The record-union., 1892-11-05
FREIGHTS AND FARES.
The Effort Made to Have Them
Reduced.
What the Traffic Association Has
Done-Isidor Jacobs Criticises and
Condemns the Failure to Help san

francisco.

Co., former Chairman of the Classitica-
tion Committee of the Traffic Association
and now an active member, has given the
following letter to the press for publica-
ton.
To the Editor Of the CHronicIe-SIR:
Having been member of the Executive
Committee of the Traffic Association dur
ing the first year of its organization, and
having been largely identified with the
inception OF the affair, L desire 10 state
that the objects of that body, as INTENDED
when formed, are not being carried out.
W hen the association was nrst organized
it was distinctly understood, and so pub
Ilshed in the original address adopted by
the Executive Committee on November
4, 1891, that negotiations and conferences
would first be entered into with the rail
road companies so that relief could be
secured for the lobbers of this city as
soon as possible. In fact, in that address
the following words appear: That 1t IS
not proposed to use the power which the
association Will have in hasty or III
advised manner; only when all negotia-
tlons tail 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 and manager on
business propositions as business men,
and it hopes by business methods to Sc
cure such freight and transportation facil-
tiles as viii assist the producer, manu-
1acturer and merchant"
In his opening address at the mass
meeting held October II, 1891, j. b. Stet-
son said: "The object OF the association
is not to wage warfare or encourage an
tagonism between the shipping public
and the railroads or any transportation
lines. We believe that the same theory
a.
selves, as business men, in the redress of
any grievance of our customers. We be-
leve that by united action we can present
to the railroad and transportation COM
panies views i'll reference to freight,
classiications, etc., that will cause them
to make changes that will be beneficial
both TO ourselves and to them"
Notwithstanding this outline of what
the association proposed to do no nego-
tiations or endeavOrs to secure any con-
cessIons from the railroads were ever
made by the Traffic Association through
its Executive Committee, but instead OF
this useless agitation was started with
the Railroad Commissioners, who it was
claimed and acknowledged were the em-
ployes of the railroad. Therefore, instead
OF going to the railroad direct for relief,
the mistake was made of entering into an
agitation, principally on account OF the
effect it might have upon the people in
the interior. When Mir. Leeds arrived
here he took the same view as set forth in
the opening address of the Traffic Associ-
alton and as enunciated by Mr.. Stetson,
but shortly after this, on account Of the
frequent assertions made that the inter-
ests of San Francisco and the interior
were not Identical the Executive Com
mittee decided not to attempt any nego-
tiations, but rather to begin work on the
Railroad Commission, they being afraid
that it would soon be discovered that the
Il. Il 4.
San francisco were that that city should
be made a distributing point, as it was
naturally entitled to be from its geo
graphical situation.
At the time the agitation with the Rail
road Commission was begun | was alb
sent from the meeting of the board, being
on visit to the East, that absence con-
tinuing until after the political agitation
was commenced. But | have always
urged that inaSmuch as the jobbers of this
city needed relief as soon as possible.
conferences and negotiations should have
first been entered into with the railroad
companies, backed by the force and
power of the Traffic Association. If they
had declined to meet us half way we
would then have had them on record as
having refused to do something to benefit
our membership, 81 per cent. of whom
were merchants of San Francisco. But
no negotiations were ever entered into:
L
has never been approached in any official
manner, either through the Traffic Asso-
citation, or through its Executive Com
mittee, for any concession on behalf of
the merchants Of San Francisco or of the
State OF California. How, then, could
we expect any concessions to be made
when we never asked for them and never
laid before them what we desired, name
ly, 10 rehabilitate and build up the job
bing interests of our city?
When l assert that the Traffic Associa-
ton has not been doing justice toward its
members by instituting political agitation
instead offollowing up the original ideas
of the organizers I think l can easily
demonstrate the fact. AS Chairman (for
the first year. OF the Classification Com
mittee and also as Chairman OF the Mem
bership Committee, l know to a large ex-
tent what the views of the majority OF the
membership were and what they hoped
the Traffic Association would accomplish
for them. Before going into these facts
l want to say that 50 per cent. of the
present membership came into the asso-
citation under the auspices of the commit
tee of which l was chairman. | assert
that over 80 per cent. of the present mem
bership of the Traffic Association is COM
posed of the jobberS of San Francisco.
That the interior of the State has taken
no interest in the Traffic Association is
evidenced by the fact that the organiza-
side of San Francisco. The membership
consists of about go, netting an income
of about $4,000 per year. Ofthe mem
bers the interior has about ten, leaving
260 from San Francisco, and of these
about 225 are San Francisco jobbers. As
these men so largely predominant in the
association, and as those who contribute
most largely TO the support Of the associa-
ton should be the first to have their in
terests looked after, it would here be
proper to state exactly what these San
Francisco jobbers hoped to accomplish
through the Traffic Association in order
to show how the objects of the organize
ton have been diverted from the original
intentions and desires of the majority OF
the membership.
At the time the Traffic Association was
formed twas claimed by the san Fran
cisco jobbers, who now so largely pre-
dominate in the membership, that the
iObbing interests OF san Francisco We're
in a bad way, and that business was fall
inc off owing to a curtailment of the ter
ritorv in which this city could distribute.
They claimed that what they needed, and
needed badly, was TO have the jobbing
trade rehabilitated by making san Fran
cisco distributing point for this section
of the country, 1t was claimed, with
reason, that this city, being the principal
seaDort of the coast. should have natural
advantages as a distributing point not
possessed by any other place IN The State
that railroad rates from Eastern points
To San Francisco should be sufficiently
less than to interior points TO enable oul
jobbers to largely control the trade o.
points inland. In other words, that oan
Francisco jobbers should control the ter
ritory even on Eastern goods as far as
many Nevada points 10 the east and as
lar Tucson. A rig on the south.