The San Francisco call., 1908-12-06
ALL INTERESTS
/. OPPOSE HIGHER
FREIGHT RATES
Prominent Men in Mass Meeting
Score Proposed Increase !.
by Railroads
Industries of State in Arms
Against Tactics of Trans
portation Concerns
Important Steps Taken in the
Campaign to Fight Addi-
tiOnal Tax

Out of mass meeting of 200 men
representing the producing, manufac-
turing and commercial interests of the
state grew plan yesterday for united
action to oppose the threatened In
crease in freight rates. At the same
time word was received from the off,
cials of the Santa Fe and the Southern
local men to discuss the situation. A
message was received later in the day
from Los Angeles telling of the plan
of businessmen there to establish a
new and independent steamship line
from California to the .isthmus of Pan
decided step forward in the campaign
against higher rate schedule.
The coming week Will be an active
one, for committee appointed at yes
terday's mass meeting will confer with
the California traffic association and
the traffic bureau of the Merchants ex-
change for the purpose of joining their
forces in the present struggle.
FAVOR DIRECT PROTESTS
Sentiment was almost unanimous at
yesterdays gathering that for the
present the protests should be taken
direct to the RAILROADS.. 1t was felt
that further action would be agreed
upon after the. transportation COM
panies had made their formal replies.
With this idea in mind a resolution
was voted down which called upon
the government to operate a line of
steamships between Pacific coast ports
and the isthmus of Panama. The OPP
position was based solely upon the
ground that this action would be more
timely after the railroads had gone
on record. The resolution was present
ed by j. ". Judd, we'll known apple
grower of the Pajaro valley. He ad-
vocated 1t vigorously and left the meet
ing precipitously after its defeat
Just before adjournment the meeting
voted to send personal kilograms to
President Hartman of the Southern
Pacific and President Ripley of the
Santa Fe, asking them to order the
Suspension of the proposed schedules.
DISPOSITION TO PET MULE
The meeting was called by the Cali
fornia traffic association and brought
forth an enlightened discussion of the
subject of railroad rates. The gather
ing was held in the hall of the cham
Der of commerce the Merchants Ex-
change building While no restric-
tions We're placed upon the discussion,
in the words of r. r. Switzerland, a
delgate. from Cotton, there appeared
to be a disposition to pet the mule
rather than to kick him. This SEN
timent was phrased somewhat differ
emily by II. Kullman of big tanning
firm, who said: II think we are in the
position of the man who has been held
up. It's best to make terms with the
man who holds the gun"
E. A. Howard, local lumber dealer,
took emphatic exception to any. sug-
gestion that the businessmen should go
before the railroads as supplieants. He
said that such a course brought only
ridicuie and urged an appeal to the in
terstate commerce commission.
ALL INTERESTS REPRESENTED
J.. f. Graham, president Of the Can
ners' league of California, acted as
chairman of the meeting and G. j.
Bradley. manager of the California
traffic association, served as secretary.
Delegates were present from various
parts of the state and speeches were
made on behalf OF the canning dried
fruit, bean, leather and general COM
mercial interests OF the state An open
discussion followed and then the reso-
lutions We're adopted indorsing the pro-
test of the traffic bureau. of the mer-
chants exchange and calling for an
executive committee of 10 to carry for
ward, in cooperation with the two
traffic bureaus, the campaign against
higher rates.
Among the new arguments presented
was that of Kullman, who made the
point that an increase OF freight rates
TO an extent which made it Impossible
for manufacturer to obtain fair re-
turn on his investment amounted to
the confiscation of his property.
After opening the meeting with brief
remarks summarizing the situation
Graham called upon the representa-
tives of the various industries. Albert
Castle, speaking for the dried fruit in
terests argued that any Increase at
this time was particularly unfortunate
as a large carry over crop remained to
be handled.
MAKES COMPETITION DIFFICULT
"Often the profit on car of prunes
does not exceed the amount Of the pro-
posed increase" said Castle. This in
crease Of $40 car will make competi-
tiOn WITH fT6IlC6 50 iilubil AiOT6 uit
and may ruin an export business"
+ Castle added that conditions in real
ity called for an emergency rate. In
conclusion he said: We are not OBJ
iects of charity, but it seems. to me that
in view of the disaster of two years
ago. the fire, the earthquake, and, more
recently, the financial panic, the rail-
roads should do what they can to help
US instead of imposing this additional
burden at this time
c. H Bentley spoke for the canning
interests and pointed out that the pro-
posed tariffs Disseminated against Cal
,ifornfa in favor Of such points as Colo
RADIO Missouri and Baltimore.
colorado canned goods can be
shipped into California at cheaper
rate than California goods can be
shipped into Colorado said Bentley
He called attention to the great savin 3
effected by the railroads by the use OF
oil for fuel.
G. j. Bradley. attacked the problem