The San Francisco call., 1896-04-07
GRASP OF A MONOPOLY.
Southern California in Danger of
Falling Into the Clutches
of Huntington.
MAss.MEET1NG TO BE HELD.
Stirring Call Issued From the League
Headquarters-Labor Unions
Send Petitions.

LOS ANGELES, CAL. April 6.-Nothing
daunted by the fact that the river and
harbor bill passed the House carrying an
appropriation of only $50, 900 for dredging
the inner harbor at San Pedro and nothing
for Santa Monica, the partisans of these
seaport rivals for Government favors con-
tinue their contention over the question as
to which should receive the support of
Uncle Sam.
Caucusing and telegraphing between Los
Angeles and Washington continue. A
meeting of the Free-harbor League was
held at the Chamber of Commerce this
morning. The secretary was instructed
to forward to Senator White and
Representative McLachlan dis
patch asking them to take a
position on the harbor question which, in
the opinion of nearly every prominent
citizen of Southern California, was the
best for the interest of Los Angeles at this
iuncture-to restore the full amount of
1892, 200 originally proposed to be appro-
prlated for the improvement of the inner
harbor at San Pedro. to push the pro-
posed amendment for an appropriation,
to estimate the cost of dredging the bar to
depth of twenty-five feet, and to transfer
the proposed appropriation of 50, S00,0 600
for the construction of an outer harbor at
Santa Monica to San Pedro. The greatest
enthusiasm was evoked when the commit
tee appointed to draw up call for mass
meeting submitted the following fiery re-
port, which was adopted:
To the citizens of Los Angeles and vicinity:
This is critical period in the history of Los
Angeles and Southern California Upon the
action OF Congress in regard to the loca ton of
Government deep-water harbor for this Sec
ton depends largely our commercial indepen-
dence and consequently our future prosperity.
The exceptionally favored commercial loca-
ton of Los Angeles, on the shortest line be-
tween 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 com pleted,
a still more extensive and worldwide COM
merce.
Unfortunately the knowledge of these facts
has aroused the cupidity of a grasping and
avaricious corporation, which for quarter of
a century has held two-thirds of this great
State in bondage. The wonderful growth that
has been made by Los Angeles and South
ern California during the past ten wears
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
overland railway competition, while our neigh
bors in the north have been at the tender
mercies of single railway monopoly that has.
vampire-like, sucked the life-blood of COM
merce killed honest ambition and demoralized
the community by open and notorious bribery
and corruption.
That same corporation has, with deyilish
persistence and ingenuity, backed by the free
use of metallic arguments, been seeking to add
Southern California to the territory which 1t
rules by diyerting millions OF the peoples
money from free harbor site, thrice recon-
mended by Government engineers, to one
where the Southern Pacific would control the
water 'front.' as it does in Oakland.
II is a known fact that Mr. Huntington con-
trolls a majority OF the bonds of the Atlantic
and Pacific road. This was shown by the re-
fusal OF the road to become party to the re-
cent Santa Fe reorganization. 1t is a fact
well known that at the present time
the road is connected with the San
ia Fe system only through temporary
traffic arrangements, that may be terminated
at any time that the Southern Pacific NAV
take possession of it, With private harbor
built for him by the Government, Mr. Hunt
lngton would be in a position to throw such
obstacles in the way as to prevent the construc-
tion OF the long-looked-for road from Salt Lake
and we should then be practically at tho
mercy of the Southern Pacific Company. as are
the people of San Francisco.
In short, San Pedro will be free harbor.
open to the transportation systems of the
country on terms of absolute equality The
contrary is true of the site which has received
the sanction only of the Southern Pacific Com
pany and its hired experts, and which would
be virtually the property of 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 to be
virtue. When we see rich and rapidly
growing community trying for years in vain to
obtain modest annual appropriation ior
free, open harbor, that has been re-
peatedly indorsed by Government experts.
while private harbor for which the
people have not asked and which the enpi
neers have characterized as undesira BILE for
purposes of commerce and defense, is offered
So, 900, 900, it is certainly time for free
and Independent citizens of Los Angeles
to express in no uncertain language their
astonishment and Indignation at so outra-
geous and alarming a condition of affairs.
and to denounce in plain terms the absurd
and insulting arguments of those hired tools
of this unscrupulous corporation, who would
have US believe that it would be good thing
for Los Angeles to barter her ommercial pros
perity for little assistance in deepening the
inner harbor at San Pedro.
The effort of these individuals to have the
labor element indorse the nefarious scheme is
further insult to the intelligent workingmen
of this section. The Southern Pacific was the
first corporation on the Pacific Coast to import
and employ Chinese coolies on large scale,
and it continues to employ them wherever
they can be used to advantage.
1t is now, in contrayention of the alien labor
law, importing and employing ignorant Mexi-
can and Indian poems from Mexico. The rock
to be used in constructing Government har-
Dor at Mr.. Huntington's site would be pur-
chased of MI Huntington. the cost of trans
portation would be paid TO him.. and the work
done by cheap imported labor.
Such being the facts of the case, the Free
Herbor Leagne calls upon citizens OF this sec
ton to assemble at the east front of
the courthouse on New High and Tenn
pie streets on Wednesday evening, April S,
at 80 o'clock, to express their opinion
on this contemplated outrage in such unmis-
taxable terms as will remove any remaining
uncertainty in the minds of our repre- senta7
tives and of Congress as to the attitude of the