The San Francisco call., 1899-10-29

! that the committee should call again in
have Mr.. Stubbs present.
The committee again visited the yellow
building and met Mr.. Huntington and Mr..
Wakefield Baker, president of the Pacific
| Coast Jobbers and Manufacturers Asso-
ciation; e. H. Lilienthal. H. D. Loveland
traffic manager of the Pacific Coast job
bers and Manufacturers Association; Ed
ward Pond, E. Everett, Charles F. Tay,
L, Guggenheimer. L F. Littleheld, Charles
Brown of the American Steel and Wire
Company.
1t did not take long to reach an under
standing; also an agreement to disagree.
candidacy of General Chapman. On the
contrary he openly said; Chapman is my
candidate; not the candidate Of the South
ern Pacific Company"
This proposition did not deceive any one.
because it was known that the petition
in favor of Chipman was circulated in this
city by X. b. carpenter, an attorney for
the railroad company. and that it was
promoted in Sacramento by D. o. Mills.
The difference between Stubs candidate
and the Southern Pacific candidate, under
! 10 mind sufficiently acute to fathom the
difference between 1tweedle-dum and
difference Chipman stands forth clearly
as the Southern Pacific representative.
The representatives of the Pacific Coast
Jobbers' and Manufacturers Association
I
! plainly, that they would stand solidly be-
hind Mr.. Wheeler, and that the entire
business interests Of the Pacific Coast was
pledged to him. Something being said
about the necessity for a lawyer as a
member of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission, the fact was presented TO Mr..
eminent attorneys in San Francisco, after
reading carefully and studiously the areu-
ment made by w. r. Wheeler at st. Paul,
had declared that the author of that argu
ment had a fine legal and judicial mind.
The discussion lasted some time, but did
not move Mr.. Stubbs or the committee.
! Mr.. Huntington and Mr.. Stubbs were
! given to understand clearly that the
! business men would act as a unit. Some
wholesome truths were uttered concerning
the position in which the Southern Pa
ence to the Commissionership, and the
gentlemen parted. There were no high
words, nor was there any appearance OF
much excitement; but the railroad people
and the committee fully understood that
there could be no agreement on a can
didate. The railroad might talk about
| harmony, but 1t was well understood that
it was not POSSIBLE.
That this marks the opening of a fight
to finish over the Commissionership
there Is not a shadow of doubt The
merchants and manufacturers do not
want Chipman. One of the oldest. most
conservative and successful business men
in the city was heard to say that he
would prefer that the Pacific Coast should
not have the Commissionership rather than
not have the Commissionership rather
than 1t should go to an attorney of the
Southern Pacific Company. Throughout
the commercial community there is the
feeling that to name a railroad attorney
for the place belittles the commission.
Yesterday additional support was given
! to Mr.. Wheeler. The Grocers' Alliance
OF California, numbering 1900 members,
sent notice of the adoption of a resolu~
ton by the alliance requesting the Presi-
dent to appoint Pacific Coast man to
| fill the vacancy upon the Interstate Com
merce Commission and unanimously rec
ommending the appointment of Mr..
Wheeler. The resolutions were signed by
John A Stulz, president, and John NJ
Sullivan, secretary. Tacoma and Seattle
or California. Now all eyes are turned
to the California Congressional delegation
! No California Congressman will be able
to say that he did not know what the
wishes of the business men of the coast
| were. A circular letter has been sent to
every member of the delegation, the body
! or which, clearly setting forth the mat
| ter, is as follows.
In addressing the following request TO YOU
permit us to state first that in the creation
| of the Interstate Commerce Commission con-
slsting OF hve members. the intention of the
| act was that one member should be chosen
| from each geographical subdivision of our
cou1try1the New England states. the Eastern
! or Middle States, the Middle Western States
Mountain States
This is as it should be. In order that that
| body should be composed Of men familiar with
the conditions obtaining in each section
| The coast has thus far not been honored
in the makeup OF this commission pos
sibiy owing to our claims not having
be- been properly urged The business men
! Diego, now alive to the propriety of push
| ing their claims that Pacific Coast man. ,hor-
| oughly familiar with matters pertaining to
railroads in general and freight transportation
in particular, be named by the President to
! fill the existing vacancy. Such man they
have united upon unanimously and with one
accord knowing his superior fitness for the
position. This man is William r. Wheeler
Of Holbrook, Merrill & stetson, San Francisco
Sacramento and Los Angeles.
Mr. Wheeler did not put himself forward as
a candidate for this place, but has been asked
to take the position and is Endorsed by
every Board of Trade Chamber of Commerce
and other trade organizations in California
Oregon and Washington
This the Pacific Coast Jobbers' and Manu-
| facturers' Association Just organized and COM
prising a membership of nearly 300 large busi-
ness houses and manufacturing concerns located
i'm the three States named with headouarters
in this city, earnestly requests your indorse-
ment and active support OF our candidate Mr.
Wheeler.
of Oregon and Washington that their respective
Congressional delegations will act in harmony
with you in this matter.
We want representation this commission;
we unit for Mr.. Wheeler, and respectfully
his early appointment Please favor us with
an early reply.
No answers had been received last
night. The letter was signed by
Wakefield Baker as president. The fol-
lowing telegram was forwarded to the
members Of the Congressional delegations
of Pacific Coast States other than Call
fornia:
SAN FRANCISCO. Oct %. 1899.
The Pacific Coast Jobbers and Manufacturers
Association, three hundred strong covering all
coast cities from Seattle to San Diego, in ses-
sion here yesterday, unanimously indorsed Will
liam r. Wheeler of San Francisco a prominent
Pacific Coast business man, with large knowi-
edge of railroad matters, their candidate for
vacancy Interstate Commerce Commission
They ask your cooperation with coast Con-
gressional delegations in obtaining this recog
milton, and believe the large territory west of
Rockies is entitled to this representation
WAKEFIELD BAKER, President
THOMAS P. SMITH, Secretary.
The Portland Oregonian concerning the
action of the Chamber of Commences of
Portland says: Mr.. Wheeler seems to be
entirely satisfactory to Portland A few
days ago the Chamber of Commerce sent
word to commercial organizations in Pa