governor as Commissioner-General to represent California at the Omaha Trans-Mississippi Exposition and in 1900 President McKinley named him as a member of the National Commission to the International Exposition at Paris. He was chosen president of this National Commission by his associates, and the president of France conferred on him the decoration of the Legion of Honor.

The last service rendered by Mr. de Young as a member of a public body was in 1903, when President Roosevelt visited California. He was chosen chairman of the committee of citizens that arranged for the reception and entertainment of the president in San Francisco, and after the president's departure the committee tendered Mr. de Young a dinner at the Palace Hotel, and there presented him with a loving cup, bearing this inscription: "A souvenir from the Citizens' Executive Committee to the Hon. M. H. de Young, in acknowledgment of his executive ability and the masterly and successful manner in which he handled the functions given in honor of the visit of President Roosevelt to San Francisco, May, 1903."

Appreciation of the Chronicle proprietor was also shown by the International League of Press Clubs, which first elected him as its governor and then as its president.

The following story of the San Francisco Call's origin and development was written by Mr. Hugh M. Burke, of the Call editorial staff, who is one of the most competent and best known editors on the Pacific coast.

Fair knowledge of a newspaper's influence in the upbuilding of a state may be found in the history of the San Francisco Call. This journal was founded by practical newspaper men who had a true estimate of the value of enterprising service in the collection and presentation of news, but who still possessed appreciation of the fact that a newspaper owes something more to the public than is ordinarily paid for in the publication of news. The obligation of the press to stand for the rights of the people and to promote the moral and national advancement of the state was full recognized by the able founders of the Call.

The first number of the Call was issued December 1, 1856, by Peter B. Foster, Lew Zublin, J. J. Ayers, Charles F. Johnson and W. L. Carpenter. It gained public confidence at the outset because the people had faith in the character and integrity of its founders. Subsequently ownership of the paper was

acquired by Loring Pickering, George K. Fitch and J. W. Simonton. The prosperous career of the paper under the management of these capable men demonstrated beyond doubt that the people had faith in their judgment and confidence in their integrity. January 8, 1895, John D. Spreckels purchased the Call. The people of California had long regarded Claus Spreckels as the foremost citizen of the state in the field of industrial expansion, and the intelligence that a representative of his family had purchased the famous newspaper property was received with a felling akin to joy. The elation did not spring from any sense of distrust of the preceding management, but had its source in the profound belief that John D. Spreckels had the strength in reserve as well as the determination in hand to achieve for San Francisco, what the people had so long and earnestly desired-the building of a competing trans-continental railway.

A history of journalism in California would be incomplete without reference to the fact that every journal which up to that time had proclaimed with spirit and vigor for the construction of another railway line across the continent had been silenced or driven from the field of newspaper prestige. The first comment on the change in all circles was something of this meaning: "Now we will get a competing railroad. Spreckels will win the fight if he has to build the road himself." The battle for the people was fought and won. Public sentiment in favor of the competing enterprise which the Call awakened and strengthened had a powerful influence in the accomplishment of the great

achievement.

Extension of the Call news service, purchase of improved mechanical equipment of the plant, and the installation of an Art department were subjects that at once engaged the attention of Mr. Spreckels upon his acquisition of the famous newspaper property. The establishment was removed from its old home on Clay street into a building on Stevenson street, near Third and Market. A large and rapidly increasing circulation demanded additional press facilities, hence new presses of the most approved style were added to the plant. The Art Department of the Call was placed under the direction of competent artists and means were provided to render the department of illustration complete and modern in every detail. The Call is recognized far and wide as the best illustrated daily newspaper in the United States. The news service of the Call is probably not surpassed in the world. Agencies es

tablished on the Pacific coast when J. W. Simonton was at the head of the Associated Press continue to supply the paper with news. The Call holds a regular franchise in the Associated Press, the great news-collecting agent of the world. Exclusive right to a special service of world-wide renown is also maintained.

The Call possesses one advantage as a news collector which perhaps no other paper in the United States holds. In every city of the globe the vast commercial and shipping interests of the Spreckelses are represented by a resident agent. It occasionally happens that the agent gets information hours ahead of the most alert special correspondent. As an illustration of newspaper enterprise the incident cited that the Call displayed a bulletin announcing the practical declaration of war by Japan two days before the reception of the news through the ordinary channels. One of the local achievements brought by the paper was on the occasion of the return of the First California Regiment from the scene of war in the Philippines. The Marconi System of wireless telegraphy was employed to signal the coming of the transport. Operators of the system were placed aboard a ship stationed outside the Heads, one of the signals was flashed through the fog to receiving instruments at the Cliff House. In this manner the immediate home coming of the transport Sherman was made known to the legions assembled in San Francisco to celebrate the event some time before the ship was sighted by the lookout of the Merchants' Exchange. The San Francisco Call gave to the reading constituency of the Pacific coast the first accurate account of the battle in Manila Bay. The graphic description of the engagement was wired by special correspondent Stickney, who was aboard Admiral Dewey's flagship Olympia throughout the memorable battle.

The Call published exclusively the first intelligence given to the civilized word of the great Samoan battle in which American and British marines were ambushed and slain by the native warriors. The special message of 200 words was cabled from Auckland to San Francisco at a price approximating $2.00 a word. The special correspondent was a purser of the Oceanic Steamship Company.

The Call has always taken an active interest in political affairs. The owner of the paper is a Republican of the independent type, but he reserves the right to resist the election of an unworthy nominee of his own political

faith. He has represented the Republican party in the state and national conventions and has served as the representative of California in the Republican national convention. The political alignments and conditions in California have at times been somewhat peculiar. Contests within a party have been of greater significance than battles between the leading political parties, one aligned against the other. A record of journalistic achievements or events cannot be fairly made without reference to the memorable campaign conducted at Sacramento by the San Francisco Call in 1899. Those people of the state that were elated over the prospect of industrial emancipation urged the Call to enter the battle for political freedom. The state had just gone Republican by a large majority and the acknowledgment of the Call's able leadership in the fight was universal. Then came at once an expression of public sentiment or a spontaneous demand that the members of the legislature representing the dominant party should be guided by the judgment of the voters, rather than by the desires of a great railway corporation in the selection of a United States senator. From every county in the state came the assurance that the Call's leadership would be welcomed. In the contest which ensued the journalistic enterprise displayed by the Call challenged the admiration of the newspaper world.

A large staff of expert telegraph operators, special correspondents, artists, reporters and stenographers was stationed at the state capitol. A dwelling house on H street, and a commodious office on K street were rented for the convenience of the staff. The fight hinged on the proposition "caucus or no caucus." The so-called organization of the party representing the corporate power resolved that the contest should be adjusted in caucus. The stalwart Republican representatives maintained that the battle should be fought to a finish on the floor of the joint convention. Day after day the legislature met and voted but no choice resulted. The regular session came to an end with the deadlock unbroken. At an extra session the battle was renewed and culminated in the choice of a senator whose election was accomplished contrary to the orders of the corporation.

Prominent citizens of every city, town and village of the state were interviewed as to what course their representatives should pursue. All interviews were carried by wire. The special wiring of fifty thousand words. a day was not unusual. Fast train service was employed daily. The trains

from San Francisco to Sacramento were run at such high speed that the members of the legislature received the papers at 6 a. m. On other occasions the fast train service was extended to Los Angeles, Stockton, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara and other cities.

Sensational features which are frequently presented in modern journalism to attract fleeting attention to the columns of a daily newspaper are not characteristic of the Call, as the management is guided by a purpose to exclude scandals from the pages of the paper. When public necessity of the requirements of civilized society demand plain speaking on the part of the press, the Call is neither silent nor timid. With a fearlessness almost startling the reading public, this journal exposes wrongs and delinquencies in high places. Careless and corrupt methods in the administration of state and municipal institutions are reviewed. Even the courts have been criticised in the interest of public justice. As a result of this fearless fidelity to the cause of right, libel suits calling for damages in the aggregate of $1,500,000 were at one time on the court calendars. Actions, other than civil suits, were also instituted. Juries, weighing the testimony presented, have uniformly entered verdicts commendatory of the newspaper.

Many writers of eminent ability contribute to the pages of the Call. In the old days, Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), was a Call reporter. Prentice Mulford, Joaquin Miller, Charles Warren Stoddard, Daniel O'Connell, E. W. Townsend, George E. Barnes and Ina D. Coolbrith were contributors.

John McNaught became general manager of the Call on October 1, 1903. He had been identified with the paper as an editorial writer since 1895, having taken the editorial chair when Charles M. Shortridge acquired the property. Mr. McNaught was a lawyer and literary man in early life and he brings to his duties ripe experience, wide acquaintance and a lovable temperament. Under his regime the paper is assured a long and prosperous life. He is generally regarded as one of the most accomplished writers and public speakers in San Francisco. In his managerial capacity he exhibits the forbearance and sense of justice that belong to minds of large caliber, and the personnel of the staff look upon him as the kind and considerate head of a large and growing journalistic family.

Mr. Fremont Older thus describes the aims and purposes of the San Francisco Bulletin: