The San Francisco call., 1895-10-12
PROGRESSIVE JAPAN.

1t is somewhat startling to learn that
the Yu Sir Kusha Steamship Company of
Japan has decided to put on line of
steamers between Hongkong and Yoko-
hama and the Pacific Coast of the United
States, and that its representatives are in
specting our coast with a view to the
selection of a port. 1t is interesting to be
informed that the company seems to favor
some place to the Dortnward of San Fran
cisco, preferably Oh Puget Sound, for the
reason that it fears to encounter the ex-
cessive overland charges which the
monopoly enjoyed by the Southern Pacific
Company enables it to impose. The Half
million Club will undoubtedly take imme-
diate cognizanee of the situation and do
all in its power to induce the Japanese
company to select San Francisco.
That company might well reflect that
very important changes are beginning
which the advent of its steamships would
hasten, and that out OF these readiust-
ments will proceed a curing of the evil
which it fears. 1t is true that If it should
select Puget Sound, it would tap number
of competing railroads to the East, while
at San Francisco it would encounter a
monopoly of one. 1t is true also =
and this is the worst feature of all
that the Southern Pacific Com pany's
interests are intimately identified with
those of the existing trans-Paeific steam
ship lines, and that in all likelihood this
relation would be employed against the
Japanese line. 1t is too late now for San
Francisco to mourn its lack of enterprise,
independence and foresight in having
foiiad bC fba ,ar,+ 0f
overland lines, to be ready for such con-
tingency as that which is now presented,
but the City is not altogether powerless in
the premises.
1t is able, for instance, to make show
ing like this. The fact has been learned at
last that the retardation of California s
growth has been produced by the heavy
transportation charges of the Southern Pa
ciic; that under normal conditions OF
traffic the development of California would
be SO great as to warrant the presence of
one or more competing lines; that the
charges imposed by the Southern Pacific
could be heavily cut by a new line and
still be profitable; that we are rapidly ap-
preaching the time when such compet-
ing lines must be built, which will re-
duce charges and thus develop the
State, and that the entrance into San
Francisco OF an independent line of steam
ships from the Orient would insure the
happening OF that event. For that matter
there can be no reasonable doubt that the
Japanese company, by Intelligent work
among Eastern capitalists and with the
cooperation of San Francisco, could in
sure the construction of the desired CON-
peting line and the forming of traffic
arrangement with it which would make
it impossible for the Southern Pacific
and its afiliating trans-Paciic steam
ship lines to compete. 1t would be
irrational for the Japanese company to
assume that San Francisco will never
enjoy such overland competition as that
which the Puget Sound region now
possesses. This is a subject which has a
future as well as present.
The Half-million Club will be equal to
the emergency. There is no likelihood
that the Japanese company will act
hastily or that San Francisco will neglect
the great opportunity which is presented.