The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-11-22
Correspondence to Willamette Farmer.
A Plain View of the Question of
Cheap Freights and Fares.

While at the State Fair on Tues
day saw the posters of the opposi-
ton Steamship Company put up,
heard the boastful promises of the
agents of that company, and the re-
marks of bystanders, all of which led
to train of thought within my own
mind, that l shall take the liberty to
not down.
We have cheap ocean freights and
fares between Portland and San
Francisco. 1t is acknowledged that
steamships cannot do the business at
these rates and that somebody is los
ing money, which leads to the inquiry,
is there any corresponding good re-
sulting to the public. The animus of
the opposition is not by any means
benevolent. 1t is simply contained
in the assertion and threat made by
the California company that they have
lot of old steamers on hand and
that somebody "has got to buy them;"
which only means that they will run
opposition until they force the Ore
gon Steamship Company to buy the
rotten hulks that will no longer an
swer to run in their California coast
trade. There is no motive but sordid
gain contemplated by such an oppo-
siton and we have before our eyes
the fate of the twin of these hulks,
the steamer Pacific, which went down.
crushed like an egg shell, and whose
story of wreck sent thrill of horror
through this whole community, and
through the civilized world. 1t is
neither unkind nor unjust to say and
believe that as the winter storms
sweep this northern coast similar
disaster is more than liable to occur
to the Orisaba, A1acon, Los AaegeloS, or
any other steamer now owned by the
California company, while the same
cannot be. said OF the steamers used
by the Oregon company, which has
laid up and refuses to run better YES
sells better than are now used by this
opposition. But we have cheap fare
and freights, you say! We realize
that many Oregonians are visiting
San Francisco to spend money there
that they need for improvements, and
to pay their debts at home, and we
also realize that hundreds of tramps,
bummers, gamblers, and good-tor-
nothings, are brought to Oregon that
we must consider curse, and it is
very questionable If the legitimate
immigration is at all increased, which
leaves Oregon decidedly loser, and
even if the producer reaps a small adj
vantage from cheaper freights, that
does not alter the proposition that
the producer can always afford to pay
the actual cost of transporting his
products to market, and add thereto
a safe margin for the ship owner. 1t
cannot be sensibly urged by anyone
that ocean freights and fares should
fall below running expenses, and SEN
sible men must recognize that when
ever this rival warfare is over, the
successful competitor will have to,
and Is satre, to put up prices to com
pensate for the period of loss, and the
longer Il lasts the ,1orse off ,oe shall De-
Such competition is like war, that
proves positive loss. whoever gains.
1t would be appropriate in this con-
nection to recite the age and history
of these opposition steamers, that
brave the storms of ocean at the beck
of greedy owners when their ancient
histories and rotten hulls make it
crime for them to hazard the lives of
confding passengers. If the facts
needed proof and recital they could
easily be given, but they are not need
ed. The public know as well that
the steamers of the o. s. S. Company
are new and staunch and insure safety
as much as human skill can accom-
plish it.
1t seems to me that it will be an
advantage to recall some facts relat.
ing to the German capitalists who
own our railroads and steamers. In
the first place they purchased the
railroad bonds and were ultimately
compelled, in self-defense, to take the
road and purchase the steamship line
owned by Ben Holiday. They had
been heavy losers so far by their in
vestment in Oregon enterprises, but
they went to work Immediately to de-
serve the confidence and good will of