The record-union., 1891-10-12
SAN FRANCIsCO'S NEW SCHEME
TO ROB THE INTERIOR.

of Freeholders.
SAN FRANCIsCo's NEW SCHEME
TO ROB THE INTERIOR.
Before the era ofrailroad communication
with the Eastern States, San Francisco
was par excellence the metropolitan dis
tributing center of the Pacific Coast. The
commerce of this coast entered at the
Golden Gate and departed by the same
way. Our products were carried by sea
around the Horn, except as to small
tonnage of higher class which went by
steamer and rail across the isthmus; but
the import and export business was
through the port of San Francisco. The
completion of overland railroad connec-
ton proved that the railroads could sue
cessfully compete with the ocean since
the great body of tonnage is carried by
rail; but the change of route taken by the
commerce, both import and export,
affected materially the relation of the
city of San Francisco to its interior sup
porting country. San Francisco claimed
from the outset the exclusive right of be-
ing regarded an ocean competing point,
and desired that the tonnage carried by
rail should be carried through to San
Francisco at less rates than to interior
points, SO as to extend the supremacy of
that city as distributing center. This
was found to be impracticable, because at
such cities as San Jose, Stockton, Sacra-
mento, Marysville and other points, water
competition was met. That is to say, the
rate by ocean and to Sacramento was less
than the rate by ocean and to Reno. There
fore the rate from Eastern through points
to California had to be adjusted to meet this
competition. Out of these physical facts;
out of the natural advantages possessed
by San Jose, Stockton, Marysville and
other places, grew the establishment of
through points, to which freights were
carried at rates exactly corresponding to
those accorded San Francisco. By
ldlo IhSo0 pOl11lS OcCdlI1t
ing centers, and to that extent became
metropolitan centers, enjoying all the
advantages possessed by San Francisco.
The latter city has forever been restive
under this condition Of affairs. 1t be-
ieved itself endowed with a superiority
of right as distributing center. 1t did
not believe that Sacramento should have
the same rate Of overland carriage ac-
corded to San Francisco, and enjoy the
additional advantage of lower local rates
by reason of the shorter distance to in
terror points.
The extension Of other lines of road to
this coast has formed other centers,
notably Los Angeles and San Diego on
the south, and Portland, Seattle and
Tacoma and other points on the north.
Formerly all these places were within
the commercial territory of San Fran
cisco, and tributary to it. Los Angeles,
San Diego, Portland, Tacoma and Seattle
and points analogously located with
reference to commercial advantages, are
distributing centers by the force of un-
controllable circumstances. In addition,
Sacramento, Stockton, Marysville and
San Jose are distributing centers by
equally uncomfortable factors. | Out of
the establishment of these various CEN
ters competition with the chief metro
polls arises. These advantages are in
herent. They are the full and free
concession of the Transcontinental AS
sociation. They are simply the lib
eral recognition on the part of
the railroad company of the inherent
and natural rights of the locali-
ties mentioned. No convention, how
ever numerously attended, to form
traffic associations, can reverse this ma
tural order of things, and we declare un-
hesitatingly that to reverse them is the
first and most natural desire of San Fran
cisco. In any movement led by that city,
the leadership will be away from the
highest interests of these through pointsl
Business men of the interior will wisely
consider their own interests by each tax
ing care of the communication with their
own locality in their own way. If San
Francisco had its way to-day, it would
be the only through point on this coast.
1t would demand, and, if it had the
power, enforce rates which would carry
vast tonnage through territory to its
extreme verge at rates which would en-
able it to distribute back economically to
the territory over which the tonnage had
once been carried. This desire of the
chief metropolitan city is perpetual
menace to the interior points. All paths
San Francisco will point out lead to
concentration of the commercial trans
actions at the Golden Gate.
New IncorDorations