The San Francisco call., 1909-01-01
Shippers Estimate Increase OF
10 Per Cent Will Cost State
SIO,0O0,O00 a Year
Campaign Against Advance to
Be Continued Before Interstate
Commerce Commission
Legislature and Congress Viii
Be Asked to Enact Rene
dial Legislation

Beginning today the 10 per cent in
crease in freight rates viii become ef-
fective on the Southern Pacific and the
Santa Fe. The cost 10 California, il
has been estimated. will reach $40. OO0.
600 a year. The shippers have appealed
10 the railroads in vain. Their pro-
test has not even been answered. The
mercantile and agricultural interests
have been represented in mass meet
ings throughout the state and have
voiced a united protest against the
action OF the transcontinental lines.
The campaign viii not be allowed to
lag il viii be continued along four
definite lines. In the first place the
shippers executive committee Will car
ry tho hght at once 10 the interstate
commerce commission.
APPEAL TO LEGISLATURE
A second step win be taken in the
form Of request that the state legis-
lature investigate transportation mat
ters I'm California and enact such RENE
diaI measures. including a bill increas-
ing the powers Of the railroad commits
sion. as shall be necessary.
The third step calls for an appeal TO
congress to give the interstate COM
merce commission power 10 suspend a
proposed rate pending an inquiry into
its reasonabIeness. J..
T-l,o Torsr4I stan oor ton, Al a soS I7e ac-
tablishment of a government line of
steamers between san Francisco and
the isthmus of Panama
The shippers executive committee
was greatly pleased with the result of
the rate day meetings. Not only were
meetings held in practically every town
IN which the local committee had
planned them. but several other. com
munities throughout the state, who had;
not even been in correspondence with
the executive body, held independent
meetings and adopted resolutions
strongly protesting against the advance
in tariffs.
STATEMENT By COMMITTEE.
The local executive committee au-
thorized the following statement yes
terday. e..
The executive committee of the
movement in protest against the ad-
vance ia freight rates has received tele-
grams and letters from nearly all the
important shipping points. throu ghout
The state at which the resolutions sug-
gested by the committee were adopted.
The committee is now engaged in send
ing copies Of these resolutions to the
members Of the Legislature, as we'll as
10 others, as provided in the resolu=
tions.
Further reports viii come in within
the next few days and the committee
viii then formulate plans for the
formal complaint to be filed with the
interstate commerce commission. The
hearty response from many points
where 30 formal meetings We're held
lends unexpected strength to the movee
ment and the committee is gratifed
with the results.
PROTESTS ARE DTGNIFIED
The character Of the meetings was
especially satisfying. as they were
without exception dignified and busi-
nesslike and free from senseless at
tacks or demagogism.
NO one questioned the right Of the
railroad companies to a fair return on
their investment, but IL is the unoues-
1iOned spirit Of the movement that if
at a time Of depression, when many
merchants and producers are unable to
market their products. the railroads
continue TO pay their dividends, are
able TO sell their bonds on q salts
factory basis. show increased net earn
ings over 1907, and still persist in de-
manding increased revenues-the peo-
pie have a right to know wherein the
deficit consists and why the commerce
and Industry Of the state should suffer- -