The morning call., 1891-12-20
san rRANcIsco,s PROSPECTS.

It has surprised intelligent people, both
here and abroad, that we have so long per-
nitted a few men to control the entire State,
Gripping our commerce and debauching our
politics. Even the growth Of population in
both city and State has been held back in
order TO enable three or four millionaires to
gain more wealth. San Francisco, if she
mad been fairly treated, would in all prob
ability have to-day a population of half a
million people. Manufactures would have
grown up and trade would have been brisk,
and the city would have taken long ago the
position to which she was entitled. But no.
Our merchants we're not permitted TO receive
freight at reasonable rates even by a steam
ship company which was kept alive by the
bounties of the National Government. The
AtchisOn, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad
Company and the Northern Pacific Rail-
road Company were both drawn into pool
TO Cypress California. And to cap the eli
max, a foreign railroad association was
hired to keep out of competition with a
home railroad which had been built with
the nations means. Not only have we had
TO contribute nearly all the profits OF bust
ness TO the railroad company, but we have
actually had our offices filled mostly with
officials who have been thrust upon US by the
agents of that same railroad company.
Was not this enough 10 make men bestir
themselves? Instruments like Buckley were
furnished with money to run our conven-
tons and to assist in electing men to the
Legislature to be used when there by the
railroad company 10 Cypress US. But enough
Of this for the present, as we only intended
in inditing this paragraph to head some re-
marks which we copy below from Frank
piylav'- ba r,,,f
The attempt that is being made in this city,
through the instrumentality Of the Traffic Asso-
citation, to bring The railroad companies TO such
terms as shall be fair and just TO thelT patrons,
IS seemingly novel one, but that is only be =
cause our citizens are not acquainted with the
history OF The war waged by other cities with
railroads.
There are in Minnesota, as every one knows,
TWO cities near together, st. Paul and Mime
apolis. The population OF the former Is about
$4,000, aad Of the latter about 1885,
600, making the population OF the two, in
lie aggregate, about equal to that Of this city.
Some years ago these cities found themselves
Disseminated against by the railroads In favor of
Chicago, and to such a pitch was this carried
that Chicago could ship goods TO points within
less than fifty miles OF the Twin Cities cheaper
than they could. These cities stood this sort OF
treatment for some years. but finally made a
move In their own behalf. st. Paul organized a
jobbers' union and Minneapolis a Board OF
Trade, each Of which had what was known as a
transportation Committee. The two committees
conferred and waited on The railroad magnates
The railroad magnates were very courteous, lis
tened aitentlvey TO complaints aud treated the
committees with the most distinguished con.
slderatIon- But they did nothing more.
AT last the shippers patience gave out. There
was organized the st. Paul and Minneapolis
Freight Bureau, representing more than 100
joboers and manufacturers Of the TWO cities
This association induced one railroad, the Chi.
cage ST. Paul aud Kansas City, to put their
members on the same basis as Chicago. This
brought on two years. rate war All the other
roads boycotted The Chicago. st. Paul and Kan
sas CITY and Cancelled all ioni-iraffc rates.
still The Chicago, st. Paul aud Kansas City had
all II wanted 10 do aud finally one other road
came in-the Wisconsin Central. Then there
was war all along the line; so st. Paul and
Minneapolis, fearing these two roads might re-
cede, decided that their best course was to have
railroad OF their own.
little over 400 miles AWAY was Sanlt Ste
Marie. An agreement was made with the Cana
dian Pacific that II It would build from its line to
Sault Sic. Marie, The two cities would build from
Minneapolis to The same point. At the FIRST
meeting held In Minneapolis over $500 900 was
subscribed for the Minneapolis and Sault Ste.
Marie Railroad, aud In thirty days len miles Of
The road were built; and In very short time the
whole road was completed. This established an
independent connection with the Atlantic sea.
board and then 1t was the turn OF the big lines
10 DO the begging. Frelghts were finally ad-
justed on the Chicago basis. The Twin Cities
had made the fight and won 1t.
We have told this story al some lsngtb be-
cause Its applicability to our own situation is so
obvious, except that we have an enormous ad-
vantage that ST. Paul and Minneapolis did moi
and could not have-our position on the sea
board aud an ability 10 avail ourselves Of the
oeean-freight route TO every par OF the world
Those two cities, which only a few years ago
were lille more than inland villages. have raised
themselves 10 their present position of wealth
and prosperity by their own energy and we'll
directed efforts, OF which the Incident narrated
is only one example, while San Francisco. with
natural advantages a hundredfold greater than
theirs. plods along in ibe same old groove and
makes no efftrt 10 break the shackles which The
railroad has riyeted upon her.
We are very fond OF talking about our lusty
youth and our phenomenal growth. and all that;
lint when we look at ST. Paul and Minneapolis
we should say very little on that score. In 1870
san Francisco hal population OF 10000
IN round numbers, while the cities named coule