The record-union., 1893-05-04
SAN FRANCIsCo's sELFTsHNEss
Pointed Remarks of Stockton News
paper.
Stockton independent. April 29th. 7

POlnteu remarks of a Stockton News
paper.
Stockton Independent, April 29th.l
California river improvement did not
receive much attention at the Trans
mississippi Convention. 1t NAV be said
that Stockton should not complain be-
cause its people neglected themselves by
not being represented. Sacramento was
represented and so were other parts of
the State, but there is no mention that
the representatives of the river districts
accomplished anything. San Diego, San
Francisco and Oakland harbors were not
neglected. Those places were repre-
sented, and their representatives gave no
heed to the Improvement of the rivers
Although San Francisco pretends 10 be
| deeply Interested in the development of
the interior of the State, the rivers re-
ceived no attention from its delegate.
What they want is the improvement OF II
harbor that Is already boasted OF as one
OF the best III the world. Their pre-
tended zeal for cheaper transportation for
the State is all pretense, and nothing but
pretense. This is shown by an interview
with Manager Leeds of the Traffic Asso-
citation of that city, published i'll Thurs
day evenings Report In that interview
Leeds sneers at the Fresno canal project
and the improvement of the san Joaquin
River. He makes the ridiculous assertion
that it would take fifteen days to carry
cargo from Tulare or Kern County TO the
bay by water, and assumes other equally
absurd positions as il they were based on
established facts. In the course of his
remarks he asserts that the valley soil
precludes the practicability of maintain
ing canal, aud displays ignorance of the
valley i'll other respects. His asSump-
tlonS are rendered all the more ridiculous
Wnen offered as arguments against the
knowledge of facts as stated by II. j.
Corcoran OF this city.
Leeds present hobby is the San Joa-
quin Valley Railroad, which, it is plain,
is project that is yet in the remote
future. He seems to fear that the I'M
provement OF the rivers will interfere
with the success of that railroad in which
he manltests great interest, because he
and the Traffic Association imagine that
1t Worries the Southern Pacific They
showed a like devotion to the Salt Lake e
railroad, but abandoned it at n moment
when they could have done it some good,
and defeated bill in the Legislature that
would have fastened its completion.
W hat the San FranciscanS want is to pro
mote the growth OF their city at the ex-
pense of the interior, and the sooner the
people of the interior realize it the better.
The latter ioolishly relied on san Fran
cisco to represent all California Interests
at the congress and were disappointed,
but should not be, for there has been
abundant evidence long before them that
San Francisco people are too short
sighted and too selfish to care for any
thing but themselves and the present
They view with dismay the rows OF
empty houses, and the fact that printers
find profit in striking off ''to rent cards.
They see the trade they once enjoyed
going to Portland, to Seattle, to Tacoma
and To interior cities of this State, and
founder madly in their efforts, not to re-
cover the trade, but to injure that of other
places. In Leeds they find fitting
instrument, and he. seeing the prejudices
and selfishness that blind them, humors
both to his own profit. He is not es-
pecially opposed to the interior. 1t is a
mere matter of business with him. lie
would not pose as a stupid man without
being well paid, but like an attorney who
cares only tor his fee and argues plausi-
bic absurdities to befog court or jury,
Leeds talks nonsense to please his bigoted
clients.