The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-13
AN UNHoLY COMBINATION.

a local article in The CALL Of Friday
shows how tie combination between the
Pacific Mail Company and the Southern
Pacific Railroad Company is strangling the
commerce Of this city. The one item of
coffee bags Is sufficient for illustration.
Coffee bags can be brought from Calcutta
to San Francisco, distance Of 10000 miles,
at the rate charged from Champerico,
Guatemala. a distance Of only 2400 miles. One
would suppose that the Pacific Mail would
discriminate if at all, in favor Of the COM
merce of The country which pays ii sub
siiy. but it seems 10 md it to its interest TO
build up foreign communities. The Pacific
Mail evidently regards the subsidy as 4
present from the Government to be used for
the personal benefit Of its stockholders
The subsidy is given 20 cover any loss that
might arise from the maintenance of the
line of steamers, with the understanding
that the line should be so conducted as to
promote the general interests OF the people.
1t viii be observed that the KOsmes steamer
line from Central American ports TO Lon
don and European ports carries coffee IL. 600
miles little cheaper than the Pacific Mail
carries coffee to San Francisco, the distance
varying from 24O0 to 300 miles. It appears
also that ates are higher from one central
one firm than to another. The only rule
the company seems to have observed in its
conduct Of business is TO get all it can The
question has often been asked why San
Francisco with its advantage Of location did
not get a larger share of Central American
trade? The answer is now furnished. The
London coffee merchant at distance of H.
coo miles. can get coffee cheaper from Central
America than tie San Francisco merchant
can, and yet the London merchant has to
pay freight over four miles 10 the San
Francisco merchants. one. In this way all
our advantage of location is lost. The I'M
holy combination, which has been formed
in the interest Of three or four mllonaires,
weighs heavily on the business of this
COaS:. TIE fayOrs of the Government are
diverted from their real purpose to the
benefit Of these few men. The Traffic As
ISOLATION, through its President. Mr.. Stet-
son, will endeavor to enlist the aid Of Con-
gress IN getting the subsidy withdrawn
from the Pacific Mail. l. is well in move
ment of this kind to 60 through the forms.
FELTON, Is Senator, and is presumed to
have the interests Of the State in his keep
ing. Whether his allegiance is due to the
people or to the corporation which made
his election possible has yet TO be deter
mined. Undoubtedly the Traffic Associa-
tion feels the need Of a Senator in whom
full RELIANCE can be placed. a fair division
of representative power would have been
one Southern Pacific Company Senator and
one who did not owe his election to that
corporation. Senator Stanford. as one of
the nnholy combination. is easily placed
There is no doubt as 10 his allegiance. II
was during his presidency of the Southern
Pacific Company that the unholy combina-
ton was formed. He seems to nave been a
party 10 the contract by which the Pacific
Nail allows its freight and passenger rates
to be fixed by the Southern Pacific. Quite
naturally the Traffic Association has not
thought it Of much use to send the petition
t. him.