Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-10-23

the city fathers drop the ak upon the
neck Of some dlsloyal politician. Po-
lice Commissioner Gunst was unsuc-
coesfm in trying to have the chief Of
police removed from Office, and save
for little newspaper talk the contro-
versy has ended. and business around
the municipal Offices has settled back
into the old routine. The merchants
are organizing to regain lost territory
and are up in body to defeat discrim-
mating freight rates. Two conven-
lions were held here this week, bring
ing many visitors to the city In addi-
tlon TO the large number that are here
now awaiting the opening OF the rae
ing season.
There is an active movement on foot
among the merchants OF this city to
form an organization Of representative
business men, the object of which VIII
be to promote trade along the Coast
and in the interior Of the neighboring
statcs.by substituting steamers to COM
pete with the regular steamship lines
and thereby reducing transportation
charges, which at present are prohibit
Org and cut san Francisco OFF as
distributing point for the territory she
claims as rfghtfully belonging to her.
A similar organization existed few
years ago and the benefits derived We're
decidedly satisfactory to shippers in
general. Competition cut freight rates
and San Francisco became the princi-
pal distributing point for the Pacific
states. But things came too easy, in
terest died out, the competitive vessels
We're absorbed by the corporations con-
trolling the main lines and again trans
potation charges became eXorbitant
and San Francisco found herself shut
out of the field of competition and de-
prived Of the trade in the territories
she now seeks to regain. The rail-
roads are also largely held RESPONSE
BILE for the state Of AFFAIRS MS they eN-
list today. as they have tried to dictate
to the merchants the limit Of the ter
ritory they are entitled to. The effort
of the railroad has been to divide the
trade of the Coast into three divisions
with Portland in the north. Los An
geles In the south and san Francisco
in n part OF California and Nevada To
attain this object dlscrlminnting rates
have been made in favor OF the first
two places named. AS everyone knows,
II s useless to expect relief from the
railroads. hut the great waterway. the
ocean, on which this city Is so adVan-
tageously situated, is open and free,
and IT is to this means of Transports
ton that the merchants look for de-
Mverance In the course of few
weeks Il new line OF steamers, subsi-
died by the Merchants association
VIII he In operation between here and
the northern and southern ports, car
rylng supplies from san Francisco in
to the forbidden field at rates that viii
defy the railroad Determinations. anC
Will. II is hoped, compel them to NEE
the cut or else withdraw from the com
petition.
Tho sixth annual convention OF thu
California Miners association Is In SEES
sion here this week and nearly foul
hundred delegates from ell parts o
the state are in attendance. The
question of creating new cabinet
position. that Of secretary Of mines
viii come up for discussion, as 1t seem
to he the unanimous desire of the dele
gates that Congress create a depart
ment 10 look after the interests %
mining in general and no doubt res
ohtlon will be drafted to Congress 70
that purpose.
The Grand Lodge of California, Ere
md Accepted Masons, held their forty
eighth annual meeting last week. TIL
main feature NJ the meeting WINS tn
appropriation NJ 100000 for the henefi
NJ the Masonic Widows and Orphans
Home recently established in Alamed
county,
Another fountain has been presente
10 the city Of San Francisco, maxim
the third for the present year. TIL
last monument was unveiled with i'm
prcssivc ceremonies on Sunday OCtohc
18th. and was erected TO the memoir
of Robert Louis Stevenson, tho noel
ist. and is the Eift OF host Of his sd