t)is in proof that the barkeepers at this resort have been selling liquor to minors, but a portion of the Police Commission is charita bly blind to this grave offense. Davis can run wide op"eh. He has a The Davis theater seats about 1000 people. It is a firetrap of the most dangerous sort, a mere shack, patched together of wood and canvas, narrow in the aisles and short of exits. The use of such a structure for theater purp6ses should not be tolerated for an instant: It j;ivites appalling disaster." The building laws adopted by the Board of Supervisors after the fire require that all theaters shall be of class A, fireproof construction. Mayor \Schmitz apparently assumes the right to repeal those laws 'and grant permits for firetrap theaters to his friends. It is the charge against the municipal administration that all restrictive legislation is converted into an instrument of black mail or graft. Davis is given a permit for a firetrap theater by Schmitz. The Mayor's men on the Police Board allow him to break the law with impunity; The public can draw its own conclusions. TRAVELING PUBLIC WEARY OF PROMISES THE Call believes that General Manager Chapman desires, on behalf of the United Railroads, to give San Francisco" the best possible streetcar sen-ice, and to the accomplishment of ' that purpose no obstacles will be raised by this newspaper. Good " service is what the traveling public wants and, our people stand ready to pay vyhatever it may be worth — and, perhaps, more. But if the corporation persists in giving us the shamefully inferior EDITORIAL PAGE service of the last six months, or anything like it, there will arise an irresistible demand for a reduction of streetcar fares. Grave mistakes have been made by the management of the United Railroads since the fire. It was a gross and unpardonable outrage on public rights to tear up streets all over the city simul taneously and leave them in that condition untouched for months. The excuse suggested for this action that it was done to vest title under doubtful franchises or permits only aggravates the offense. The result on the streets has been deplorable. Dangerous bogs have been created in leading thoroughfares and teaming has be come enormously costly. It was wanton injury. We have had promises piled mountain high by the United Railroads, but promises will not pave streets— at least, not in San Francisco. The citizens have been climbing over the good inten tions of the corporation #for six months. They would rather get joff and walk. The switchback trick that dumps in the j morasses. of the burned district " at all hour? -of day and, night I is. the # cause of natural and bitter resentment. Mr. Chapman prom ises that it will be stopped. It should never have begun. \u25a0\u25a0.. It seems as if the business of the corporation had been. run by amateurs. It is time to stop rainbow chasing, quit making promises and begin performance. ; : {- __ &M THE verdict reached by a jury in the United States Circuit Court in the case of a fire insurance policy incorporating one of the so-called "earthquake clauses" doubtless foreshadows the result of all similar suits in which insurance companies seek to avoid liability under their contracts. The Commercial Union Company, one of the welching English concerns, sought to avoid liability for damage by fire to property on California street which, its lawyers maintained, was destroyed by. a fire started by the earthquake at a considerable distance from the insured premises. The crucial point in the case lies in Judge. Whitson's ruling that the burden of proof to show this connection between earth quake-started fires and those that destroyed insured premises rests on the insurance company. In a word, the presumption of law is against such connection, and positive affirmative evidence will* be required to rebut that presumption. It need scarcely be stated that the welching companies will find it virtually impossible to pro duce evidence of the character indicated. :;; s;lnsurance; Insurance companies will be well advised in future to omit altogether their earthquake clauses.; There is nothing to show for them but a "bad reputation. She— You haven't any confidence in either candidate? He — On the contrary, I have confi dence In both. I believe all the things -they say about each other are abso lutely true. — II Mondo Umorlstico. • 3» j * Gyer — Higgins Is a remarkable man. Myer- — In what way? Gyer — Why. he can wait at the tele phone without making pencil marks on the desk pad. — Chicago News. • \u25a0\u25a0•' * " • - \u25a0 Senior Partner — That new sten ographer spells ridiculously. Junior Partner— Does she? Well, If she does, it's about the only word she can spell, as far' as my observation goes. — Somervllle Journal. • « • Baron (who has ordered roast goose) —Look here, waiter, that's an.X-ray portion. . \ Waiter — How's that, sir? Baron — Why, 6n*s can on 1 5* see bones In It— no meat.— Wiener Caricaturen. \u25a0 • ' * . * She— Before we were married you de clared your willingness to do anything, even to die, for my sake. He — Well, if mine Isn't a living death I don't know what Is. — Illustrated Bits. •* • : First New Congressman — How did you catch the 6p«aker's eye? Second New ; Congressman;— l bor rowed a five " from him. — New York Sun. - . c . • \u25a0• >•; "The toprano gave the choirmaster a canary for: a birthday gift,"* remarked tho contralto, "and he's named it after her." lifrifflU'llfiffi •:'.: "Quite. appropriate, eh?" replied the tenor. "Yes; I understand the bird can't sing a little bit." — The Catholic Stand ard and Times. \u25a0 \u2666 •" ' • "What we want to do," paid the moralist, "Is to strjve for. the uplifting of our fellow man." "That is easy," said the flying ma- What He Expected and What He Got » . . ... THE USELESS EARTHQUAKE CLAUSE In the Joke World chine Inventor. "The difficulty Is to keep him from dropping-back to earth with a rude Jar." — Washington Star. - * .\u25a0.•-.\u25a0 - • Wife of a Colonial Officer (visiting native village)— What a dear . little child It Is. What's" your pet name, dear? The Dear — Kanavalugakalavakkiku yajango. — Rire. Stranger — What are your terms? : Hotel Clerk— Rooms $1 up. \ Stranger — I'm a poet and I want — Clerk — -Oh, in that case our terms are $1 down. — Boston Transcript. • * ...»_ "I say, I've been asked, to go shooting next week. What ought I to give the keeper?" • "Oh, well, it depends where you hit him. you know." — The Tatler. •\u25a0'•\u25a0'• • Two men, walking in from the foot ball game yesterday afternoon,, were asked by a woman standing in a door way on Broadway how the game came out. •;. .'\u25a0';\u25a0"\u25a0• ••'" ". "" \u25a0\u25a0'\u25a0."." \u25a0 • "Nothing to nothing," one man. "Is that so?" the woman said. "Well, who won?"— Denver Post. • * \u25a0 . » ': '.' •\u25a0' ' , Teacher— Johnny, do you know the effects of alcohol on the cells of the brain? Johnny : — Naw, ,but I know de effects ! on de cells of destatipn-house.'— New York Press. ' • "'• \u25a0-'"-"*'" • Sub-editor — Here's './another; letter 1 from that man who signs himself ''Vox T»opuli." " . gggffi Editor— What hashe. got to say now? Sub-editor— He .\u25a0•.writes to inquire if ! we will kindly . Inform . him -what; "vox populi" means.— Tit-Bits. • 1 •-\u25a0\u25a0•«\u25a0\u25a0- •_. - _ \u25a0.;,.. I "Don't you think, Mabel, It was fool ' ish ~ of ' us\to have/such an expensive wedding?", , : *' '\u25a0' -\u25a0 "Yes, ; dear, but .we'll both k,now " bet* ter'next time."— UXe. Gossip of the Doings of Railroad Men General Manager E. E. Calvin left last night for the north to meet J. C. Stubbs, Judge R. S. Lovett and R. P. Kchwerin, who have been attending the meeting of the Interstate Commerce Oomnjission in Tortland. The party will travel in a special car as far as Shasta, where, .if the weather is pro pitious, a stay ofva clay or so will be made. Judgft LoVett attends to all the business of the Harrlman lines and has represented the rfarriman interests several times before the Interstate Commerce Commission. Chief Engineer W. B. Storey of the Santa Fe has arrived here from Topeka to take charge' of the work of repair ing the Franklin tunnel. He thinks that it will be fully three weeks be fore the tunnel will have been put into good shape and the line opened for traffic. With Storey is 11. C. Phillips, who built the , San Francisco North western. . Storey /built the tunnel and Is better acquainted with the situa tion than any other man. There is about 250 feet to be built and the dlfn culty Is enhanced owing to the ground being mushy. There are over 600 men at work on the tunnel. In the mean time all Santa Fe trains are being detoured over the Southern Pacific Hnea from San Pablo to Bay Point, a distance of twenty-four miles. "They are all praying for a spell of fine weather in the southern part of the State," observed a traveling freight mnn^yesterday, who has just returned from' the south. "Oranges are begin ning to movo .freely and though the growers have been advised not to ship too freely^ that is/ not over 100 to 125 cars a day, I am afraid they will dis regard that advice and. ship as fast as they can. There will not be many cheap oranges out of California this season, provided "the shippers do not get alarmed' and commence to rush shipments and get stampeded on prices. It would be well for them to be con servative for the next thirty days. If they should do that the crop would be marketed without any particular break. \u25a0. The figures for the orango shipments far last week were: Total for the seven days, 305 cars, against 352 for the same -week a year ago. The total up to yesterday was 2540, of which 465 cars were lemons. Last year to) the same date the figures were 4092 carloads of oranges and 646 cars of lemons. They are just about 2000 cars behind last season." George W. Colby, general agent of the Great Northern, is on a business trip tHrough the Sacramento and San Joaquln valleys. E. M. Pomeroy, who attends to the freight end of the Pennsylvania lines, and Harry Buck,, who looks after the passenger, business, are both In South ern California. . . F. X. Kollock, district freight and passenger, agent of the Pennsylvania lines in Portland, is in the city on a visit. " • ,V'C. J. Jones, assistant general freight agent of the Southern Pacific. . is con fined to his home with an attack of in flammatory rheumatism. • Captain John Leale, one of the best known captains in the service of the Southern Pacific, will 1 depart Monday on a leave of absence of two weeks. The captain will visit the southern part of the. State and will go as far as San Diego.! ; Personal Mention R. J. Warner Is at the Majestic from Buffalo. N. X: Bigelow of New York is at the Majestic. :"-- - \u25a0,\u25a0 \u25a0 - ' Senator 'George D. Pyne of Goldfleld is at the St. Francis.,', J. A. Morrison of Chicago is regis tered at the Dorchester, v Allen Wright of South\McAhsler7 Ind. T., Is at the.Palaco. •; R. R. Leslie, a -mining man of.' Cop peropolis,: is at the' Palace.. H: Woods ; and; Mrs. Woods Chi cago are at the r St. Francis. W. A. : Shockley^ and Mrs^Shockley are at the Palace from Tonopah. r Senator H.W.- Lynch and Mrs. J,ynch of San Luis Obispo are at the Jeffer son.' -. ' C. I* Carpenter and George i 1i 1 South \u25a0HnSHSI&SSBSMBiHHfiIwSStiBfifeBBBHSSBR New and Old Verse OVER THE SEA TO SKYB Sing me a song of a lad that is gone. Say, could that, lad be I? \u0084, Merry of soul he sailed on a day Over the sea to Skye. Mull was astern. Egg on the port, • Rum on the Starboard bow; Glory of youth glowed in his iouI; Where Is that glory now? Sing meja song of a lad that Is gone. Say, could that lad be I? Merry of soul he sailed on a day Over the sea to Skye. Give me again, all that wa« there. Give /me the sun that shone; . Give me the eyes, give me the soul. Give me the lad that's gone! — -. i Sing me a song of a lad that Is gone. Say. could that lad be I? . Merry of soul he sailed on a day Over the sea to Skye. Billows and breeze, islands and seas. Mountains of rain and sun. All that was good, all that was fair. All that was me Is gone! \ —Robert Louis Stevensen., 7TOT THEY WHO SOAR Not they who soar, but they who plod Their rugged way. unhelped to God Are heroes; they who higher fare. And. flying, fan the upper air. Miss all the toll that hugs the sod. 'Tis they whose backs have felt the - rod, C**'£~:- Whose feet have pressed the patn un shod. ~ '\ - May smile upon defeated care»y ... 1 Not they who soar. High up there are no thorns to prod. Nor bowlders lurking 'neath the clod To turn the keenness of the share. For flight Is ever free and rare; But heroes they the soil who've trod. Not they who soar. — Paul Dunbar. SUGGESTIONS TO A FEW OLD OXES If I were John D. Rockefeller Td riae on New Year's Day And try to see Just how to b« ' More potent for fair play, And on my heart I'd place one hand And raise the other high, And, caring not what others thought, I'd swear off on mince pie. If I were "Uncle Joseph" Cannon , I'd make a New Year's vow — No, no, not that — I might stand pat, As "Uncle Joe" does now; But I my good right hand would raise And heavenly grace implore, And swear in forty-seven ways To use cuss words no more. If I were Platt. thin, bent and feeble. I'd start the New Year right. Though fools might scoff, by swear ing off And dropping out of sight; I'd make a vow to try somehow Through all- the days to be To shun each fair one with a snara She wished to spread for me. If I were Leopold of Belgium On New Year's Day I'd place Upon my heart my hand and start Forth with -a beardless yface. And I would swear by every trick Which cunning could provide To .keep disguised, so that Old Nick Might not know when I died. — Chicago Record-Herald. THE SPECIALISTS I met ai specialist one day. He would not pass me by. But said in a peculiar way: "You have an eye!" Too bad, too bad, too bad! I felt, by Jove. I had! ~ He took my case In charge, Now I must go around Three times a week until, I fear, the trump shall sound. Another day by chance I came a person near, Ho said, with eagle glance, "You have an ear!" I clapped ray hand to head, "Txvas there, upon the dead! He took my case in charge. And now at 2 p. m. On every, other day I pass an hour with him! 'Twas on a Friday cve — Unlucky' 1 (Jay. in sooth — A man remarked: "Believe You have a tooth!" There wasn't c'en a doubt. The secret dark was out! He took my case In charge. And when he isn't busy Ho drills for' fun on me Until I'm fairly dizzy! But worst, oh.' worst: oh, worst! A widow full of art I met! She said at first: "You have a heart!" Too bad. too bad, too bad! I found in fact I had! She took my case in charge, And now, unlucky man, I always go around As' often as I can! —Florida Times-Democrat. TRITE MEASURE OF A MAX tt is not his loud professions fron the pulpit or the pew And not his seeming kindly acts when In the public view: \ 'Tis by his evening nreside he stands before the screen And there the imp. or angel, the churl or king, is seen. The world may smile and call him great and greet him with a cheer. But If. when day has ended and even tide draws near. His wife grows heavy hearted and his , children pale with fright. His soul is ugly, black and mean — an j inch or so in height. He may be known to very few, but v^, those who know him best Await his coming footsteps as the sun sinks down to rest.^ There are faces at the window, look ing up the, lonely street. Then a scramble, for .the doorway and a rush of eager feet; The" eldest takes his dinner box, the next one takes his hand, And the youngest, on his shoulder. rides along In.triuniph grand. The good wife leaves the kitchen to see the merry throng .*' With a smile upon her features and within her heart a song. In the world of men and letters he may . be of pygmy height, v But he towers to the heavens when wo measure- him aright. —New, York Mail wick of New York arc at the Dorches ter. , A. E. Smith and Mrs. Smith of New York. are at the Majestic Annex. - C.--W. Ayers, a mining man of Mexico,' isat the Jeffersfrn 'from Jamestown. -* P. C. Kenyon and Mrs-Kenyon of D-?s Moines are registered : at : the Majestic. W. H.. Demi ns and Mrs. Demln? have returned to the St. Francis from Menlo ParkVfg^ W. P. Mariner of French Gulch has returned to ; the Jeff erson after a trip to bis Mexican mines. \u25a0--\u25a0 Howard H. Lewis • and = Mrs. Lewis of Seattle and the Misses Lewis are regis tered at the St. Francis. X '; A; C. , Andrain ; and Mr*. Andraln, Al fred Nelson and Mrs. Nelson . of , New York are at tb.«st. Francif. JANUARY 26, 1907 The Smart Set MRS. LEONARD CHENERY and Mrs. Ralph Warner Hart were the hostesses at a very charming bridge- party yesterday after noon at Mrs. Chenery's home on Pa cific avemie and Baker street. As^lrs. Hart has recently gone to San Rafael to live, she and Mrs. Chenery decided to entertain together on this occasion a number of their mutual friends, and the affair proved a most enjoyable one. The attractive apartment was prettily decorated with greens and carnations of various hues. Many of the most expert bridge players In the city were present and there were some hotly con tested games for the handsome boxes, made -of exquisite Chinese embroid eries, which were offered as prizes. Those present were Mrs. Jessie Pattm Berry. Mra. Neibltng. Mrs. Walter Smith, Mrs. Eugene Freeman. Mrs. Henry Clarence Breeden. Mrs. Douglas Watson. Mrs. W. H- La Boyteaux. Mr?. Wakefield Baker. Mrs. Edward Pond. Mrs. Harry Jenkins. Mrs. Alfred Baker Spalding. Mrs. Deering. Mrs. Lester Herrick, Mrs. Willard Wayman. Mrs. Will Gerstle. Mrs. Paul Bancroft, Mrs. W. P. Fuller. Mrs. William S- Perter, Mrs. Charles Grimwood. Mrs. William R. Sherwood, Mrs. George Shreve. Mrs. Harry Nathaniel Gray. Mrs. John Rog ers Clark, Mrs. Le Roy Nickel. Mrs. Sherwood Hopkins, Mrs. William J. Shotwell. Mrs. Hepburn. Mrs. E. Wai- ; ton Hedges. Mrs. Sidney Cushlng. Mrs. , Grayson Dutton. Mrs. Henry Foster: Dutton. Mrs. Robert Greer. Mrs. Roy | IJndsay. Mrs. John Partridge. Mrs. Humphreys, Mrs. Irving P. Moulton,; Mra. A. D. d'Ancona. Mrs. Henry Wllllar, Mrs. William Macdonald. Miss Ives. Mrs. Henry Lund Jr. and Mrs. Edward SchmledelL • • * Mrs. Alexander Heyneman enter tained most enjoyably at a bridga party yesterday afternoon at her home in Fillmore Btreet, a number of other guests going In later for tea. Mrs. Heyneman will again entertain In this pleasant way on Wednesday afternoon. February 6, on which occasion about five tables of guests will be present. Among those who played bridge yes terday were Mrs. Eugene Bresse. Mrs. Squire Varick Mooney, Mrs. Maurica Casey. Mrs. J. C. Meyersteln, Mrs. J. Parker Currier. Mrs. Walter Kauf mann, Mrs. M. G. Holcombe, Mrs. Dar ragh. Mrs. Gerrit L. Lansing. Mrs. Clement Bennett. Mrs. M-H.de Young. Mrs. Henry J- Morton. Mrs. Alexander Wilson. Miss Palmer, Mrs. Noble Eaton. Mrs. Thomas Huntington and Mrs. Martin Regensburger. Those who came In for tea were Mrs. Herbert Morrow, Mrs. Charles /Z. Stovel, Mrs. Julian Sonntaff. Mrs. Sam uel Shortridge and Mrs. Frank Mathieu. • • • Mr. and Mrs. Francis J. Carolan will entertain at a large bridge party this evening at their handsome home. The Crassways, at Burlingame. which prom ises to b« another of tho delightful events of the winter. About fifty gue3t3 will be present, nearly all of whom are to be from Eurlinganie and San Mateo. Mrs. Watson D. I'ennimore was the hostess at an informal telephone bridge party yesterday afternoon at' her h<>me in Pacific avenue, at which five tables of guests were present. Mrs. Fenni tnore will entertain at another of th^se pleasant informal affairs on Saturday afternoon, February 2. News comes from Washington. D. C. of the charming tea given recently by Mrs. C Ewald Grunsky, formerly of this, city. Jn honor of the debut of her daughter. Miss Kate Gruns!«\j It was distinctly a Calif ornian affair, both us to the receiving party and a largo number of the guests and also in the delightful spirit of hospitality which marked the occasion. The 'house was filled in every nook and corner with exquisite flowers sent to the charming, debutante. In the drawing-room pink was the predominant shade ;;nd were used in great profusion. Yellow blossoms were used in the reception room and red was the color of the decorations in the dining-room, poin settias being used there. Mlns Grunsky. the pretty debutante, was gowned in rvile green chiffon, with a garniture of dainty, pink rosebuds. Receiving with -Mrs. Grunsky and her daughter were i!i. v »'