The San Francisco call., 1899-12-08
ST. LOUIS GETS
UNEXPECTED AID
IN CALIFORNIA
Country Papers Start
Rear Fire.
ATTACK JOBBERS OF COAST

The members of the Pacific Coast Job
bers' and Manufacturers Association
nave had their attention called to the
TACT that certain newspapers published
at interior points in this State have been
advising their readers that their inter-
ests were rather with the St. Louis and
other Middle West jobbers than with the
association in the coming hearing I'm this
city before the Interstate Commerce Com
mission. There is no Disgusting the fact
that this feature of the case is displeas-
ing TO the association. Traffic Manager
Loveland said yesterday:
Since my return from the hearing be-
fore the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion at st. Louis, my attention has been
called TO the attitude taken by some Of
the papers in the interior towns of the
State, which, while unquestionably hon
est, SHOWS misunderstanding of the case
Whlch We should. II seems TO me- at least
try TO correct. The position is taken that
the 1obbers OF the Middle West are justi-
hed In this attempt to secure business on
the coast and that the retailers and con-
sumers would be benefited should they be
successful In their contention. Let us dis
cuss the matter from the standpoint Of
the retailer and consumer
Onder the present tariff the jobbers
oI tne Middle West and of this coast are
serving the trade of this section. Neither
Is barred. and the pIaintiff's own wit
n;ess;es, t;;, the jobbers of st. Louis and other
similarly situated cities, testified at the
recent hearing that they had done bust
ness on the coast right along since the
adoption OF this tariff, and that their
ira traue Is increasing. This is as 1t should
De, as the retailers and consumers OF the
coast nave the advantage Of healthy COM
petition. This condition of affairs is sat
lstactory TO the jobbers of the coast
The coast jobbers claim no pre-emp-
ton OF this territory or exclusive right
10 the business therein, but have simply
invested their capital in the jobbing bust
ness, expecting TO meet the competition
of one another and OF any locality so
situated as TO be able 10 offer goods In
this market. We claim that II is TO the
advantage of the retailers and consum-
ers TO have the large shippers given a
carload rate, thereby enabling them to
carry stocks at the different jobbing CEN
ters,, greatly TO the convenience of the
retailers, giving them a base of supplies
near home, where they can get such arti-
cIeS as they would not under any cir
cumstances buy in carloads, and at a
price based upon carload freight instead
OF less than carload.
Would 1t be To the advantage of the
retailers and consumers to have the term
inal between carload and less than car
load done away with? The interior pa-
pers say that If this were true they could
ship lO0-pound lots as cheaply as the lob
Der can ship. carload; and that the mar
ket In which they can buy would mate
rally widen. Granting that this is true.
they could not buy their goods for any
less than they do now, while buying OF
local jobbers, for the reason that their
purchases in the East would not eatitle
them 10 as low price as the joboer gets
because he buys in larger quantities.
They also overlook the fact that If they
could ship as cheaply as the jobber. the
large department stores OF the East could
also ship at that rate and would imme-
diately begin TO supply the consumers to
the detriment of the retailer. We claim
that the best possible condition is the one
now existing, which enables the jobbers
OF different sections TO compete for the
business of the coast"