The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1905-10-09
RATES.


THE OTHER PINK SLIP"
The Silver State reproduces the otner
mink slip news matter sent to this,
and presumably to other State papers
nv Charles S. Fee, passenger traffic
manager for the Southern Pacific Co.,
the CORRESPONDENCE about which we pub
lished Saturday evening:
The largest organ cation of business
men on the Pacific Coast is the Mer-
chants Associa ion of San Francisco.
1t includes practically al retail dealers
of the largest city on the Pacific Coast
and also has on its roll many large
who esae houses. This body was insti-
tuted originally to secure bstter mun4cl-
pa conditions. AS lis scope broadened
it embraced a wider field Of activity ana
its deliberations cover many subjects OF
moment to business men. In addition 10
it's purely mercantile numbers, many
indiv duals in pro ess4 onal asses have
joined it's membership.
Some time ago, when it was proposed
in some quarters to give the max ng OF
all transportation rates to the Inter
State Commission, these unit
ed ~erchan including HUNDREDS OF
firms and corporations, found an emer-
eency confronting them which it was al
once their interest and duty to the Pa
cifc Coast to meet. In a printed
pamph ct which has just been received,
is the text of declarations made by
them. They adopted resolutions, the
text of two of which is as fellows:
Resolved. That the Merchants Asso-
citation of San Francisco, while express
ing the highest respect for and conf
dence in, personally and collective y, the
members of the In er Slate Commerce
Commission, respectful urges that no
legislation be adopted Whereby said
Commission would be given the arbi-
trary right to make rates, as inexped
ent and not to the advantage Of business
interests of this community. and that
we recommend in lieu thereof that the
Commission be increased to seven mem
bers. and that, in view of the vast com
mercial interests involved and the diff
ference governing transportation on
the Pacific Coast and in the Northwest
that the two members thus added TO
the Commission shout be appointed,
one from the Pacific Coast and one
from the Northwest, so that all geo.
graphical sections of the country weu d
be represented. and. be it further
Resolved. That the law under which
the Commission is at present operating
is, in our Judgment a roper one. if
proper measures are taken to expedite
the hearing of cases upon VIII ch woud
contemplate the establishment of a
Court of Transportation, whose decis-
ion would be inal, except in cases where
the constitutionality of the decree was
questioned"
The Association also resolved that
''the interests of this Coast will best be
served by leaving the authority to make
rates where it now is, in the hands of
the carriers, who are familiar with the
exceptional conditions on the Pacific
Coast and the Northwest, subject to re-
view by the Interstate Commerce Com
mission upon complaint Of the shipper
who feels hat a given rate is wrong"
The Merchants Association of San
Francisco unquestionably guards Its in
terests most zealously. but for that IT
should not be blamed. The aiding of
that Association by the Southern Pacific
to the great detriment of other sections,
howeer is another story. The wool
commission men of San Francisco, a dod
by the Southern Pacific, force the wool
growers of northern California as wei
as several counties of that State border
ing on Nevada on the south and the
wool growers of Nevada to ship nearly
every pound of wool clipped to San
Francisco first, to be secured and ship
ped right back past their very doors
again to the eastern market. Mr.. Zee
says the Association resolved that the