The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-04-24
,ges Carr1ger Acnnit,ed
SAN FRANOIsOos sELFIsHNEss.
Why She Has Been HowIing at the
Railroad,
[Petaluma Courier, April 1 9TH

LPetaluma Courier, April 9th.1
About year ago there was quite con-
siderable ructlon in San Francisco bust
ness circles anent the transportation cues
ton. There was much frothing at the
mouth and great deal of loud talk about
promoting competing overland railroad.
The Traffic Association was formed. and
all who refused to bow down and worship
the Traffic Association were branded as
hereticS or knaves.
At that time the Courier at the risk of
being classed among the subsidized. and
accused of wearing railroad collar. VEN
tured to predict that nothing for the gem
eral interest of the whole State would
come of all this; that nothing of the kind
would be seriously attempted: that no
competing railroad would eventuate: that
there would be no rational, legitimate,
substantial effort in that behalf: that in
stead some device would be discovered
which would almost or quite benefit San
Francisco alone, to the exclusion of the
interior, II not at the expense of the in
terror.
This prediction was founded upon and
justified by antecedent facts and expert
ences. To all of the worst discrimina-
tons that have been causes of complaint
against the overland railroad companies
San Francisco has been pdrttcepS c7'i1ni,lis
not by any means passive, but most
active and efficient alder and abettor.
For years and years that city was the
only terminal point on this coast to
which through rates. were granted.
Interior points lying much nearer the
sources OF supply and through which the
supplies, by carloads and trainloads.
must pass in order to reach San Fran
cisco, were charged through rates. to
that city, and local rates'' thence back
to their place of destination. To many
In skttfN nod frNt h.,
railroad problem" this looked very much
like gouge, and the more crankily in
clined were wont to denounce it as a
monstrous gouge. But San Francisco
shared a part of the plumber and could
not see it in that light. The interior re-
monstrated. San Francisco was shocked
and demonstrated with the remonstrants.
But after awhile the ,rumblings from
the interior were heard at Fourth and
Townsend streets-and needed. San
Francisco's monopoly of through rates.
was broken up. Other natural distribut-
ing points were made sharers of her adj
vantages in this respect. Then San
Francisco broke loose. All pretense to
the contrary is false pretense. And there
fore the Courier was justified in assuming
that San Francisco's bowels of compass
sion were untitled for the digestion of
any other than San Francisco's griey-
ances, and that no remedies would be de-
vised except such as were calculated to
relieve San Francisco's bowellary diff
culties.
The Cou,Ter's diagnosis was correct.
Its prophecy has been fulfilled. There is
no competing road, nor any serious
thought of one, nor has there been any
substantial inducement offered in that
behalf But instead we have the North
American Steamship Company, with its
competitive benefits for San francisco
exclusively. The interior begins to
shiver. 1t thinks it has been lett out in
the cold. San Francisco points to the
thermometer, which indicates tempera-
ture ranging along IN the fifties and six
ties-points to the thermometer and
smilesl