The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-06
THE TIDE THIS WAY.
California in Second Place for
Oriental Trade.
SAN Dieeo's DISAPPOINTMENT.
The Most Coveted Commercial Prize Of
the Day Coming TO the Ports OF
Puget Sound.

Another evidence OF the Importance OF
the new japanese steamship line 30 So
attic and OF how California IS feeling aer
defeat IN not getting the line, IS contalaco
in an editorial in the San Diego Union or
July e. The Union says the tide or ORR
entail trade Is passing California ny ana
setting 10 the northward. and il deplores
the fact that California seems 10 be out
of.the race. The article follows:
There is an unpleasant significance
about the selection OF Seattle as the Pa
cffic coast terminal OF The new steamer
line which a wealthy Japanese company
is about 20 put in operation. Four cities
besides Seattle were anxious TO secure me
prize, and made efforts 10 obtain IL Ihese
were Tacoma, Portland. san Francesca
and San Diego. Los Angeles also wanted
The steamers TO touch at some point On
the coast near that city. but beyond news
pa,er talk little or no effort was made,
ard Los Angeles can hardly be SAID 10
have been a competitor. IL rather looks.
too. now that the fight Is probably ended.
al least so far as this particular me IS
concerned as II the two California cities
that really sought 20 obtain the steamer
Iine-San Francisco and San Diego-were
scarcely considered. II Is true. an agent
of the japanese company spent some days
making investigations al the former
place. but as now appears. at That very
time contract was being closed that
would make Seattle the terminal And so
IL is tolerably plain that from the nrst
the selection lay between some OF the
ports far TO the north.
1T Is true there are San Diegans who
are skepticaI as TO the deal having been
finally closed. AS noted in another col
umn. these gentlemen do not regard the
matter as settled, ard they believe that
this city stiil has a chance. Ii Is 10 be
hoped that such may be the case But
for all that IL iooxs very much as though
il would be no easy task TO disposscss Sc
attic OF the prize.
1T is useless 10 deny that the outcome
is very Disappointing to San Diego. The
principal ground for hoping that the
steamers would be brought here was the
fact that this port is hundreds OF miles
nearest 10 the gulf states from which the
Japanese are now importing large guam
titles OF cotton, which will be doubled or
even trehled in the near future. The out
come, however, has really broader sig
niffcance than the deprivation OF this city
or San Francisco OF a coveted increase of
commerce. The result emphasizes the
fact that has been gradually becoming aa-
parent OF late years. that the tide OF ORR
entail trade is passing California by and
settling 10 the northwarc. The trade OF
China and Japan is the most coveted COM
nerciaI prize OF the present day. IL will
be unfortunate for this entire state If this
trade goes elsewhere.
The causes which induced the japanese
company TO select the far northern port
are not difficult TO find. IL was not that
the harbor there was better or that a
larger local trade was offered. Ii was
simply a question of railroad transporta-
ton. and the Great Northern line appears
10 have offered better terms than the
transcontinental lines 10 the south cared
10 give. Flour is one of the commodities
that Japan imports from the United
States in large quantities. The Great
Northern could afford to give rate on
flour low enough 10 compensate for the
long haul that will be necessary for cot
ION from the South.
still, while the selection OF Seattle was
largely determined by railway competition,
IL must be admitted that IL does not speak
we'll for the enterprise OF a great wheat
producing state like California for large
importer OF -four, as Japan is. 10 pass US
by and go 1900 miles inland TO procure
that commodity.
'sOf course the mere fact of one line OF
steamers going to the north OF this state
is far from indicating that California Is
out OF the race for the trade of the Orient.
but 1t must be regarded as unpleasantly
suggestive"