Year: 1872

! San Francisco is in trouble. The prop
ertv holders and capitalists believe that
their financial interests are seriously men
aced by the prospective occupation OF
Goat Island by the Central Pacific Rail-
way Company. The press of the Bay
City teens with reasons why such occu-
pancy will be injurious to the city, and
in some instances are quite intemperate
in denunciation. 1t is plainly apparent
that the interior press does not share in
their indignation. Since the Goat Island
! fur0re began, the JOURNAL has spoken
plainly, but at the same time only relt-
Grated previously expressed sentiments.
! 1t is not because we desire to manifest an
unfriendly disposition, and we fully real
| ize that now is not the most fitting time
/ to din into the ears of San Franciscan,
| the disagrceable facts which fully account
| for the evident indifference of the rest OF
/ the State to their trouble. 1t is well un-
/ derstood that extensive acquaintance and
numerous friends constitute capital
upon which any business man may do a
profitable business. In some cases trade
is forced into certain channels whether or
no, and those able TO control it need not
strive to deserve it or TO please their GUS
toners. Enforced patronage for which
no thanks are returned is always bestow-
ed under protest, and whenever Oppor-
tunity offers the fact will be made mani
fest. This is the experience OF San Fran
cisco, and we are glad to chronicle the
fact that there appears TO be disposition
on the part of our commercial metropolis
as shown through the uttcrances OF its
press, to pursue different and more sem
sible policy. If so let by-gones be by
cones. In referring to the subject here
totore, we expressed the opinion that the
Railroad could not swallow up city of
175, 900 inhabitants and $500, 900, 600 prop
erty, and nothing has occurred to change
this opinion. II such thing could be
possibly consummated, it would demon
strate the existence of an overshadowing
influence that would threaten the stability
of republican Institutions, not only here
but elsewhere. In such a case successful
resistance would take revolutionary
shape and no other. But we look for
nothing of the sort. San Francisco is
abundantly able to fight the railroad with
its own weapons. While the Central
Pacific is laying one mile of railroad San
Francisco can build two miles and be
making money in the same proportion.
Unless a compromise is agreed upon,
which is not at all unlikely, the Bay City
will thus protect herself. When the
present excitement has entirely passed
away we hope that the merchants and
capitalists at the Bay will remember the
lesson it teaches. Had the interior not
been conscious of unfair treatment at their
hands, it would have been easy to call
out an expression of public sentiment
before which any corporation, no matter
how overgrown, would bow in abject sub
mission. We anticipate that San Fran
cisco will value the good opinion of the
interior at a much higher rate hereafter,
and realize that its interests may be SEN
sibly affected by the sentiments of the
rest of the State. An Observance of the
Golden Rule will render it an easy task
to "pluck from the nettles Of adversely
the flower of safety"