The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-12
JACOBS REPLIES.
He Says He Does Not Know
ToWne.
THAT LIE COUNT AFFAIR.
An Explanation of How Mr.. Leeds
Came to Be Employed by the
Merchants.
INT AFFAIR.

ISidOr Jacobs writes as follows regard
ingthe lie Count affair and the matter OF
Traffic Manager Leeds trouble with Rail-
road Commissioner Rea:
Having read teegraphic reports Of what the
Railroad Commissioner, Rea, said about Mr..
Leeds having wired 10 the Southern Pacific
officials 10 get their consent before accepting the
position as manager OF the Traffic Association,
would say that do not believe this to be tue,
but lean explain II. The merchants committee,
OF which member, was the same COM
mttee that conceived and started the Traffic
Association Being the only member OF that
committee hat personally knew Mr.. Leeds. from
contact with him in Eastern cities. / was in
stIucted to wire him in Ihs came of the mer-
chants committee If be wouldf accept The posi-
lion as manager, at the same time writing him
that the objects OF the proposed Traffic AssOcia-
tion were not TO antagonlZe the Southern Pacific
or any other corporation, but 10 endeavor TO
achieve The commercial independence OF the San
francisco JobbeTs, merchants and manufac-
tuners.
Mr.. Leeds, being stranger and not knowing
the merchants committee or tie Traffic Assoc
citation, wired 10 the Southern Pacific 10 get their
opinion as 10 whether the committee was backed
by responsibility, aud whether IL would be safe
TO enter into contract with them His answer
WAS that IL WIS satisfactory. This have from
Mir. Leeds himself. and no matter what may or
can be said about MT. Leeds lie Is an honest man.
Referring 10 the rumor that am In any way
connected with Mr.. TOwne OF the Southern
Pacific Company l would state that have never
met Mr.. TOwne, and am not acquaD ted with
him. and such statements are unmitigated false
hoods. ] am and shall remain one OF The few OF
the largest subscribers TO tile Traffic AssOcia-
tion, and / consider hat personal attacks made
on NE by The executive committee some time
since as a piece OF lmpudeBce on their part, only
on a var Win their actions toward President lie
Counts report al the meeting Of the Beard Of
Trade. i am not personally acquainted with
President lie Count and only met him few days
before the meeting, as had intended TO bring
up the subject OF transportation aud the great
necessity for making san Francisco the diSlrlb-
uting point for California. i was In this backed
by large Number or members OF the board, but
Mr. lie Count and a number OF other members
suggested the ACCESSIBILITY OF taking action
I'm il after The adjournment Of The Legislature
Hence II was decided 10 say nothing In relation
10 the matter. Ii was, however, ridiculous for
an organization 10 emaSculale an annual report
OF the president by striking out part OF II.
IL is customary IN the presidents report for
him 10 stale his indi, tdual opinion on various
subjects, and such opinion is not necessarily the
opinion OF The organization. The report did not
even mention The name OF the ITafic ASSOcla-
tlon, vet some members Of the executive com
miItee had the impudence 10 object TO Ger. ain
parts OF II. as II II the sense OF the body it
self In other words the old adage OF guilty
conscience" and the fact that the truth hurts;
hence they must endeavOT 10 smother individual
opinions, unless they agree with tneir opinions,
we'll knowing that they have taken the wrong
track 10 achieve the objects proposed.
Any set OF business men that not coincide with
the views expressed by President lie Count
and as published In the Buletin OF February
cannot have The good OF this city and its future
prosperity as q trading center at heart. The
SertiOn t0at nave pcen opposing me pOllcY OF
the Traffic Association on account OF not being
reelected member OF The executive
committee is ridiculous and laughable. AS
one OF tile principal organizers of the
are entirely consistent with my original
opinion. l was not candidate for reelection
10 the executive committee, as / was not re-
nominated, ard as L was East Al the time the
nominations were made. and much of my future
time viii be spent East, where the merchants In
large J0bbing centers Ike Chicago 81. Paul,
etc, are, through The medium OF traffic asSOcia-
lions. continually increasing and developing
thsir trade. They are, however, doing 1t by al
lending purely 10 matters commercial and not
political and there they have In view first, last
ana all he Time The building NJ and Increasing
OF The trade Of their city. They do not permit a
few lawyers and would-be politicians 10 inilu-
enee and divert them away from the real objects
TO be attained.
Recent events have only made me more de-
clded in reatfrmnR previous opinions. A refer
ence 10 these VIII show that / coincide entirely
with the iginal principles FOR which the Traffic
Association was formed. but, as l nave perfect
right 10 do, differ Win tue policies and meth
eds adopted by the executive committee. and
believe that they are sure TO DO much injury
10 The interests OF this city.
| believe that competition In transport ton
facilities VIII be the only practical solution OF
The transportation question. Competing rail-
roads, ste .mshlp and cppershlp lines, Inter
ocean canals and the Improvement OF our streams
and rivers, should receive the unifed support Of
our mercantile community, ana efforts IN this
direction should not be diverted 10 matters
political Instead OF commercial.
Efforts should b. concentrated on business
methods and agitation In favor OF competitive
lines OF railroads and steamships must eyeptu-
ally accomplish tho objects proposed. Ii l.,
however, ridiculous that business men we
should endeayOr TO create agitation and senti-
ment against our present system OF railroads.
Let Us rather endeaYor 10 convince the railroad
people that their interests bound up 10 our
commercial prosperity; let Us endeayOr by CON-
blnaIlOn aud prac, able means OF Dossible) TO
bring about early concessions that win benefit
and increase our trade What san Francisco
needs above ali is 10 be tie distributing point for
a larger territory than heretofore. and 10 divert
Jobbing trade TO san Francisco instead Of other
points.
Most San Francisco Iobbers paying as they do
from $50 TO $50 per year TO the Traffic ASso-
citation, joined for the purpose OF increasing and
endeaVoriBg 10 create altagOnsIic feelings be
tween the railroads ana The merchants. San
Francisco should receive The benefits OF terminal
and dsiIibutiYe rates. This eau hardly be ac-
cOmpShed by stirring up strife between the
merchants and tile railroad companies. but
rather by calm and united business efforts from
business standpoint.
TO build competing railroads and encourage
competing lines OF steamships are business prop
DSittODs. rs The most important of all business
propositions now confronting Our merchants and
jobbers is The making OF this city a larger dis
trlbuling point for our jobD~rs and manufactur
ers. Business ideas by combination OF business
men can alone accomplish this mueh-needed
benefit 10 our city and us Trade.
IsIDoR JACOBS.
THE CAT DIED OE GpIEE