The record-union., 1893-05-01
THAT SALT LAKE RAILROAD.

The San Francisco Bulletin says in
recent issue that when the proposed COM
peting overland railroad came TO halt
for the time being, there was joy on the
part of the retainers of the monopoly.
There was Joy in other localities, espe-
cially in San Francisco. There are two
parties in the Bay City, one, who from
the outset believed that an adjustment of
freight rates could be so devised that
overland transportation would be tribu-
tary to San Francisco's supremacy as
distributing point, and another who be-
lieved that the only way for the accom-
plishment of what San Francisco desires
was by the sea.
The overland party succeeded in Great
ing an organization to build competing
road to Salt Lake, but it was killed in
San Francisco, by San Francisco and by
no one else. The resolutions of the Traffic
Association denouncing the proposed
consolidation of corporations to build
the road killed the Salt Lake project.
The overland party, or element in the
Traffic Association, concluded at the out
set that the way to regulate freights and
fares in California was to obtain control of
the State Railway Commission and regu-
| late through that instrumentality. Fail
| ing in this, an attempt was made to
amend the Constitution by incorpo-
rating in the organic law classification
of freights. This proposition originated
! in the fact that Mr.. Leeds knows more,
perhaps, of railroading than of constitu-
tional law. The measure was grotesque,
absurd and impracticable. and was, there
fore, easily defeated. In fact, it had no
friends who were friends from conviction
of its practicability in either body of the
Legislature.
The utter failure of Mr.. Leeds to ac-
complish anything in the direction of
changing or modifying or otherwise
affecting overland transportation by the
construction of overland railroads gave
the party or element in favor of the sea
their opportunity. Experiment on land
was abandoned for experiment by sea.
San Francisco did raise 100000 for the
establishment of a steamship line so as
| to advance her sea communication
with the world. She had right to do
| this. There is not an individual in the
State of California who denies to her this
right But the significance of it should
not be lost sight of. San Francisco has
never contributed to the constructio OF
overland railroads, or railroads any
where, and will not do so. The sea as a
factor in the commerce which centers at
| San Francisco at one time in the history
of this State conferred upon San Fran
cisco absolute supremacy as the metro
politan center of the commerce of the
whole coast.
The Bay City is welded to past tradi-
tions in this, and we think the results of
that this opinion is well founded, that
San Francisco will be restored to her
original position only by the destruction
of railroads and a return TO the isolation
of the State. Overland transportation
has never been popular with that city
and never can be in the very nature OF
things. But when our contemporary de-
clares that rates made by the ocean
should not be met by overland transpor-
tation, it simply makes itself absurd.
The question is not whether it ought tc
be. In the very nature of things it will
be.
1t finds fault with this paper for say
ing that railroads connecting Atlantic
States with the Pacific Ocean will be
obliged to meet the competition offered