The herald., 1896-04-07
II IS FOR A FREE HARBOR
UNANIMOUS MEETING YESTERDAY OF THE
LEAGUE
4 Stirring Address to the Citizens Of Los
Angeles Who Hay Read and There Learn
The Mass Meeting to be Held Tommorrow
Nlght-Other Labor Endorsements

ABOUT twenty persons attended the free
harbor meeting at o o'clock yesterday
morning at the chamber of commerce as
eembiy room. L. W. Blinn, the able pres.
and carried that the secretary be in
etructed to forward to Senator White and
congressman McLachlan a dispatch urg-
ing that they take a stand on the harbor
question in line with the policy advocated
editorially in THE HERALD, and which is
believed to represent the opinion of a ma.
1orlty of prominent citizens--to restore the
full amount of 100000 originally pro-
posed to be appropriated for the improve
ment OF the inner harbor at San Pedro, to
push the proposed amendment for an ap-
preparation to estimate the cost of dredg-
ing the bar to depth of twenty-five feet,
and to transfer the proposed appropriation
of $2,SOO.OOO for the construction of an
outer harbor at Santa Monica to San Pc
dro. The committee appointed to draw
up an address calling a mass meeting of
citizens reported as follows:
THR ADDRESS
To the citizens of Los Angeles and vicin-
ity:
This is critical period in the history of
Los Angeles and Southern California. Up
on the action of congress in regard to the
location of a government deep.water har-
Dor for this section depends largely our
commercial independence and consequent
ly our future prosperity. The exception
ally favored commercial location of Los
Angeles, on the shortest line between the
Pacific and Atlantic oceans, at the foot of
low mountain passes. insures us the trade
between this coast and Asia; also, after the
Nicaragua canal shall have been comptet-
ed, still more extensive and worldwide
commerce.
Unfortunately, the knowledge of these
facts has aroused the cupidty of grasp.
ing and avaricious corporation, which for a
quarter of o century has held two thirds of
this great state in bondage. Tho wonder
full growth that has been made by Los
Angeles and Southern California during
the past ten years, in comparison with
San Francisco and the northern part of
the state. is undoubtedly due to the fact
that we have enjoyed the blessing of over
land railway competition, while our neigh
bors in the north have been at the ten.
der mercies of a single railway monop.
oily that has, vampire-like, sucked the life.
blood OF commerce, killed honest ambition
and demoralized the community by open
and notorious bribery and corruption.
That same corporation has, with devilish
persistence and ingenuity, backed by the
free use OF metallic arguments, been seek
ing to add Southern California to the terri.
tory which it rules by diverting millions of
the peoples money from a free.harbor
site. thrice recommended by government
engineers. to one where the Southern Pa
ciic would control the water front, as it
does in Oakland.
1t is known fact that Mr.. Huntington
controls majority of the bonds of the At
lanlic and Pacific road. This was shown
by the refusal of that road to become \
party to the recent Santa Fe reorganiza-
ton. 1t is fact we'll known that at the
present time the road is connected with
the Santa Fe system c1ly through tempo
rary traffic arrangements that may be
terminated at any time that the Southern
Pacific may take possession of it. With a
a q hnp h,riI For h. A.
ment, Mr.. Huntington would be in a
position to throw such obstacles in the
way as to prevent the construction of
the long.looked-for road from Salt
Lake, and we should then be practically
at the mercy of the Southern Pacific COM
pany, as are the people of San Francisco.
In short. San Pedro will be a free harbor,
open to the transportation systems of the
country on terms of absolute equality.
The contrary is true of the site which has
Tece!sed eiS the sanction only of the Southern
Pacific company and its hired experts, and
which would be virtually the property of a
corporation that stands for the apotheosis
of railroad monopoly.
The time has arrived when patience on
the part OF the people of this section ceases
rapidly growing community trying for
years in vain to obtain modest annual ap.
preparation for free. open harbor that has
been repeatedly indorsed by government
experts. eH while a private harbor, for which
which the engineers have Character
lied as undesirable for purposes
OF commerce and defense, is Of
fered 81. 900. 900. it is certainly time for
free and independent citizens of Los An
geles to express in no uncertain language
their astonishment and Indignation at so
outrageous and alarming condition of
AFFAIRS, and to denolince in plain terms the
absurd and insulting arguments of those
hired tools of this unscrupulous corpora
ton VINO wonId have us believe that it
barter her commercial prosperity for q little
assistance in deepening the inner harbor at
San Pedro.
The effort of these individuals to have
the labor element indorse the nefarious
scneme IS 1urther insult to the intelligent
worningmen OF this section. The Southern
Pacific was the first corporation on the
Pecihc coast to oimport and employ Chinese
coolies on large scale, and it still con.
tlnues to employ them wherever they can
De used TO advantage. 1t is now, in con-
travention of the alien labor law import.
ing and employing ignorant Mexican and
Indian poems from Mexico. The rock to
be used in constructing government bar.
Dor at Mr.. Huntington's site would be pur.
chased OF Mr.. Huntington. the cost of
transportation would be paid to him. and
the work done by cheap imported labor.
Such being the facts of the case, the Free
Harbor League calls upon citizens of this
section to assemble at the east front of
the courthouse on New High and Temple
streets on Wednesday evening, April Sth.
at 80 p. M. to express their opinion on
this contemplated outrage in such uurnis-
taxable terms as will remove any remajn-
ing uncertainty in the minds of our repre-
sentatives and of congress as to the atti-
tude of the people of Southern California
in regard to the harbor question.
This report, signed "The Free Harbor
League of Los Angeles, by ". d. Wool !
wine, secretary" was. on motion, adopted
and ordered printed. BY special arrange.
ment a special train will be run from Sal.
Pedro to this city tomorrow evening to ac-
commodate those who wish to attend the |
meeting. Eloquent speakers, among whom
will be H. L. Hazard, George f. Patton, j. |
r. Rush. j. r. Newberry, w. c. Patterson
and W. L. Moore, and good music, will be |
the features, and a most enthusiastic |
gathering is looked for.
MORE ENDORSEMENTS
Following is copy of a telegram sent |
yesterday to the Hon. Stephen M. White |
and the Hon. James McIachlan:
We, tie officers of the undersigned |
labor ss,ions of the city of Los Angeles,
most = earthly endorse the telegram for
wards ~ you yesterday, signed by the
o1ae }s of sister unions.
is was signed by the Tin, Sheetiron