The San Francisco call., 1897-10-23
v HELLER SAYS
NO COMPROMISE
Another Merchant Thinks
That Better Than Fight
ing Too Long.
Freight Agent Connors Makes
a Novel Proposition to
the Merchants.
Willing for Them to Run His Line
on a Subsidy PrOposition-Can-
vasseTs All Named.

The committee of merchants who have
the matter OF establishing q steamer line
between this city and Portland in hand
met yesterday morning in the San Fran
cisco Board of Trade rooms. The meet.
ing was private and nothing beyond a
general discussion took place except that
Chairman Watkins handed in his list of
the eighteen men he had concluded to
name as canvassers for subscriptions to
the undertaking. They will all be noti-
fed Immediately OF the appointments IS
made and asked to meet with the commit
tee at another meeting TO be held Mon
day afternoon. In case they all agree to
serve the list will at that time be given
forth for publication.
The talk of q compromise is now being
mooted among the merchants. As was
told yesterday in an exclusive article in
THE CALL the steamship companies are
now growing more pacific in the matter.
In fact it was adm lifted by Captain Good
all that the rates had been raised at the
solicitation of the Portland merchants
and that San Francisco merchants should
have been given a hearing in the matter.
But compromise is not plain sailing
by any means. w. r. Wheeler o: Hol-
brook, Merrill & Stetson Is OF the opinion
that such a thing is not 10 be co nSidered
for a moment while A. Watkins of W.
w. Montague & Co. takes the opposite
horn of the dilemma.
-Four years ago a similar movement
was on foot" sal Mr.. Wheeler, 'tand a
com promise was effected in that instance.
By a compromise l mean that the COM
pany came forward and satisfac ctorily ad-
justed their rates. But the conditions
are constantly changing, ana the rates
adjusted under a high transcontinental
tariff cannot serve suitably under a low
one. As has been said before, this is a
case of salvation with u.s. Are we to be
restricted o the Sacramento and San
JOAQUIN valleys for trade, or can we reach
out and take that which by geographical
conditions rightfulIy belong to US? We
do not want the trade of New Orleans, but
we do want the trade that is ours by
right"
Mr.. Watkins believes that if a compro-
mise can be effected it will be for the best,
as ne thinks there is nothing for anybody
! IN lighting. But at the same time he
keeps right on in his work of making
com mmittees, and seems inclined to think
that in case OF compromise the only WY
to get favorable terms is to be we'll armed.
Freight Agent Connors of the Oregon
Railway and Navigation Company now
makes what on its lace looks like a bluff.
I
his own line and run it under certain coz
ditions.
Instead of getting other steamers" he
said yes erday. "Pll tell you what the
merchants can do. They can take our
steamers, give US subsdy or guarantee
us ag, inst 10 and run things TO suit
themselves. How's that for a proposi-
tion2'
Neither does Mr.. Connors believe that
the merchants of this city are discrim-
mated against in any particular. This is
what he has 10 say about it:
/ cannot see how San Francisco is discrimi.
mated against, anyhow. II our markets have
been filled with stocks at such low rates as
has been said and as is undoubtedly the fact
the San Francisco merchant has big advan.
tage over the men OF Portland Tor to all poin Is
north of PendIeton on our lines the rate from
Fan Francisco is the same from Portland
pins only , cents hundred pounds in carload
/ lots and ~ cents in less than carload lots TC
points on the line south of Pendieton the raj tes
are the same from san Francisco as from Por t.
land, plus cents in carload lots and 10 ents
! otherwise. This extra charge includes marine
! insurance for the iull value OF the goods tc
! Portland. and there is no cnarge for drayage
such as Port and must pay. l do not see how
! the San Francisco merchants expect TO 60 inic
! Portland and lake away the local Portland