The morning call., 1892-05-09
THE GALL CALENDAR.
NAY 1892.
MAY 9. 1892
WHAT IS WANTED.

With the experience which Re has &C
quired since be entered the service of the
Traffic Association. Mr.. Leeds is especially
qualified to point cut what this community
has q right to expect of the railroad. 1t
may be summed up in a single sentence. 1t
wants lower local rates of freight. The ex-
listing rates, which Mr. Leeds pronounces
to be unreasonable and Tageous-beiBg
in effect at least 90 per cent higher than cor
responding rates in Kansas-8ere devised
for tie purpose Of utterly annihiatiug ell
competition by sea, and forcing the whole
commerce Of the State over the lines pro-
vided by the Southern Pacific. They have
succeeded in their object; and by obtaining
control of the Pacific Mail ana Of the lines
Of c0astwise steamers, the railroad COM
pRny has destroyed what little competition
still managed to exist. San Francisco being
the market to which the bulk of the produce
of California drifts, the railroad charges
rates Of freight from all California pOintst to
San Francisco which secure 10 the carrier
The bulk Of the profit OF the business. This
it does so thoroughly that rich Tanehers are
rare, while the owners Of the railroad have
accumulated vast fortunes, and the gross
freight earnings Of the Southern Pacific
system in this State are double the gross
freight earnings Of railroads in Kansas sim
Harry situated.
This being the evil. how is it TO be cured9
Mr.. Leeds is evidently net a believer in
seeking relief only through the construction
of competing railroads and By establishing
other lines Of steamers. These measures Of
relief could affect reductions Of through
rates, but local rates also need reduction.
IT l. I
at distributing market at fair charge for
local transportioD, the reduction Of through
rates may be rendered more practicable. a
great point viii be obtained in the establish
ment Of a schedule Of local freight charges
viii ch viii enable the Wbeat-gTower Of
Colusa and Kern to lay down his crop at
Port Costa at a cost which will leave him
some profit. That, in Mr.. Leeds opinion,
may be achieved al any early day by action
Of the Legislature, supplemented by subse-
Quent action Of the people. He advocates
tie repeal Of every provision Of the consti-
tuition and Of the code which has any bear
tng upon railroad fTeghts and fares, and
the substitution of plain. simple and
equitable tariff Of freighis which cannot be
misunderstood or eYaded.
The present constitution confers upon
tie Railroad Commission exclusively the
right Of fixing fares and freights, and
when, as at present, the commission is the
mere tool of the railroad the latter practical
~ fixes its own rates, and mocks at popular
complaints Of their exorbitan e. When the
constitution was adopted it was assumed
that The people would have the ability TO
elect Railroad Commissioners who would
hold the balance evenly between shipper
and carrier. That expectation was never
realized. The Railroad Commissioners have
always been creatures of the railroad, and
their usefulness in shielding the people
from extOrtion has been nil. The money
contributions which both political larties
have been in the habit Of receiving from
Fourth and Townsend have always been
conditioned upon the nomination by both
parties of candidates fer Railroad Commits
sioner who were acceptable to the mOnOp-
oily; and thus the railroad article of the
constitution, and the provisions Of the code
which were framed to carry it out, have
really conferred upon the corporation more
pow er than it possessed before they became
the law Of the State.
Mr. Leeds suggests the impeachment of
the Railroad Commissioners, but he seems
10 fear that this would prove an uncertain
remedy. 1t would be pretty difficult under
existing conditions to secure conviction ON
impeachment proceedings. The other
remedy, which looks to a fundamental
change IN our railroad laws, is a bigger job,
but promises better results. There is sub
stantial uniformity of opinion among citi-
zens Of all parties on the railroad question,
and the unanimity was strengthened by the
UNIV sd0m Of the Stockton convention in
lodging the subject. All over the State
people are aroused to the fact that Califor-
mia is not progressing as it should; that its
advance in wealth, population. commerce
and industry is not in proportion to its nat
ursl resources, or to the energetic character
of its people. 1t seems that the obstacle
which stands in tie way Of our growth is
the determination Of three OF four men that
nothing shall improve but their property,
and that the railroad does not exist for the
development Of California, but California
exists for the development Of the railroad.
That is proposition which Californians
viii be united in denying.