The record-union., 1892-11-05
A BROAD CONFESSION THE IN
TERROR VIEW CONFIRMED.


We publish this morning in another
column letter by Isidor Jacobs of San
Francisco, prominent business man,
originator of the Traffic Association, and
for the first year Chairman of the Classi-
fcation Committee and Chairman OF the
Membership Committee, and under
whose auspices the major portion of the
members of the association were brought
into it.
Mr.. Jacobs letter is the most import
ant expression yet made by any of that
association, or any one in it's behalf. 1t is
a perfectly open, above-board and frank
confession of the truth of everything the
RECoRD-UNIoN and the press of the inte-
rior have said of the aims and purposes
of the association, to-wit: 1t aCas organ
fsed solely to secure to San Francisco the
monopoly Of distribution, and to make IN
land points dependent upon that city for
all supplies, e0e'a for goods iron, the East
shipped past their doors. That all the
claims made 6y the managers of the asso-
citation that its interests are common aOith
those Of the interior are false and mere
prete'ase, and intended to blind the dnte-
9ior.
Mr.. Jacobs makes those propositions
perfectly clear; ne makes not only no
concealment, but boldly advances it as a
wise and justiiable proposition that san
Francisco ought to and has the natural
right to control trade as far east as Ne
vada points, and as far south as Tucson,
Arizona.
So far from lending himself to the de-
ceit, insincerity and hypocritical pretense
that San Francisco's interests are identi-
cal with those of the interior, he declares
that the jobbers of San Francisco, who
number 225 out of the 26O San Francisco
members of the concern, Joined the asso-
citation, and are to-day in it for no other
purpose than to rehabilitate San Fran
cisco as the chief and dominating point
of distribution of supplies for the coast.
More than this, he claims that by
natural right, and by decision of courts
and the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion, this claim of San Francisco is sus-
tanned, and that it ought to be pushed
and fully realized.
In nothing the RECORD UNION and the
interior press have said of the original
aims and purposes of the Traffic Associa-
ton, has there been expressed single
thought that Mr.. Jacobs does not now
fully confirm and especially declare to be
not only true, but, he adds, that its
aims and purposes-the subjugation of
the trade of the interior and the levying
of tribute upon all consumers of inland
California-are still the same and must be
maintained, if San Francisco is to sue
ceed, and that all pretense to the contrary
is sham, unmanly and cowardly.
The writer of the letter makes a rapid
review of the history of the Traffic Asso-
citation to fortify his assertions. In brief
it is laid bare that the association, in its
origin, had in view no political agitation,
no long-drawn contests, no transporta-
tion warfare. But it was intended to do
as have the associations of Chicago. St.
Paul, st. Louis and Omaha, with success.
by conferences with carriers, and by lay
ing the merchants case before them. to
secure concessions asked for. To 90 to
the railroads as business men, with cold
business propositions.
But instead of doing this the managers
of the association have pursued radi-
cally different course. They have never
approached the railroads with any re-
quest or demand; they have sought for
no conference with and preferred no
claims before them. How then, asks Mr..
Jacobs, can there be complaint that that
has not been granted which mas never
been asked for?
But there must be a reason for this de-
parture at right angles from the purposes
of the Traffic Association. Mr.. Jacobs
lays that reason bare to the bones-tbe
managers were cowardly; fearful of an
tagonizing the interior they attempted
to make it believe that the association had
the interior as well as metropolitan in
terests at heart. With shameless hvpoc-
risy they denied that San Francisco
wished to control interior trade and DOM
mate as distributor. To give a color
to this sham, they inaugurated warfare
upon the Railroad Commission, and
finally drifted into political agitation.
But the association has not, Mr.. Jacobs
declares, over ten members in the inte-
rior, for all its effort. 1t has 26O members
in San Francisco, and 225 of them are
jobbers and footing the bills of the con-
Germ, with the definite and sole purpose
of benefiting themselves only, and with
out any regard or concern whatever for
the interior except as a tributary to San
Franeisco's dominance as a distributing
center.
Mr.. Jacobs appeals to the association
to come out into the open; to have no fear
of the interior; to abandon political agi-
tation and Hypocrisy and make busi
ness effort for business end, and con-
cludes by saying that, in his opinion
and no man has had deeper interest or
concern in the association than he-''the
Traffic Association, as business PROPOSE