The San Francisco call., 1905-03-24

TO put it as they do-that the United
States Government is constructing this
~sanal as a great enterprise for the
benefit OF commerce: that this railroad.
in q measure, occupies the position
which the canal is -to occupy after-it is
constructed. in so far as its relation to
the commerce Of the world is con-
cerned: that it is the duty of the Gov
ernmenI, since it owns this railroad. to
Increase its facilities so that il can ham
ole efficiently all the commerce that is
offered: in other words. to make it as
efficient as ii is possible to make a
transcontinental railroad. Those are
the three views that have been ad-
Vanced as 10 these various opinions.
THE STEAMSHIP SERVICE.
AS to the steamship lire that is now
being operated from Colon to New York
there are those who contend that ii is
not the business of the Government TO
operate a steamship line; that the
ocean is q highway free to commerce;
that private enterprise will organize
stea mship companies for the purpose OF
handling commerce, and that our Gov
ernment should not conduct a steam
ship line in competition with its own
citizens.
There are others who believe that
since this line is Established and since
the United States Government will
have a great deal Of its own freight
70 transport from the United States to
the Isthmus Of Panama, il should re-
tain the steamship line and continue
10 operate il to handle its own bust
ness. but since il has this line in oper-
alton. and since it has been established
as q commercial line. it ought TO con-
tinue its commercial facilities and con-
tinue 10 transact commercial business
and that il even ought to enlarge its
facilities and improve them for the
handling of increased commerce which
they think viii be brought to this line
as a result of the construction of the
canal. One party advocates the sell
fng-of the steamship line; another party
advocates the purchasing of other ships
and the construction Of larger ones.
"On the Pacific side Of the isthmus
the Panama Railroad Company has a
contract with the Pacific Mail Steam
ship Company by which the Pacific
Mail Steamship Company is given the
right of free bills of lading from New
York TO San Francisco. Complaint has
been made that this contract is in vfo-
lation Of the spirit of the interstate
commerce law and that il has been
used in restraint Of trade and COM
merce by the isthmian route; that it is
COntTOileQ On a Idll-
road and that its rates are fixed in the
interest Of the transcontinental rail-
road
There are others who contend that.
while the contract may not be justi-
fable from some points Of view, ii is
the wisest traffic relation that could
be provided because the business trans
acted by way of Panama is sBch that
If il is divided among many competing
steamship lines it will not justify any
line in maintaining a regular service
between San Francisco and Panama,
and that il is to the commercial inter-
ests of San Francisco that the schedule
should be maintained and that, there
fore. this contract or traffic arrange
lnent which the Panama Railroad
Company has with the Pacific Mail
Steamship Company is not against
commerce. by way of the isthmus
route. but an aid to it.
SEEKS INFORMATION.
There are a number of gentlemen
here. ] anticipate. who ship more or
feSe. freirrhf or receive more or less