The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-04-15
a COMPACT STATEMENT OF THE
SAN FRANCISCO CASE.

SAN FRANCISCO CASE.
In Mr.. Leeds regular article in the San
Francisco Bulletin of Wednesday even
ing is an attempted response to this state
ment by the RECoRD-U UNION: "Now,
what the San Francisco merchant wants
is that the rate given to him, both through
and local, shall be such as to force the
Fresno merchants to buy in San Fran
cisco instead of Chicago The response
is not denial OF our charge; it is state
lnent that the interior merchant naturally
desires to buy in San Francisco instead
of at first hands in the East, because of a
sentiment of loyalty to the State; that
loyal Californians prefer to build up this
State rather than any other. But, it is
added, the railway carriers desire freight
over the longest haul, hence they fix the
rates SO high that it is cheaper to buy in
the East than in San Francisco.
This reply does not at all hang together.
1t confirms the statement of the RECORD
UNION, however, that what San Fran
cisco desires is discrimination in her
favor on goods originating at the East.
Now, as every sensible man knows,
there is no sentiment in trade; men buy
where and when they can buy to best adj
vantage. One does not order his boots
under any sentimental considerations. 1t
is not, and never has been, commended
that rates out of San Francisco would
prevent the sale of goods to the interior
which San Francisco might import, if she
bestirred herself, level with Eastern COM
petltors. 1t is upon goods originating in
the East, that come by rail, and which
California must have, that San Francisco
wishes shipped to her first, and at a rate
that will compel the interior to buy in
the San Francisco market and at higher
figure than he can buy at first hands.
Does any one believe that if San Fran
cisco can import by sea foreign produc-
tons as cheaply as Chicago can procure
them, and therefore sell them at the same
figure, that the interior merchant will
buy IN Chicago and pay freight for the
longer haul? Or does any one believe
the absurdity that goods should be hauled
from the Eastern manufactures to San
Francisco at rate so much less than to
interior terminals that the California me-
tropolis could compel the interior to buy
them there at greater cost than it would
have to pay to the manufacturer in his
Eastern warehouse?
Even if there should be established
schedule of rates that would close the
door of the Eastern market to the interior
buyer, it does not follow that the State
would be the bettered or the more rapidly
developed. An essential of State devel-
opment is that the consumer shall receive
his supplies as cheaply as possible. That
Is universal law. ana it flies in the face
OF the sentimental idea that purchases
should be made in San Francisco. and her
added profit and the back haul be paid
by the consumer, when he can buy level
with that city at the point of the origina-
ton of the supplies for both places.
But Mr.. Leeds article has still another
attempted answer to the charge of the in
terror; it is that the inland cities of the
State ought to consider that with the en-
couragement of shipping they will have
the opportunity to become importers
themselves, and by water come into di-
rect contact with the markets of the world
on their own account. This is not new.
The complaint of the interior has been
constantly that San Francisco has neg
lected her shipping interests; that she has
allowed her seaport advantages to become
moss-grown; that unlike Melbourne,
Hamburg and score of other commercial
ties, her merchant class does not own
single line of shipping to the great sup
ply and exchange markets of the world.
She has allowed whatever business there
is of that order TO fall into the hands of
outsiders, while she has grumbled be-
cause mere interior trade is not wholly
subserVient to her.
The inland cities are not unaware of the
advantages that would accrue to them. if
by some miraculous exhibition of yigor
San Francisco should enlarge its trade
horizon, and its merchant class become
something more than mere shopmen
and retailers. The supposed hint in the
Bulietin's article is precisely what the in
terror has all along understood, and what
the inland press has constantly re-
preached San Francisco about. By all
means let the merchants of San Francisco
take to the high seas and become traders
indeed, and every advantage that they