The San Francisco call., 1899-10-28
THE FIGHT FOR THE COMMISSION
ERSHIP

!
! \A| California, Oregon and Washington were en-
gagged in conference for the purpose of uniting
upon plan for defending the trade interests Of the
coast and seeking candidate whom all could
| agree to recommend to the President for appoint
ment to the vacancy in the Interstate Commerce
| Commission, the Southern Pacific Company, indif-
ferent to the desires of the business men of the
and careless OF the welfare OF their industries
about with swift and secret energy to orestall
them.
! petition was drawn up by Judge Carpenter, at
the instigation OF w. F. Herrin requesting the ap-
pontment OF N. P. Chipman to the office, and
efforts were made in various parts of the State to
obtain signatures to it The trick was exposed by
The Call on October IS and the railroad company at
procured the transmission of the petition the
President by Senator Perkins. That petition is now
at Washington while yet the request of the con-
ference representing the business men OF the three
States OF the coast has not reached him.
This trick the part of the company is but
another evidence OF the contempt with which Hun
tington regards the people of the Pacific Coast and
the sneak methods which he has taught his agents
here to employ in circumventing every movement
designed for the public welfare The Traffic Asso-
citation OF this city, and the organizations of other
cities in alliance with it. designed attack upon any
of the rightful interests of the railroad. 1t was
clearly pointed that what they ask would be Of
advantage the roads nasmuch as by protecting the
trade of the cities it would increase the amount
of traffic they supply to the roads In fact, every
step taken by the merchants of the three States
in the direction of harmony of all Pacific Coast in
terests, and it expected that in this movement
at any rate the Huntington push would not antago-
nze the wishes of the people
1t seems to be vain to expect any fair dealing or
| Of +ba, +Of+I De-
cifc Company. 1t is now clear that as soon as it
was known movement would be undertaken to oh
tain Pacific Coast representative the Interstate
Commerce Commission Huntington determined TO
defeat it if he could He adopted his old plan OF
putting forward candidate OF his own His agents
hurried the scheme through with much secrecy as
possible, and would have achieved complete sur
prise had it not been for the watchf,1lness OF The
Call
We have in this case something OF a repetition of
the tactics of the Southern Pacific in trying to force
upon the Legislature the acceptance OF Dan Burns to
the United States Senate Either the railroad would
have its own candidate or it would have none So
the railroad agents in the State are out fighting
against the appointment of William R Wheeler who
has been recommended by the business men of Cali
fornia, Oregon and Washington at their conference
in this city They have set forth to beat him simply
because he is Pacific Coast candidate They are
acting in accordance with the settled policy of the
Southern Pacific to oppose the advancement of any
and every the coast who is not subservient to
the railroad itself
Such is the situation that confronts the people
The choice is now between supporting Mr. Wheeler
or the railroad candidate The issue cannot be
evaded Every member OF Congress from California
from Oregon and from Washington should unite
with the Traffic Association and its allied organiza-
tons in urging the appointment OF Wheeler. The
efforts OF the railroad to defeat him should be
promptly met. The fight is on Once more Cali
fornia has to meet her old foe and it behooves her
people to act with vigor.