The San Francisco call., 1899-10-04
Eastern Business Men
Hard at Work.
SCHEME TO STEAL TERRITORY
TRYING TO KILL THE TRANS
CONTINENTAL TARIFF.
Representatives, of San Francisco
Houses Go North to Confer With
Other Cities That Are
Equally Interested.

''Dengerl Your business interests are
threatened"' This inscription was placed
upon the envelopes recently sent out to
the members of the Associated Wholesale
Grocers Of California by H. L. Loveland,
their general representative. The matter
sent to the members under cover justified
the warning upon the envelopes. "You
. are confronted to-day with conditions that
have no parallel in the history Of this
coast" wrote Mr.. Loveland. AZ knew of
no better words with which to awaken
your interest and induce you to read and
carefully consider this, than to say this,
which sincerely believe to be true: Your
very existence as wholesalers and Jobbers
is threatened"
Then Mr.. Loveland explained that the
st. Louis Traffic Bureau, supported by
like organizations in Chicago, had brought
suit before the Interstate Commerce Com
mission against the transcontinental
roads and contributing lines, demanding
that the rates be graded from st. Louis
and Chicago east; also, that every point
on the Pacific Coast shall receive the
same, or even a less rate than San Fran
cisco, Sacramento, Portland, Seattle, To-
coma, Los Angeles, San Diego and the
other terminal points have now.
The aim Of the Chicago and st. Louis
people was TO Overturn the present trans
continental tariff, which was agreed upon
,
fight between the middle West and the
Pacific Coast THAT tariff" continued
Mr.. Loveland in his letter, recognizes the
geographical advantages that the JObbing
centers Of the Pacific Coast should have,
and by inalienable right should enjoy.
That tariff is satisfactory to the carload
shippers OF the Pacific Coast, but il is not
so TO those Of the middle West. Under
that tariff Chicago, st. Louis and other
middle West JODblng CenterS cannot de-
stroy the 1obbing business of this coast
rt-nr dor Il TaC
Geubtedly do. We claim that they should
not do business here. 1t is TO rob US Of
this protection and these advantages that
the present suit has been brought against
the trauscOntinental lines. l ask you to
consider carefully that, while this suit is
apparently against railroads, II is in
reality against you.
The railroads have nothing that the
tObbers OF the middle West want; they
are simply making them q means to an
end. and that end is to invade your ter
Titory and compete with you for the trade
Of the Pacific Coast You have something
that they want, and they are going before
what, in this case, will be a court Of last
resort 10 compel the railroads TO help
them TO get a share of your trade"
The effect OF this letter was to arouse
the manufacturers and jobbers TO sense
o. the peral menacing the business of the
coast. The matter has been kept very
quiet. AS the danger 70 the northern
ports-Seatue. Tacoma and Portland-is
the same as that which menaCeS the buSi-
ness men of California, representatives Of
business interests in San Francisco have
been sent north to confer with the bust
ness men in the leading business centers
Of the north. The news has been kept
away from the newspapers. because in the
opinion Of those concerned il was better
to have the matter a secret for time. In
the meantime preparations have been
made here to have a mass meeting OF Cal
ifornia business men called. A committee
has been appointed, and that committee
met yesterday afternoon to confer.
The advice of Mr.. LOVeland was that
the manufactures. wholesalers and job
bers Of the Pacific Coast should arrange
to place before the Interstate Commerce
Commission evidence sufficient to show
that the middle West 1obbers were max
ing a demand wrong in principle and un-
justifiabe Every carload shipper in all
terested. and the whole coast, from Seat