Weekly Trinity journal., 1875-03-13
THE SALE OF TIE PACIFIC MAIL
STEAMSHIP EINE.

The report, which sometime since gain
cd credence, that the property and inter-
ests Of the Pacific Mail Steamship Com
pany had been sold to the Central Pacific
Railroad Company, proves 70 have been
true, ard the corporation named now
holds a monopoly Of the passenger and
fact freight carrying trade between this
State and the East. What use will be
made Of the power thus acquired remains
to be seen, but the enemies Of the rail-
way directors will not hesitate 10 proph-
ecy that il will be one in every detrimen:-
al to the best interests Of our people. In
one respect it is quite probable that this
will be the case-that having full control
Of all the routes Of travel and communi-
ton now opened and stocked, the bulk
OF travel and traffic will be sent by the
overland railway, that the steamships
will not make their regular connections
rs heretofore, but will be employed by
the new owners more with a view OF keep
ing open communications with the Pa
cfc ports than 10 the accommodation OF
freight and passenger traffic with the
East. So long as the rival lines were in
the hands of different owners, punctual-
ity ana care were to be hoped for, in The
de ire to retain the confidence Of the
travelling public, and the necessity Of be
ing prepared to meet all demands which
might be made upon their carrying and
frcighting facilities gave employment tC
large number Of men. Anything which
creates a demand for labor is a source ol
prosperity to the community at large
and this consolidation of rival busincs.
interests, by ccntoring the greater portion
on one line to the exclusion OF the 9th
ers, cannot fail to lessen the demand foi
labor and thereby work injury to a great
er or lesser degree.
We are not Of those who believe that
the consolidation will result in a large
and immediate increase in the freight
passenger charges. That trade, in d
great measure is regulated by the cost Of
transportation, and none can be better
aware Of this fact than are the railroad
directors. 1t should, and doubtless will,
be their aim to build up and encourage
trade and travel by charging only living
rates, rather than array against them
selves the hostile sentiment Of the com
munity with whom they will have deal
/ ings by demanding cxtortonatc rates OF
/ fare and freight, Nor win the managers
be apt 10 forget that the ocean, the great
/ highway OF commerce cannot be con
troiIcd, and that in the state OF public
feeling now existing upon the trans
portation question, it would be a compar
ativcly easy matter TO secure nationa
| sub ily for a new line of ocean steamers
which might not be so easily bought off
I Nor that the English merchant marine
would not gladly avail itself Of the open
ing here presented, to secure control o
this branch Of the carrying trade rs it la.
gained the control Of many Others during
/ anu ElHCc tlic Wul. i1tii4du udluIc i
1 lr,tty much the same whether exhibited
/ by a railroad owner or lAborcr in Tho
coal mncs-it wants the highest price it.
commodities can command. And, when
ever it thinks it has Il monopoly Of wha
it has TO dispose OF it exhibits an AFRO
gunce which it would not dare to show i
competition were at hand. There is
however, very great difference betweer
the monopolies owned by men who are
governed by reason, and those owned bJ
the ignorant and unlcttercd- tla'
difference lies in the fact that Willie Tx
one will conduct their operations with
! prudence and forothought, the other is
/ to apt to act from hasty and mistaken
4 impulse, which strive lOr impossible
tiles. Prudence win c4rtainly dictate
colls3 TO the management which viii
rather strive 30 win the friendship an.
co-operation OF the people, rather thai
one calculated to arouse and provoke en-
nifty, aud perhaps in the end, result il
creating an opposition which would be
source Of greater injury than the pros
pcctye benefits could have been.