The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-12-18
A Mage OF Tracks.


indiyiduals firms and corporations presented at
our meeting OF The 7th inst. respectfully report;
That TIE communication Ia question has been
alEely misunderstood by The press and PUBLIC
ewing 10 The aTIful publication, stimuli aneouSly
with II. OF paper called address nom
Merchants Committee by l.. Il. Sage, SecGe-
taIN," and al interview with IsldOr Jacobs. both
OF which endeayor 10 create the belief nat the
parties WHOSE signatures are attached 10 he ist-
tee aie acting Ia concert win the SocaAed
merchants Committee In Tact, mat the
committee derives us existence from tile slgners
CT tie letter. We have aseerlalned, however,
that theie is no uuth IN ihis supp0sNlon ara no
connection between The parties signing the peu-
Hon ard the address by the s0-caiied "MeF-
chants Committee" The letter Ia question was
prepared by some unknown author and passed
around for signatures in The usual way. 1t was
signed by almost AL the persons and firms whose
mes u bears (dS Is frequently done III Inc
hurry If business without careful examination
by tie SlgueTs, and without auy kn0wieGgv on
their part OF fis origin. But who constitute the
alleged "MerchauJs' Committee" said 10 con-
sist Of Dlne members, We have been unable 10
ascertain by inquiry OF Mr. Sage-uei,her can
We ascertain where or BY whom they were APP
pointed, or If they even have IN existence III
facl. The anonymous method of proceeding,
however, shows pretty clearly what interest II Is
sought really 10 Tep eSent, and The purpose II is
proposed TO accomplish.
Tue wording OF tie document called an ad-
diess, together with turn OF expression crafty
Introduced lut0 The petition, when so many OF
our members were enITapped into signIug are
ca cuated 10 convey the impression taat the
IEaIlle ASSOCIATION i trying 10 procure Tor San
Francisco some preferential rates soIire olLer
advantage over Interior cities, and that through
discussions among our own members as 10 tue
means OF accomplishing II this nelarieus design
has leaked cut The object, OF course, is TO ar
lay The members OF lie coming Legislature,
elected from Tie interior counties, against those
chosen from TIE city, and thus prevent all legis-
lauou toward RAILROAD Iefoim, by creating ieaI-
ousy and dissensiOn among its supporters.
IL does not Tequne any special astuieness 10
penetrate TINS flimsy disguise Of merchants
Committee, l.. ii. sage. Secretary" and Tecog.
nlZc the teal authors Of this movement, The
: q r.
cuG>lances tbat II is not surprising that 50 many
OF Tie signers OF the letter have FASTENED 10 dis.
tended Merchants Committee and TO declare,
rs many OF Them 90. that they consider that
they were ticked iuto signing document which
l2> been pun 10 a use they never Intended.
lie true inTatdbess Of he whole schr NE is as
follows: Steps already taken by this assoela-
tiUB in The establishment OF sea c0nuetition
va Cape Horn have esulted in the diseUntinu-
ance OF the Pacific NAH subsidy The disruption
II tile Iranscoutiuentai Association aud The
collapse OF the facihc Aiau COmpaRy's monopoly
u Tie l>thmuS route, and steps are being taken
10 replace them with a hne 10 work IN the inter
gsis Of JblS cast, Which must compel reduc-
lion 10 overland rates.
The Southern Pacific Company is now prepar.
ins new freight schedule 10 be shortly put 10
force, SAID 10 apply on local traffic IN tie Stale.
Unwilling 10 confess that tbey have been coerced
3nIO ihls concession, they want now TO reopen
negotiations which in lie recent past they re-
fused 10 entertain as impossible, aud the service
Of a supple merchants Committee l. H. Sage,
secretary" are needed 10 give plausible appear
IL
tlaiOus TO 4 concession which has actually been
cXt0red by blows. Hence, therefore, tie an
nOuncement OF ~ Intention 10 increase The 'Mer-
chants Committee" 10 twenty five, aud proceed
al ones 10 negotiations. The results to be reached
by his proposed bogus negotiation are already
mapped out 10 the freight schedule now IN pgep-
aIauon, aud The pretense Of negotiation is only
needed o make lie cOmpany'S faii more grace
Iui While II would disaTm the association and
place = weapon In their hands by the renewal Of
Old antagonisms between tie city and the conn
Try upon a question ID which tie interest Is In
Tact Identical against a common enemy.
III view OF ihese things your committee are of
lie opinion that advantage should be taken of
tie opportunity OF reply TO the communication
referred 10 o again make public ia brief Terms
the aim aud purposes OF our organization and
tie FOLEY which II Is proposed by The executive
committee pursue so far as the plans for the
wOik have matured. We have, therefore. pre-
pared the following reply TO the communication
referred TO- which is respectfully submitted:
THE REPLY TO Mr.. JACOBS.
SAN Francisco. Dee. II, 1892.
To all members Of the ITogtc Association of
California: The petition presented 10 the meet
lag Of your committee December Z, containing
signatures Of many of the merchants of The city,
Including many members OF The association. as
far as eau be learned at this time emanated from
one man, lsidor Jacobs, Unaffected member
Aad an eA-inembrr OF the executive committee.
who styled himself 'meTcnants' commit tee"
and bad for its object not The good OF the city
OF San Francisco and its merchants bur
the disruption of this association by lie crea.
lion of differences Of opinion as TO policy and
Tie renewals OF antagOBlsms between this city
been kept alive for years by the Southern Pacific
Company, as by the creation OF divisions and
another, as means OF perDetUailng tLer com.
mercial and political rule over The whole
Stale. Hence this petition. il IL could create dis
SensOn I'D our ranks. would do no possible good
TO The mercantile interests OF the city, but PLAYS
directly info The hand OF the Southern Pacific
Company.
IL appears to your committee that ip the
face Of such progress as has been made
Dy ms organization whln the short space OF
one year, any one who would deliberately
plan It's disruption, by The circulation OF
petition under false preienses (Which Is plainly
evident by the manner In which it has been uH-
deftakeD(. Is deserving OF the seveTest censure
ana condemnation. We do not believe that any
one who has the good OF this city and State az
heart VIII lend himself to lie service of place
on the so-ealled Merchants Committee along
with person who proceeds from motives which
nave aeiuated this movement, when they are IN
0eistood. The results cannot be otherwise tnap
disastrous TO the permanent good OF This civ
Iiis association Is the outgrOwth aud Is reDre
sentative OF the feeling of this State, that rail.
Ioao rates are Oppressive, unjust and unequal,
and that the railroads shall be compelled 10 raw
Their Just share Of taxes; that they shall cease
corrupt Interference III State and municipal
politics.
Under our constitution and bylaws this asso-
Gallon IS State Institution, organized to pro
mote the Interests OF The whole Stale. not of any
particular locality. and stands pledged 10 seek
no special dYanIage for any point or district
not open 10 all on equal terms. That pledge we
must adsere TO II We would succeed. We hold that
tie greatest good will come TO San FraDci-co az
city by the pursuit OF broad and liberal policy
which looks 10 the general good OF he whole
state that IL VIII only assume the full position
OF The commercial capital OF The Pacific when
The emancipation OF lie whole State from these
oppressive ard UNEQUAL TRANSFORMATION charges
Is accomplished All interests on the Pa
enc Slope are identical Oh this point II
IS upon lhis basis that our work has been ptIr-
sued We do not believe We should n we couId
make san Francisco the only terminal at the ex-
points Ia the State Win lie full use ~ her
natural resources, free sea competition and
fairly and equally adjusted local rates through
out the State. this city VIII assume its nroser
aud legitimate place, not the oppressoT hut
ibe pro ector OF every industry In the Stale
against the exlortlon and unjust transnor, atinn
tax which has been laid upon il for so MANY
years.
Our first movement has necessarily been to Law
hold oil The means OF regulating tTansennfinental
rates and br akiBg down The steamship subsidy
paid for go many years by ibe roads engaged in
thai traffic. This has been accomplished by the
fe-estaDiishmeot OF sea competition and The
beDeG caDpoJ fail TO be felt by the whole State
What we ful ller need and are striving for i a
faiF and equitable adjustment of local tariffs
within all points In the Stale In such share as
will build up California enterprises We believe
this 10 be the Il policy for San Francisco 10
advocate, and that il does repre- SEM the SEMI.
meat OF large majority of Tie members OF the
association, and thai It viii win the battle with
The Southern Pacific Company, tie commercial
oppressofs not alone OF the city but OF California
and the whole Pacific SloDe.
II Is upon this platform your committee has
thus far worked. and We ferl 1t represents a
sentiment strong enough TO lead 10 victory,
and upon this we must continue to ask your
support. We shall continue efforts TO
abolish lie State Hoard or Railroad Commits
sIoners as now constituted, because under the
law thry represent The only authority Ia the
State 10 change a rate and II lie carriers mdtD-
faiH untnsl and unequal rates. IL Is because they
control his board.
Past experience ieacees that there is nothing
10 he gained by asking ihe carriers for cOnces-
si0g unless you possess the Decessa ry power 10
enforce your reasonable dem Dds. Heuce, IL
relief 10 obtained, IL must come by means OF your
own creation, and not BY solicit alton uDsuppoit-
ed by the necessary force To compel fespect
Weave aware that the carrier has been abe 10