The record-union., 1892-12-21
TEE MERCHANTS COMMITTEE.
Another Letter Addressed to the
Traffic Association.
The Merchants Do Not Like Traffic
Manager Leeds Political
Schemes.

Schemes.
The following letter, addressed to every
member of the San Francisco Traffic
Association, by the Merchants Commit
tee of that body, appeared in the EraHl-
a71er yesterday:
SAN Francisco, December II, 1892.
Gentlemen: An endeavor is being made
! by prejudiced parties to lead the members
OF the Traffic Association to believe that
this committees object is to create dis
! senslon and discord in the association.
This argument is being used to divert
attention from the question at issue. 1t
/ IS a strange thing that as soon as any
thing of interest exclusively to San Fran
CISCO Is talked of some parties will in
slst that 1t is Southern Pacific move
ment. This committee is composed of
prominent business men, who are con-
I trlbutlng members of the Traffic Associa-
tlon, and hope TO continue SO, if business
4 IS carried on from business standpoint.
They are not DESTROYS Of publishing their
| names as yet, as they do not care to set
| themselves up for the abuse Of unpreju-
diced parties, either here or elsewhere,
but IN due course OF time they will make
their names known to the public. This
letter viii not be sent to the press, but
VIII be forwarded to the members OF the
Traffic Association
When the Traffic Association was
organ1zed 1t was the intention of the
/ organizers to make it distinctively San
Francisco organization. 1t was modelled
exactly after the Merchants Freight
I Bureau OF Chicago, and the address that
was adopted was largely copied from the
. Chicago organization, which states dis
tinctly that it should be business organ
iZaton, composed of business men, to
f,pfD
business way. When the Traffic Asso-
citation was organized at the mass meeting
1t was called the California Traffic Asso-
citation, but it was expected that auxiliary
associations would be formed in different
| counties. 1t cannot be denied that Chi
cago, st. Louis, Omaha and St. Paul have
all successful associations, because they
| looked after the interests of their respect
I've cities and do not encompass the whole
State. This does not necessarily imply
that the interests of the city and State are
not identical, for they are TO a certain ex-
tent reciprocal and interdependent.
SAN FRANCISCO FIRST.
1nasmuch as our Traffic Association is
/ supported almost entirely by san Fran
cisco, and the interior OF this State has
taken little, if any, interest in the associa-
ton, why should not the organization act
/ for the best interests of the city first last
and all the time, the same as similar or
4 CARNATIONS have done throughout the
/ East? out of total revenue OF S24, 900,
| 81, 300 IS contributed by San Francisco
merchants, and, Notwithstanding this
! fact, several thousand dollars during the
! last year were expended for literature,
/ which was distributed TO the interior 10
/ stir up agitation and sentiment against
| the transportation companies, and all this
expenditure of San trancisco's money
| has not resulted in bringing one single
/ MOI ha,. from tho jnfarinr This
be denied. The organization was started
/ for business, and should be operated by
! business men, and not by lawyers, whose
only desire is to stir up agitation, so as to
result in legal complications that can only
tie up the question for many years. Poll
tics belongs to political parties and not
/ to commercial bodies.
| AS has been before stated, San Fran
cisco wants a consideration which is be-
/ yond the control Of the Legislature. In
| the political agitation begun and pursued
| in the name OF the Traffic Association. its
primary objects have been obscured, its
| influence has been scattered and
diverted, and if the same methods are
continued it will be a waste OF time and
revenue.
If we had competing railroads centering
here the question would be solved
quickly, but under the circumstances
merchants in this city cannot afford to
and sentiment that practically tie the
question up tor all time. We believe
that this question should be considered
carefully and dispassionately by the
! Executive Committee, and, if necessary,
a general meeting OF the association
should be called, as the vital success of
! the association now depends on the ac-
complishment of business methods with
! business ideas by business men, and as
! this city contributes about all the funds
| to the association the interests OF this city
should not be disregarded on account Of
the fear as to what other sections might
say or do.
THE ORIGINAL IDEA.
In conclusion, we believe that business
should be begun on the plan originally
outlined in the address adopted by the
| ASSOCIATION when same was organized
and as outlined in the following words
from the opening address of J. b. Stet-
| son, Chairman OF the organizing meeting:
The object Of the ASSOCIATION is not to
wage warfare or encourage antagonism
| between the shipping public and the rail
/ roads, or any transportation lines. We
! believe that the same theory would gov
/ ern ourselves, as business men, in the re-
/ dress OF any grievance of our customers.
/ We believe that by united action we can
present to the railroad and transportation
4 companies views in reference to freight
classitications, ETC., that viii cause them
to make changes that viii be beneficial
both o them and ourselves"
/ Also, in the address adopted by the
organizing Executive Committee Of the
association, as follows:
THAT it is not proposed to use the
power which the association will have in
a hasty or ill-advised manner; only when
( all negotiations fail will this association
make its full force felt. BY concerted
action and thorough organization it is
realized that much can be accomplished.
1t proposes to deal with transportation
companies through its committee aud
manager on business propositions as
business men, and it hopes by business
methods to secure such freight and trans
portation facilities as will assist the pro-
Queer. manufacturer and merchant"
Yours very truly,
MERCHANTS COMMITTEE.
BY /. r. SAGE, Secretary.
INTERIOR TERMINALS