The San Francisco call., 1909-06-12
ETTER FROM JACOBS

to come forward and work in union for
better service.
LETTER FROM JACOBS
The letter in full follows:
To the Merchants Exchange Freight Bureau.
San Francisco-GentIemen: Noting the inter
Pacific Mail steamship company. in which at
tacks are made upon Hon. William r. Wheeler.
l beg leave TO state that the time has now
come when San Francisco's commercial inter
effort to open up our city and state 20 legiti
mate competitive transportation conditions.
As organizer Of the Traffic Association Of Cal
ifornia, which was organized on similar lines te
your organization but which retired at the
time you selected Hon. William r. Wheeler al
your manager, wish to state that We consider,
IN the best interests OF San Francisco, all otr
former members should join. your association
aud thereby assist you in your work. The
strength Of your organization.
TIME TO BAND TOGETHER
Let US get the Chicago spirit. and all get be
hind William r. Wheeler, and will see
successful outcome. The time Is at hand
when all business and financial men. whether
Wholesalers retailers. banks commercial indus
is interested in the future welfare Of San Fran,
cisco, should get behind your organization and
make it Of such strength and force as to be
effective.
The statements made by Mr. Schwerin ar,
directly in line with references made by Special
Panama Commissioner Bristow IN his report Il
It. A
the statement made that the merchant,
and manufacturers Of our city were afraid te
openly express themselves for fear Of the re
prisals OF the Pacific Nail and the transcontf
mental lines. This, of course, was before the
disaster Of 1906. The tremendous upbuildins
OF city has proved the courage Of the
people and now the people, having the courage
of their convictions. will certainly take posi-
tive stand. without fear Of any one, upon N at
ters that necessarily pertain to the upbuildins
and preservation OF our commerce and trade
note that Mr. Schyerin in bis statements
refers 10 the 20 cent freight rate that tht
government insisted upon imposing. but this IL
itself is not Of grest assistance to San Fran
cisco on account OF the fact that IL takes abou,
90 days or more to get shipments from Ssr
Francisco to New York or vice versa via Pa
cifc Mail and the Panama isthmus.
ATTITUDE OF PACIFIC MAIL
Ever since the abrogation of the contract
which the Pacific Mail had with the transconti
mental lines, whereby they subsidized by
the latter by the payment of 1900. 900 per yeal
70 order not TO take through business from Sar
Francisco to New York and vice versa, the,
have not been in earnest in seeking for through
business. And even al present with the 20 cen
rate effective, say, for steamers that would 4.
direct 20 Panama and thereby give good sery
ice. shipments could be made hack from New
/ York TO various Atlantic seaports and even /,
Galveston snd New Orleans at rate consider
OF course. the Pacific Mail is not desirous o.
giving such service. then II would diver
considerable tonnage from the transccntinenta
DO not believe that Mr. wheeler. or any on,
else, wants 10 injure San Francisco's commerce
but they do want TO build ii up. and we shoult
make strenuous efforts to bring into line be
hind Mr. Wheeler the united efforts Of the en-
tire community, he will no doubt evoI V,
plans which VIII result in bringing to Sal
Francisco and the state Of California the CON
merce and trade It is justly entitled to by III
geographical position and by the advantsr 2,
which nature has given us In our spIendis
harbors. without being throttled by methods tha
have been going for many years in the wa,
Of preventing competitive franscon ntnentaI con
ditions. Yours very truly
ISIDoR JACOBS.
President California canneries Company.