The San Francisco call., 1905-03-23
CHAMBER CALLS
GREAT MEETING
Hundreds of Merchants and
Shippers Are Asked to
Discuss Panama Matter
WILL INFORM BRISTOW
Federal Commissioner Will
See Representatives of
All Commercial Bodies

Fully fifteen hundred invitations
have been sent out by the commercial
organizations of this city to their
members to attend the meeting in the
rooms of the Chamber of Commerce
this afternoon, where the Panama
railroad and the Panama steamship
line and the questions relating to the
use to which the Federal Government
may put these lines will be discussed
before Commissioner J. l.. Bristow.
The expectation is entertained that the
meeting will be the largest yet held IN
the new building of the Merchants
Exchange and that it will exceed in
interest any that has taken place in
this city in many years.
RATE SITUATION.
There are contending interests
among the parties most directly con-
cerned. By means of an existing con-
tract the transcontinental lines have
been able to control the rate situation
very completely for years, in fact
ever since the Panama road
and the Pacific Mail Steam
relations. Fen years ago these COM
panies were at swords points and the
merchants of San Francisco were oper-
ating line of steamships that they
subsidized in their own behalf and
connecting with the Panama road.
When the war was over the Panama
road and the Pacific Mail came to-
gether again. The transcontinental
roads and their steamship connections.
which are acting together, do not wish
to have the Panama road thrown open
to the free use of the public without
discrimination. The Government now
owns the road and the Panama steam
ship line and has given notice Of the
discontinuance of the existing contract
with the Pacific Mail. The Govern
ment must decide what to do with the
road very soon.
To what extent the commercial COM
munity of San Francisco is united in
the hope that the Government may
operate the Panama road and steam
ship line for public use at equal rates
to all corners and that it may refrain
from entering into another exclusive
contract with any transportation inter-
est may possibly be determined at
the meeting to-day. A strong party is
supposed to exist in favor of having
the Government take action as indi
Gated in the foregoing.
MAY ASK QUESTIONS.
The meeting is not likely to go
through in accordance with any pre-
arranged programme, if any such has
been prepared. Consequently 1t Is
probable that in the discussion Com
missioner Bristow will learn much that
he desires to know at first hand from
the San Francisco people. Mr.. Bris-
tow may ask questions to develop all
the facts during the proceedings.
Yesterday Secretary Cadwalader of
the Chamber of Commerce sent out
hundreds of invitations to all the
members of the chamber and also re-
quested the secretaries of the following
organizations to give notice to the
memberships of the bodies they repre-
sent that the meeting will take place:
Shipowners' Association, Hardware
and Metal Association, Jobbers' and
Manufacturers Association, San Fran
cisco Board of Trade, California State
Board of Trade. California Promotion
Committee, California Manufacturers
and Producers Association, Mer-
chants Exchange, Merchants Asso-
citation and also the transportation
lines, prominent exporteR and i'm
porters and leading capitalists and
leading real estate brokers and owners.
The meeting will be open to all.
Commissioner Bristow reiterated yes
terday that he hoped to get all the
information at San Francisco that he
can. The commercial bodies are doing
their best to assist him. Trustees
Dutton, Wheeler and Jennings of the
chamber made the final arrangements
yesterday as committee.