Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-11

DAILROAD and steamship interests
X fighting the proposed government
lU steamship line between Panama
and Pacific coast ports were over
whellningly beaten back by Los Ange-
les yesterday. out Of 5O0-odd shippers
in Los Angeles, only eighteen would
sign the petition protesting against the
project circulated yesterday by }. q.
Alexander, the local agent of the
Spreckels corporation, later sent to
Senator Flint.
The petition wired to Washington
urging Senator Flint to use every shred
of his influence to prevent the bill from
passing the senate, was received with
undisguised disapproval by shippers IN
Los Angeles. They were quick TO turn
il down. In vain Mr.. Alexander tried
TO convince them with his arguments
against the proposed line. The business
men of Southern California demand
lower freight rates and are set upon
having the government coast line, tne
medium through which they are conn-
dent the desired conditions Will be
brought about.
All this the shippers told very bluntly
to Mr.. Alexander, with the result that
the protest he was able send To
Senator Flint was almost microscopic.
Bill Introduced Yesterday
The bill introduced by Senator Frank
p Flint for the establishment of this
line was up before congress yesterday.
The Detition against it was telegraphed
to Mr.. Flint early yesterday morning,
the Spreckels interests hoping to get 1t
to him in time to prevent the passage
of the bill.
The local shippers are solid in the
opinion that it will not alter Senator
Flint's attitude in the slightest They
feel confident that the California SEN
ator will support the bill which he him
self introduced in the senate yesterday
to the last ditch.
Statements made to The Herald last
night by prominent shippers and job
bers of Los Angeles show, nearly as
conclusively as did Mr.. AleXander's
crestfallen petition. that Los Angeles
will brook no interference by corporate
influence in their own fight for square
deal from the railroads. Such line as
proposed, they say, is the best instru-
ment through which to get it.
Local shippers are almost unanimous
in their cry that high freight rates, ar
bitrariIy established, are lettering them
almost to the point of helplessness.
ONLY a handful of them try to spread
balm on the situation, say the majority,
and they have their reasons; for in
stance, the eighteen who signed the
protest petition yesterday are largely
grain dealers They dread to see grain
and flour come into Los Angeles and
the California coast from the east in
the increased quantities that would
follow lower transportation rates.
Structural steel and roll paper also ap-
peared on the petition.
Argument Falls Flat
The argument advanced by the petit
tion was to the effect that should the
government establish this line, it would
drive private ship owners out of bust
ness. This being done, they could not
give good service and would stop
calling at the smaller ports, being con-
tent with the business of the larger
ones. The government line on the
other side of Panama was referred to
and the alleged fact stated that serV-
ice had been poor ON the Atlantic
side since the advent of the govern
ment line.
The Spreckels interests own and
o1erate the Hawaiian-American line
Of steamships, and have fourteen ships
in service. five on the Atlantic side
and ten on the Pacific side of the
isthmus.
I ocal shippers, however, cannot see
n i'm this light To begin with, they
noint out that private ship owners do
me a maritime traffic business are
very 1 few, and that in the local business
they would not be affected. 1t is the
through transportation in which Los
ANGELES is interested. Local shippers
are not looking to local traffic for
salvation.
Jobbers Give Support
Fred p. Gregson, traffic manager of
the Associated Jobers of Los Angeles,
is for the proposed government line,
lContinued on Pago Eight