Los Angeles herald., 1892-05-08
Mr.. LEEDS HEWS TO THE LINE.
And He Cares Little Where the
= Chips Fall.
The S. P. Octopus and the Railroad
Commission Hit Hard.
An Outline of the California Traffic
Associations Policy-Heroic Rem
edies Prescribed =. Other
Pacific Coast News.

Associated Press DISPATCHES.
SAN Francisco, May 7.-At a meeting
of the executive committee of the
Traffic association today a lengthy re-
port submitted by Traffic Manager
Leeds was adopted. The report states
that it is advisable at this time to SUBJ
NIT the outline of the policy for the as
sociation to pursue.
The foundation OF the burden which
bears so heavily upon the state as a
whole, the report states, is the excessive
local trafics imposed by the Southern
Pacific company; the steamship COM
panies and other carriers on this coast
are completely dominated by the South
ern Pacific company, and all the avenues
of commerce in the state are as
completely blocked as possible. Local
rates throughout the state are
not only unreaaonably high; they are
outrageous, and apparently not main
tanned alone for revenue, being directly
antagonistic to the bes: interests of the
whole state, and with particular force
against the city of San Francisco. This
policy has no less meaning than the
utter annihilation of all competition
by sea, and the forcing of the whole
commerce of the state over the lines of
the Southern Pacific company.
Leeds then goes on to say: "The at
tack through the state board of railroad
commissioners upon local rates, is, in
my opinion, move in the right direc-
tion, and all the action taken
by this association should be
only as means to the end of
obtaining reduction (and very mate
rial one) in local tariffs in the state.
This is no doubt a gigantic undertaking,
considering the present situation.
''It is needless to rehearse the attitude
of the board of railroad commissioned
and their subservience to the railroad in
the matter of fixing rates and fares. 1t
appears to me that the whole power of
the association should be directed
against them in the most forcible man
ner possible. The organic law of the
state is most favorable to them in the
attitude they have assumed, the consti-
tuition relegating to them the full power
of the state to regulate rates and fares.
81 would recommend that every effort
Of this association be put forth to
wipe out every vestige of railroad legis-
lation from the constitution and statute
books, which has any bearing upon rates
and fares. Besides this, an effort should
be made to remove the present board of
commissioners from office, with as little
delay as possible.
81 have refrained from filing formal
complaint with this board, because by
doing so we would give them
| an opportunity to make some show of
| activity, and by pursuing dilatory
| tactics drag the case over long period,
and if necessary leave the case for de-
cision by their successors in '95, and
fasten the present schedule on the state
in the meantime. If it becomes neces-
| sary to make a political fight our sup
port, individually and collectively,
should be thrown to those who are
pledged in our fight, regardless of polit-
ical party or any other consideration.
"I do not believe the Traffic associa-
ton alone can accomplish this great
work, but every effort should be put
forth to enlist the whole state in the
crusade, with the resolve that the mat
ter shall not rest for one moment until a
full, complete and equitable revision of
the local tariffs is made, which will
admit of free and profitable commercial
intercourse between all points in the
state. This would have the effect OF
correcting through, as we'll as local,
rates.
"Of course competing road, owned,
controlled and operated in the interest
of California, would settle the problem.
providing it was long enough to control
enough of the rate to protect its own in
terests. regard this az better solu-
tion of the question than political one.
If such scheme is possible, it ought to
receive our most hearty support and
earnest cooperation. The proposition
to establish line of clipper ships from
New York to San Francisco ought also
to be carried into effect.'