The morning call., 1892-03-08
S24,o55,OOO

1--WE merchants don't like the prospects, -
said the shipper who made the above calcu-
lation yesterday.
Can any one blame them?
Looking into the future is no more en-
couraging than is the backward glance in
this case. The merchants declare that the
Si4.555,00o already paid by the railroads to
shut off steamship competition, as pointed
out by THE CALL last Saturday, should
never have been permitted to have gone
into the Golfers Of the Pacific Mall.
"WhO paid that money!" asked a leading g
shipper last evening did 1t come out Of
the railroad companies? Not bit of it.
We people Of California paid it ourselves.
We have only ourselves to blame. We
should have been awake to what was going
on We should have stopped this thing
long ago."
The Traffic Association people do not
think it is too late yet
I'VE are going to do our best TO stop this
unfair arrangement" said President Stet-
son yesterday. "The Traffic Association
will bring its entire force TO bear in assist
Ing Senator FELTON, in his fight. He is going
10 introduce a resolution asking for the
withholding of the subsidy paid by the
Government to the Mail Company. That
will bring the Pacific Mail people to terms,
We think"
But how do you intend to proceed ?"
My plan is TO draft petition to Con-
gress in support Of Mr.. Feton's measure.
That petition Will call attention to the way
In which the steamship company is eombin-
Ing with the railroads. and it will set forth
the facts OF the case in such a way that
Congress cannot but see the necessity of
the action proposed.
"DO you think you can get signers to such
petitlon?"
Plenty of them. Every merchant who
ships freight by rail can be readily made to
see that the combination as Il is now work.
Ing is aimed directly against his interests
and against the interests Of San Francisco. !"
''But the Pacific Mails power is great,
both in political and private way"
i know that, and / realize that there
may be some Of the shippers who may deem
1t to their interest to keep quiet, but am
sure that all those who can be made to see
what is dependent upon the effort will be
with US. We will send such petition to
Congress as will make the case plain and
secure hearing for eur side"
Mr.. Stetson talked at some length about
the subsidy aud showed that he was per
fectly familiar with its workings ana its
effect upon competition.
That S14,000,000 which THE CALL
showed as having been paid by the overland
railroads has been a dead loss Of that amount
to San Fra ncisco, to say nothing of what il
has lost in other ways by having the retes
OF transportation maintained on a high
basis. 1t ia really too bad, and l am glad
to see The CALL taking the matter up in
the way it is doing. 1t is matter that
cannot be agitated too much. The CALI,
10 doing splendid service to the shippers of
San Fran CISCO
Other merchants who were interviewed
on the subject said that they had read THE
CALL articles and were pleased with the
array Of facts set FORTH
Those figures the paper gave tell the
story better than columns and columns of
matter on the subject" said one man in the
hardware business "It was an eye-opener
to note that so large an amount as $4,000. 900
had been spent in barring out competition
and keeping down the growth Of the city.
Think what that amount would do for our
streets, for our public buildings or for our
parks?"
OF course the actual figures. representing
the amounts paid by the railroads each year
since 1877, are not accessible. They are
closely guarded by the Pacific Mail people.
as they are also by tie railroad companies
but the following memorandum was handed
TO CALL reporter yesterday by person
who has kept the general run Of them. The
memorandum reads as follows: