The San Francisco call., 1897-10-20
The Manufacturers and I'm
porters' League Favors a
Competing Line.
PURPOSES OF THE ORGANIZATION.
San Francisco as Distributing Cen.
ter-MerChants Heartily Approve
the Scheme.

The Manufacturers and Importers
League, the purpose of which organiza-
ton affords an excellent example Of the
spirit of enterprise lately stirring local
mercantile circles, is now on firm foot
ing and promises soon to accomplish the
most gratifying results. Ii is also after
the scalp OF the Oregon Railway and
Navigation Company.
The plan OF the organization was fully
stated in THE CALL under date of Sep
tember 26 In brief, it is TO bring dealers
generally from the country here, and
thereby secure trade mutually advan-
tageous to buyer and seller. To do this
the Manufacturers and Producers Asso-
citation united with the wholesale dealers
IN common movement designated the
Manufacturers and importers Leagae,
by which each mem Der contri buted $50 10
a general fund for buying return tickets
10 those dealers who choose TO ta Ike a6van-
tage of the oppor unity. So many men,
bers have joine d the association now that
the time is considered ripe for another
stem; accordingly the following form OF
letter in substance has been supplied TO
mem bers to send dealers of outside dis.
tricts generally:
Dear Sir: The Manufacturers and Produeers'
Association of California, OF which we are a
cOntributory member, has for the past three
years exercised its energies in promoting local
and necessary beneficial work until it
has reached position OF commanding conf
1ence and power.
Patterning after some of the Merchants
Associations in the East, and improving upon
their methods It has marked out a new fine
of work, viz: to aid the mercantile and i'm
porting houses in an effort to reach ont TO
tributary territory and ad joining States, and
thus secure trade mutually advantageous TO
buver and seller.
The association has united with the whole
sale dealers in an annex movement, called
the Manufa cturers' aud Importers League,
and the association has offered our house anu
given US the privilege when writing and IN
viting you to visit our city 10 make trial
purchase OF any OF Its mem bers in any line OF
business at any such business house you may
choose, and when ready TO return they will
give you frs t-class return ticket free.
We would be gratified If you could accept
this offer. and If you choose 10 favor us with
any of your patronage we will endeavor to
establish relations that will command your
future orders.
Ezra w. KeeIer is the special representa-
tive of the association. From him infor-
nation is obtained that within the last
three days applications fer over 1900 free
return tickets have been received from
local mercantile establishments. The ad-
vantages for securing country trade Of
fered by the association are not limited to
any class, but may be secured by all
branches of trade, and in no case has the
request for tickets been for u smaller U M
ber than 80.
In order to give every body a fair show
the time for dealers to visit San Francisco
has been extended 10 EN- brace the period
between October % and Novem ber %, and
they may remain here until Mover Der 30
The travel induced is a present iinitei
from and to stations located on the South
ern Pacific Company roads-El Paso and
efa
tions and Portland and soul bern stations
the Valley road and the Pacific Coast
Steamship Company's lines, which in
clude the following routes:
Between San Francisco and San Diego and
all way ports OF call.
Between San Francisco and ports of call in
Mexico as follows viz: Ensenada, San Jose
del Cabo. Mazatlan. La Paz, Guaymas.
Between San Francisco and Eureka (Hum-
boldt Bay, CALI.
Between San Francisco and Victoria, B. c.,
Port Townsend, Seattle ana Tacoma.
between san Francisco and regular ports OF
call in Alaska.
The conditions under which return tick
cts will be granted are oil stated on the
buyer ticket. One sentence occurring IN
this connection is especially significant,
ana l. printed in italics as follows:
Tickets not good for free re-
turn trip by the Manufacture
ers' and Importers League ON
steamer between Portland and
San Francisco.
This is an important clause, inasmuch
as it totally debars the Oregon Railway
and Navigation Company from sharing
any OF the profits of the passenger traffic
incidental to the movement. 1t demon.
strates pretty conclusiveIy that the mer-
chants are united in seeking The scalps of
those they regard as being responsible for
the agitation OF new freight line between
here and Portland.