The record-union., 1891-12-01
NOT INTERESTED.
Why stockton Does Not Join With San
Francisco.
stockton Daily Mail, November a6th.l

francisco.
stockton Daily Mail, November 26th.i
The San Francisco paper that has con-
stituted itself the special organ OF the
Traffic Association IS doing the aSsocla-
ton positive harm by denouncing all
those papers and persons that disagree
with the organ as railroad hirelings. 1t
has thus stigmatiZed some of it's contcm-
poraries in San Francisco, which con-
temporarieS have done and are doing
much more than itself in furtherance of
the cause. The Mail has come in for
share of the widely distributed abuse be-
cause it has ventured to suggest that the
scommercial interests Of Stockton are not
identical with those OF San Francisco. We
have taken the pains to talk with a num-
Der of Stockton merchants on the subject,
and they have all expressed themselves
as satisfied with the present state of af-
fairs as regards the terms upon which the
railroad handles their transportation
business. This is a terminal point for
through freight, and as such it is in COM
petition with San Francisco for certain
interior trade. In the matter of freight
charges our merchants have slight ad-
vantage over the merchants of San Fran
cisco. In the old times the advantage
used to be just the other way. 1t is the
fear of a possible reversion 10 the old Or
der of things that makes the business
men of Stockton and other interior cities
enjoying the advantages of their natural
position chary Of entering into an alli
ance with their cOmp petitorS of the metrop-
oils.
The merchants Of San Francisco
are perfectly right to band them
selves together and by Jumping
all their shipments endeavor to get
the best terms they can from the trans
continental roads, but it is too much to
expect the trades people Of Stockton to
join them in the effort. 1t would be per-
fectly right for the merchants Of Stockton
to form a traffic association of their own,
and by doing what the San Francisco
merchants propose to Go endeaVor to
reach the same result. But assuredly
there is no community of interests be-
tween the two cities in the matter.
Another thing is this: The aims of the
Traffic Association are represented as
embracing all that pertains to the welfare
| of the State, whereas the benefit of the
members of the association is the only
! purpose in view. The importers of mer-
! chandise are to get lower freight rates ii
| they can, but are they going to sell their
| goods for any less price on that account?
| Is there anything III the movement that
promises cheaper goods to the consumer?
The history of these things is uniformly
to the effect that the consumer is never
! taken into the partnership. For this
reason the people-the great mass of those
who use imported articles, but do not
| share in the profit of importing them
! cannot be expected to become enthusiastic
| over the organization of San Francisco
! business men formed for the purpose of
| getting better terms for certain service.
If the object were to lower the rent of
! the stores which they occupy, surely the
! people at large, especially the interior,
would not be aptto grow excited over the
| situation. So far as this city is concerned
! in the shipment of East bound freight
! the rates by water are the only ones that
| affect us. Our explorations are largely
/ of grain, none of which goes by rail. The
| presence of so many vessels in the harbor
! o. San Francisco at present awaiting
clrgoes, and the resulting low rates on
| grain to Europe, have put thousands
upon thousands of dollars into the pock-
cts of our people by increasing the sell
| ing price Of wheat to the same extent
| that the freight charges for getting it to
| foreign market have been reduced. We
have water communication with San
Francisco and are in no way dependent
| upon the railroad for the transportation
of our chief product. Our fruit ship
ments are small. There is not fruit
cannery in the county. Thus situated,
and having terms from the railroad for
all through freight from the East, which
enable our merchants to compete sue
cessfully with those in San Francisco.
for certain interior trade, we naturally
take no interest in the movement in San
| Francisco, but are rather solicitous that
! the present satisfactory state of affairs
| should remain undisturbed.