The morning call., 1893-04-16
WAR WITH A JOYFUL SHOUT.

The merchants Of San Francisco who are
represented in the Traffic Association have
reason to be proud of the good work which
stands TO their credit after year Of patient
organizing and battling against the oppres-
sions of a monopoly, When the traffic
liberation movement began it was sneered
at as feeble and impotent. 1t would end in
smoke and collapse as everything else had
done previously The Pacific Mail was too
powerfully entrenched behind the Southern
Pacific 10 be assailable and the Southern
Pacific had not only its own line of Impreg-
nabe fortresses, but had the other Western
railroads for allies, and California could not
hope TO slip out of its grasp. But this
contemptuous vaunting was based on the
assumption that the merchants would not
stand by one another. Twelve months of
cooperative working have shown what
union under intelligent guidance can ac-
eomplish. As one direct consequence the
Panama route has been freed and trans
portation is on reasonable basis.
The Pacific Mail has ceased to have
exclusive privileges and dispatches Its
steamers with almost empty holds
A compe titive line of steamers has begun
to ply, ana the shareholders take double
interest in success. a considerable proper
tion Of the freight comes from their stores
and warehouses, and even il they have no
dividends as shareholders their profits from
trade, which will expand under the new
system, ought to be amply compensatory.
The sea route by Cape Horn and the Pan
ANA route together have sho !. the COM
mHndng position for trade which the har-
Dor Of San Francisco gives this city. To
emphasize the victory, We have now the
spectacle OF the Southern Pacific coming
down in rates by the run. The Kentucky
corporation Is actually bidding for traffic
on the lowest terms. 1t is no longer dieta-
tor. 1t meets the reasonable rates via Pan
ANA by lowering transcontinental rates 30
per cent. Wine, wool, borax, rags and
other classes of goods are no longer charged
all the traffic will bear, but what the rail-
road thinks will induce such freight to
come TO it. Many other examples of the
logic of necessity will follow. That the
crisis is serious must be inferred from
the fact that the Southern Pacific
is to certain extent dissociated
from its former allies for the purpose of
being free TO cut ana slash rates as it
pleases. With big purse ii has drawn the
sword ag ainst the audacious conspiracy of
merchants and travellers who decline to be
Bled 10 death and are resolved to help them
selves. This change in the transportation
situation results from setting up opposition
10 the Southern Pacific. But for the Traffic
Association and the new arrangements
with the Panama Railroad Company busi-
ness affairs ould be as they were during
the long years Of gloom that have kept San
Francisco and California back. Any conees-
sions now obtained or that will followmust
be credited to se!f-help.
Our merchants must hold together
PIE dyed Loyalty to carry forward the move
ment which has produced such encouraging
results. The movement must not only be
sustained, but extended The interior Of
California should take its legitimate share in
the ema ncipation of trade. 1t already has
some benefit in the Southern Pacie's re-
duct ions, but by the use OF our waterways
and the construction of local railways a
spur win be give n TO progress little realized
in Importance at present. Mr.. Leeds of
the Traffic Association is right in saying
that The Southern Pacific is bending its en-
eIgies TO exhaust the capital of the North
American Ma vigation Company, and will
spend a heap Of money In the effort to de-
stroy competition. But merchants have
surely their own salvation in their own
hands. They now have cheap transporta-
tion all round, both by rail and sea. This
boon they can secure permanently by de-
termned, Tesolute, self-help combination
among themselves They will lose all if
they disband. Mr.. HuntnRton's millions
will avail nothing If they keep their steam.
ers running and work out the problem of
connecting the seaboard with the interior