The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-05
BROKEN PLEDGES.

1t could hardly have been comforting to
the Democratic majority of the State
Board of Railroad Commissioners to read
the opinion of them which leading mer-
chants of this City have expressed in inter
views published in THE CALL. A proper
consideration of the duties of this COM
mission does not permit an ignoring of the
pledges which a majority of its members
took, because it seems 10 be a rational con-
clusion that it was these pledges which
brought about their election and fastened
the responsibility upon them. Whatever
shrewdness Democratic candidates may
display in securing election on pledges,
they will have to understand that not only
they themselves but the party which
pledged and supported them will be held
accountable.
Mr.. Williams of Williams, Brown & Co.
declares that there have been no material
reductions in freight rates in California
within the past twelve months" and yet
during seven of those months the Demo-
cratic members, who constitute majority
of the Railroad Commission, have been
under pledge to reduce freight rates in
California not less than 25 per cent.
Mr.. Michaels of Langley & Michaels has
declared: 1--WE have never asked for a
reduction, simply because such a proceed
ing would be mere waste of time. Where
there is no competition the question of
rates on a certain article, to a given point,
is wholly within the province of the rail-
road" That is a free sweeping aside of
any interference or control which the Rail
road Commission might exercise under the
law.
Mr.. Roussel, assistant manager of the
Dairymen's Union, has said: 1.-THE rates
are satisfactory to US at the present time,
because we are not shipping anything. 1t
is not our season for doing business in
transportation. If it were, / should say
that the rates would be quite unsatisfac-
tory. It is not alone the rates. The whole
service seems contrary to good business
principles
1t remained for representative of Well
man, Peck & Co. to express theoretically
the supreme contempt in which the ma
jority of the Railroad Commission are
held. He said: "We are simply holding
our breath and waiting for the completion
of the new line. He know of no reduction
in rates; that is to say, a general redue-
ton. Now and then rate on a certain
commodity to a certain point will be re-
duced by the Southern Pacific for the pur-
pose of freezing out competitor or work
ing some other trick of transportation.
Usually the old rate is put on again after a
few months or the charges are increased to
some other point, which evens up the
thing. AS for general reduction on over
land or local rates no one with sound
reasoning capacity ever expects to see
this until the company is actually forced
to change by competition. The Railroad
Commission, though pledged to a reduc-
ton, has taken no action at all, so far as
we are informed. People generally under
stand what the pledge of a Railroad Com
missioner means. The duties of this body
are clearly defined, but evasion seems easy
and is no doubt profitable"
The Democratic majority of the Rail
road Commission is welcome to all the
consolation it can get out of that.