The morning call., 1892-03-17
COMMERCE In CHAINS.
The Present Situation as Viewed
by Our Merchants.
Interviews With Prominent Importers and
Jobbers-" The Call" Warmly
Complimented.

Holbrook. Merrill & Stetson yesterday
morning. He was speaking of the efforts
being made by this urnal to enlighten the
public upon the wrongs perpetrated by the
transportation in erestS, not only through
their political Vaccinations. but as direct
consequence OF the nefari0us alliance be-
tween the Southern Pacific Railroad corpo-
tion and the Pacific Mail Steamship Com
pany. Continuing his talk Mr. StetSon said {;
There has been more stir in this city dur
ing the last two or three months. in regard
to this question Of freights and fares, than
there has been for years. The CALL Is
really doing magnificent work in awakening
the public conscience to a realizing sense Of
the manner in which trade is being OPP
pressed. The Information collected is just
what is needed The 81 0O0 paid every
year by the railroad company as a subsidy
TO the steamship company comes from every
man, woman and child in this community
1t is an outrageous eXtortion.
THE GOOD RESULT.
"The facts stated by THE CALL l know
TO be unimpeachsble. They are true, every
one of them. / know it, because as Presi-
dent of the Traffic Association l helped to
gather many of them. You have accom-
plished one good result already in forcing
the Railroad Commission to show its hand
It was something of an achievement max
ing them set UP their nonsensical plea that
they are bench of judges and require COM
plants to be filed and all that sort Of thing
when they are paid $4,000 year to protect
the public against railroad oppression. The
fight must 90 on aud l hope The CALL will
keep it up"
Captain ". L. Merry, who was seen a
little later. said: THE CALL is doing good
work and [ fully appreciate its value. as do
all the merchants of San Francisco This
transportation problem is vital one TO
everybody. All l can say now is that If
this sp0latlon is TO remain unchecked there
won't be anybody left In this city 10 read
the newspapers. am glad to see that the
people at large are beginning TO Interest
themselves in this question. which is not
one that by any means exclusively affects
the mercantile interests"
CHANGE IN PUBLIC SENTIMENT.
a member of the firm of 4. Lusk Il Co,
being invited to give his opinion of the stu
alton, said Il am delighted with the course
adopted by THE CALL. 1t is doing splen-
didly Why there has been an immense
change in public sentiment in this city
lately. Compare the attitude Of the people
to-day with that OF even year ago and you
Will notice surprising difference. Mention
the railroad question year ago 10 anybody
and If anything was said IN reply it was
with awe and bated breath. To-day on the
streets and in the stTeetcaTS and every here
people do not not hesitate to very freely eX-
press their opinions. They talk light out
loud. Everywhere above the din Of CONVEX
sation you hear the words 'Transc0nUnental
Association and Traffic Association a
great popular educational movement has
been set going by THE CALL. You hear
nothing discussed in the city to-day but the
mOmentous question.
CANNED GOODS SHUT OUT.
"In regard to the effect of the Pacific
Mail subsidy paid by the railroad company
all | can say SO far as the shipment Of
canned goods is concerned is that the Pacific
Mail Steamship Company VIII not make
living rate for Us. In other words, the rate
Is 80 high that 1t amounts practically 10
prohibition Of sending canned goods u New
YORK by the lsthnuS route. 1t is a fact.
also, that there has been a falling off of
nearly 90 per cent within one year Of the
overland shipments of canned goods from
San Francisco. The railroad freight rates
is killing this branch OF traffic. We have,
however found our remedy. 1t Is sailing
ships. The bulk of California canned goods
to the East hereafter will be shipped round
the Horn.
"In my judgment before we can abate
this evil We must get down to its root 1t
has its base in corrupt politics, and the re-
form must begin with the people working
through their party conventions. There is
no reason why this terrible grievance
should not find expression IN the platforms
OF all parties and the agitation for redress be
maintained until officers are elected who
will do their duty and stand by the people.
The Oregon Railroad Commissioners
brought the railroad corporations in that
State to their senses, and / don't see why
the people cannot make their Railroad Com
missioners do the same thing"
Mr.. CASTLES STARTLING DISCLOSURE.
I. L. Castle of Castle Brothers contrib
uted new and startling item to the contro-
versy. He said: ITO sell our tea in Denver
we have TO ship by the cheaper route via
Tacoma. But that Is not the worst OF it. In
such event, in order to conform to the law,
we have TO send 10 per cent of the cargo TO
the Chicago CustOm-house to be appraised.
Unless the tsas are examined in Portland,
which Is not always easy to do. we must 20
TO the Custom-hOuse at Chicago.
"1he difference in the through freight
rate Tor tea between the route from japan
TO Ogden via San Francisco and the north
cru routes to the Missouri River is nearly
100 per cent against the San Francisco job
bers.
IL think THE CALL Is doing the city g
most excellent service ia calling attention
to this matter. But let me suggest that the
crusade ought to be carried into the country
towns. The people Of the interior ought to
ought to join in the agitation The farmers
OF the State ought to be enlightened. Their
grain is worse taxed than our teas and
other classes Of goods by these destructive
com blnatons.
REAL ESTATE INTERESTS JEoPARDIZED.
1t Is in the local charges that there is
most need Tor radical change in railroad
rates. The existing rates hamper the trade
oil San Francisco with the interior. The
merchants OF this CITY, it might be well to
bear In mind. are but small class of the
large number of people ruinously affected
by the railroad determinations against the
CITY. Your real estate men and your own
ers of large blocks Of land are made Joint
sufferers with the merchants. They cannot
afford to stand by idly and without a MUIR
muir see tie trade Of San Francisco taken
away. 1ney must be uD and doing, too, If
they expect there is to be day of deliver
ance."
THE BAIsIN INDUSTRY ATTACKED.
A gentleman in the Office Of w. T. Beck,
the dried-fruit merchant on California
street. said that the shipment of dried raj
sins to the Eastern market had almost ceased
to be profitable. The small profits were
eaten up by the freight charges. Prices had
fallen but freight rates were maintained.
he SAID the growers and packers received 2
cents pound for raisins, while the railroad
company charged 81 30 per hundred pounds
Tor carrying them to a market As an
Instance of the situation Of the raisin-grow-
ers he remarked that when they received
81 % per box OF 20 pounds they had to nav
the same freight charge as they do now
when they are only receiving IS cents pei
box.
t. Ii. Gould, one of the leading raisin
growers and packers. who operates both In
folo and Fresno. said he had no complaint
TO make against the railroad company SO
lar as their service WAS concerned They
provided good cars and gave prompt delv.
cry, but their local rates were prohibitory
even III 1t were practicable to ship raisin,
by water via the tropics to the East The
TalsIn men were paying much more than tn,
traffic would bear. The mistake was tina
the Transcontnental Association in fix lnt
tie ratpa failed To