The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-06-19
INNOCENT SHIVELY.
Rea and the Railroad Trick
Him Badly.
A QUEER STATE OF THINGS.
Inside Story Of The Rate Reduction
Complaint.
4 Brr.GeedS Nan HhO Is Being Made
Z BuPe by Ferry ShreTd
People.
4 QUEER STATE OF THINGS.

Two weeks Of thought on the Shively
complaint have convinced the Traffic Asso-
citation that it is a railroad scheme.
What is the Shiyely comp plant?
It's a document filed by r. 0. Shively
with the Railroad Commissioners complain
ing that freights and fares in this State are
too high and asking for 10 per cent reduc-
ton in passenger and % per cent in freight
rates.
Who is Shiyely?
The Traffic Association has found that
out without any difficulty. lie is a dry
goods dealer and is a highly respected and
honored citizen of san jose. He buys his
goods in San Francisco and general re-
duction of freights would do him little good.
considering his proximity TO this city.
"This is the way il stands" said lead
ing member Of the Traffic Association yes
terday: The railroad people wanted
awful badly TO get somebody to make
complaint against them, so that they could
head off this auti-railroad movement Don't
you see? If they can get a big, rousiug
complaint fled against them. the railroad
folks can let the Commissioners toot their
horns and then take any action they please.
II the Observation-Disclosures blind IS played by
the Commissioners, the railroads attorneys
can tie the proceedings up in a hard knot
IN the courts and it would be safe for FIVE
years. or until a competing line could come
in."
''Why didn't they let Mr.. Porter of Wat
sonvue 80 ahead with his complaint" was
asked.
They did Then THE CALL came out
and asked who Porter was, ana showed up
the game. Porter aid not ike il, and be
dropped the whole thing like hot potato
Then Shively took it up
How did Dir. ShiYely come TO interest
himself in it?'
Through Rea. You see, Rea was very
much worried over P0Tter'S dropping the
case. He wanted il to be pushed. He
thought thai, perhaps, by a wonderful dis
play of hostility TO the railroad be could
overcome the very strong impression
now existing throughout the State that
the Southern Pacific Company dictates
the policy Of The Railroad Commissioners.
All our members are convinced that this is
& fact. So he went TO ShiVely. q very we'll
meaning man, and one who ought not to
have been 50 easily triebed. He talked, in
his plausible way, to ShlTely aud made him
think that all California was itching TO see
some body file general complaint OF high
rates with tie Railroad Commission. Now,
rs a matter Of fact no very shTeWd man in
this State-that is, 10 man who looks below
the surface Of the railroad sjtuaton-woulG
have gone into anything Of this sort. But Mr.
Shiyely, strange TO say. actually bit. ReR's
attorney IS ShYely's attorney in this case
and the whole proceeding, apparently, is
under Rea's control. If Mr.. Shively wants
10 have the good will Of the people Of this
State let him beware Of the smooth Mr.
Rea and his great rate-reductiOn scheme"
The prosecution Of the case viii cost q
good deal OF money, VIII il DOt?'
TO be sure. In the first place there will
have to be q thorough investigation, lot of
travelling hither and thither, the employ
ment Of clerks and all that. And the State
viii have to pay for it, although il will re-
ceive not the slightest benefit"
'Nlll MI Shyeiy be called Off?"
He may be, II the merchants think it
worth while; but the way they now view
the matter is that II would possibly be bet
ter 10 let him SO ahead and run the risk
than obige the railroad to get somebody
else 10 do the job for it. Mind you, Shively
isn't in with the railroad. Rea has con-
WINGED ham that he is doing an auti-railroad
act and that great credit viii accrue TO him
because of It. l understand that he has
even fortified him against possible attack
by telling him that all Tef0rmeTs have to
suffer more or less maTtyrd6m."
From all the information that can be
cleaned on the subject il Is seen clearly
enough that innocent Dir. Shiyely is being
tTlcked by Bea and the railroad.