The San Francisco call., 1908-12-27
PROTEST MEETINGS
THROUGHOUT STATE
Commercial Organizations COm-
bine TO Fight Proposed In
crease in Tariff
Rate Day" VIII Be Held in ALI
Cites TO Voice Sentiment
Against Roads Action

Notwithstanding the quiet in business
c relies Yesterday members of the local
,zeceiiye committee OF the shippers
commiltee that proposes to protest
against any increase in transcontinental
freight rates wgre busily occupied in
receiving and answering letters and
kilograms from outside commercial
bodies requesting Information about the
meetings to be held throughout the
state on rate day. December 50.
Chambers Of commerce. merchants
associations and other large CONNER
cfaI organizations in The state have
evidenced an unusual amount Of in
Ierest ira the fight against the pro-
POSED increase fn-the freight rates and
.se flooding the Offices Of the local
ezecutive committee with inquiries.
That tlsct meetings viii be. a success
is assured. Merchants and shippers
. and dowH- she entire. coast are pre-
la.ing protests. and thcir combined
action is certain of some result Ship
pers II west bound merchandise. who
VIII De most affected. are ZIP in arms
against the railroads and are deter
mined to fight the issue Individually
and collectively.
PLAN GREAT MEETING
G. ". Cartwright. member of the
. executive committee Of Fresno. has
completed arrangements for a giant
meetIDg to be held next Thursday in
that city. In a letter received yester-
Gay by g. J. Bradley. manager of the
California traffic association, Cart
wright says
We held an executive meeting of
the chamber of commerce of Fresno
yesterday afternoon and made detailed
engagements for the holding Of a.
loUs.ng meeting December so.
Personal invitations have been sent
10 all OF the prominent merchants of
lhe city of Fresno and Fresno county.
as well rs prominent merchants resid-
ing ia other cities of the San Joaquin
valley as far south as Bakersfield.
Prominent growers Of fruits and raj
sins as well as winemen and all of
The beading shippers viii be invited to
attend. Some Of those best informed
on the subject viii be asked to address
the gathering.
The newspapers Of this section will
be solicited personally TO take the
matter up and give the meeting space.
ITS success guaranteed.
James Irvine, proprietor Of the San
Joaquin ranch at Tustin, Orange county,
wired TO the local committee yesterday
10 the effect that the merchants and
lnanufact urers' association of that
county was anxious to take the matter
up. sohn MoFadden, president of the
association, who viii direct the mass
be held at Tustin. has asked for copies
for copies Of all resolutions passed by
the local shippers and information that
can be used TO demonstrate the neces-
sity Of the protest meetings.
REPORTS PROGRESS
George W. Crystal president of the
plerchants' association Of Vacaville.
reports that an executive committee
has already been organized at that
place and that great progress is being
made.
.Nuba. and Sutter counties viii hold a
Joint meeting. B. i. Walton of Yuba
city ia a letter addressed TO Bradley
yesterday writes.
We have arranged for a Joint meet
Ing OF Guba and Sutter counties al
MarEsville on December 90. at 7:S0
J.. M, 10 take action and protest
against any raise in freight rafes as
suggested. We felt that, MarysviIle
beng large distributing point Joint
meeting Of the two counties held at
that place would be better attended
and carry more weight than if held
separately. We have an active commit
tee that is working hard to make the
ihtethS uuSe success
II is admitted that the only way the
shippers can prevent the rates from
being enforced the first OF the year is
10 get an injunction against the rail
roads from the federal courts Bradley
said yesterday that such action had
been contemplated by the local ex
ecluNe committee but that no definite
action had been decided spon.
lie declined TO commit himself as TO
whether the committee would apply or
would not apply for an injunction. but
a9mitted that 1t was q probability. AS
lar as Is known and as far as the com
nlitlee VIII make public its plan of
hgDung the Increase il can be said il
prefers TO wait and see il tie rail
roads viii heed the protests made and
grant relief or temporary stay Of
proceedings