The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 13, 1902, Page 6

THURSDAY..... vesrenn...MARCH 13, 1902 JOHN D. SPRECKELS, Proprietor. Address All Oommunications to W. 8, LEAKE, Manager. MANAGER’S OFFICE ‘Pels PUBLICATION OFFICE...Market and Third, Telephone Press 201. EDITORIAL ROOMS.....217 to 221 Stevemsom St. Telephone Press 203. Delivered by Carriers, 15 Cents Per Weel% ngle Copies. 5 Cents. Terms by Mail. Inciuding Postager DAILY CALL (including Suncay), one year.. DAILY CALL (including Sunday), 6 months.. DAILY CALL (including Sunday), 3 momths. DAILY CALL—-By Single Month. SUNDAY CALL, One Year. WEEKLY CALL, One Yea: recelve All postmasters mre authorized to subscriptions. Sample coples will be forwarded when requested. OAKLAND OFFICE..... +..1118 Broadway C. GEORGE KROGNESS. X nager Forelgn Advertising, Marguette Building, Chiengo. (Long Distance Telephone “‘Central 2619.”") NEW YORK CORRESPONDENT: L. C. CARLTON.... .Herald S NEW YORE REPRESENTATIVE: STEPHEN B. SMITH. .30 Trib Building NEW YORE NEWS STANDS: Waldorf-Astorie Hotel; A. Brentano, 31 Union Square: Murray Hill Hotel. . CHICAGO NEWS STANDS: Sherman House; P. O. News Co.; Great Northern Hotel: Fremont House; Auditorium Hotel. WASHINGTON (D. C.) OFFICE....1406 G St., N. W. MORTON E. CRANE, Correspondent. BRANCH OFFICES—527 Montgomery, corner of Clay, open until 9:80 o'clock. 300 Hayes, open until 9:30 o'clock. 038 McAllister, open until :30 c'clock. 615 Larkin, open until 9:80 o'clock. 1941 Mission, open until 10 o'clock. 2261 Marker, corner Sixteentl, open until § o'clock. 1096 Va- lencla, open until § c'clock. 106 Eleventh, open-ustll 3 c'clock. NW. corner Twenty-second and Kentucky, open urtll ® o'clock. 2200 Fillmore, open untl 9 p. m. B ——— AMUSEMENTS. ““The White Slave.” Coat of Many Colore.” Columbia—Arizona.”" Orpheum—Vaudeville. Grand Opera-house—""The House That Jack Buflt." Fischer's Theater—'"The French Maid.” Chutes, Zoo anc Theater—Vaudeville every afternoon and evening. Metropolitan Hall—Paderewski_evening. Sherman-Clay Hall—Katheriné™ Fisk, Friday night. * Pavilion—Norris & Rowe's Big Shows, sat- AUCTION SALES. By Oecidents] Horse Exchange—This day, 150 Horses, at 521 Howard street. Auction Sale—This day, Horses, at 721 Howard street. Auction Sale Friday, March 14, at 10 o'clock, trotters and pacers, at 1106 Golden Gate avenue. By McGlynn & Menton—Friday, March 21, at 12:15 o'clock, stock of the Flores Hale & Company, at room 22, Chronicle | building. SENATORS AND TEE PEOPLE. RESSURE oi public sentiment at last P forced the Senators to take notice of the reso- lution adopted by the House in favor of a con- stitutional amendment providing for the election of United States Senators by direct vote of the people. The Committee on Privileges and Elections has been asked whep it would report the resolution, and has the chairman of the committee, Senator Burrows, has declared it will be submitted to the Senate in time for action to be taken at this session. It is not likely that it will be adopted when submitted, but the very fact that it will be brought up for full dis- cussion is something. The resolution is not to be put | aside as of no moment. It is to have a hearing, and those who oppose it must give their reasons for it. Senator Hoar, speaking for the opposition, de- clared at once that he would not permit the call for the resolution to pass without objection. He went on to sa This is 2 proposition to change a prin- ciple upon which the constitution is founded, and it is a mattdr of historical fact that without the incor- poration of this principle the constitution never would have been agreed to. The solemn pledge was given to the States, small and great, that the equal- ity of the States never would be destroyed without the consent of every one of them. The adoption oi the resolution could not be accomplished without a ! breach of the national pledge.” He then declared the Supreme Court and the United States Senate to be the two great bodies of the Government which are free from the influence of popular movements and popular excitements, and added: “I will do my duty here as a member of the Committee on Elec- tions, but will not be hurried, and the Senate shall | not be hurried if T car: help i It is difficult to understand how even such a fussy man as Senator Hoar could have been so worked up by a mere call for a resolution to make such a state- ment. The proposed amendient is not affect any principle oi the constitution at all. It is not going to deprive the States, great or small, of \ their equality of representation in the Senate. It is not going to violate any pledge of the nation. has no other intent and will have no other effect than that of changing the method by which United States Senators are elected. Each State will retain the equal representatibn it now has, and every pledge of the constitution to the States will he maintained inviolate. It is, §n fact, a question of methods merely, and not an issue of prificiple in any respect whatever. Even the plea that the present method of election renders the Senate, like the Supreme Court, free from the influence of popular movements and popu- lar excitements is not valid. Popular excitements, if they are to be dreaded, must be guarded against by some other means than that of requiring Sena- tors to be elected by legislators instead of the people, for legislators are just as much subject to excite- ments as the people themselves. Legislative election has not prevented cranks of various kinds from en- tering the United States Senate, and the propor- tiofl of men of that scrt in the Senate has not been less than the proportion in the House. The “popular excitement” argument, however, is hardly better than a scarecrow. Senators hold for six years: only one-third of their number are elected in any one year. They come from widely separated States. Such a body of legislators is not likely to become too susceptible to popular in- fluences. The danger lies in the opposite direction, Experience has shown that the election of Senators by the present method leads to bribery, corruption, _the subordination of State interests to Senatorial contests, and to the election to the Senate of men utterly unfit for the position. The demand for a change arises from that experience, and sooner or later is bound to be heeded. going to | It | ¢ THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 1902. NATIONAL LAWS FOR THE GOVERNIIENT OF TRUSTS AND PROTECTION OF STATES HANDS ALL AROUND. Y the speeches made and the action taken at B the meeting of the State Board of Trade and of the Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday as-- surance is given that those bodies will cordially co- operate with the counties of Northern California“ in- making known their resources and promoting their industrial and commercial development. Plans have been devised for a general co-operation in the work of the various commercial organizations of the city, and that means something like bringing all San Francisco into line. It is a movement full of prom- ise and merits cordial support from all quarters. It is just as well to repeat over and over again, in order that it may not be misrepresented nor misun- ders(oogl, that the movement implies no antagonism to the southern section of the State. President Chipman of the State Board of Trade put the issue rightly in his statement: “I think it is the duty of this board to address its energies especially to the development of Northern California, and to that end we offer co-operation in every possible way with the effort now being made for organized work to peo- ple this vast and rich country. In justification of my recommendation I desire to say that although we constitute a State organization, and have avoided discriminating in our work in favor of individual localities, I regard it to be our duty to help those parts of the State that need help, and in doing so I believe we are performing our highest duty to the State. I believe, also, that the most enlightened sentiment of Southern California would applaud our efforts in building up neglected portions of the | State.” That is the issue in a nutshell. The only thing to be added to it is the statement that the time to give help to Northern California is right now. Mr. | Mills brought out that point very clearly in saying: :"Il was Jesh Billings, I think, who advised that the best time to set a hen is the time when the hen wishes to set, and that is good philogophy along all other lines of life. The country is wide awake now and wishes to promote its own interests. There is no better excuse than that furnishes for us to jump | right in and help.” 1 The speeches at the meeting of the Chamber of | Commerce were equally pointed and harmonious. | A cordial approval was given to the plan of co- | operating with the interior counties, and President | Newhall was authorized to act as a representative of | the chamber and to call a meeting of the presidents | of other commercial bodies in the city for the pur- pose of effecting a joint organization through which all of them can work together in the enterprise. While no official action on the matter has as yet been | taken by the other commercial and industrial organi- | zations, it is not to be doubted that all will join in. iThe movement, in fact, is too important and the cir- cumstances of the time.are too propitious for a suc- cess which will be of benefit to the city and to the State for any body of progressive citizens to hold aloof from it. gt Taking all things into consideration the prospect {for starting a swift development of the northern | counties of the State is brighter than it has been for !years. The counties themselves are moving with a | new activity, with resolution and in harmony with | one another. San Francisco adds her force to a | | movement already under way. The approaching ex- | position at St. Louis gives a stimulus to immediate icxcrtion by promising immediate benefits. No time |is to be wasted in looking about to see what shall be done. Enthusiasm perceives its work directly before lit. We must make at St. Louis an exposition that will show how much we have advanced since the days of the grand exhibit at Chicago. It must be a State exhibit and every section of the State must be represented. Those sections that need help must bave help, and those counties which are doing most for themseives should have the cordial co-operation { of the metropolis. It is a case of “hands all round.” The time has come for San Francisco to demonstrate her leader- ship in the Statej for her merchants, bankers and manufacturers to show their willingness to help in the upbuilding of the interior. The movement has been started. Let every man of progressive ideas and energies aid in promoting it. It is stated that a magazine has offered Miss Stone $337000 for a series of six articles, and if so the profits of the affair will be $100,000 for the bandits, $35,000 and lecture bureau fees for the abducted missionary, with probably $50,000 for the fellows who helped to look for her. It is a business that pays everybody concerned, and the general public gets the benefit of a sensation and a new favorite. S S 0 T AR SOUTHERN CHILD LABOR. NE of the encouraging features of Southern O life just now is the fight that is being made against the unrestricted employment of chil- dren in the factories that are springing up so rap- idly in the cotton States. A very large number of | the factories are owned by Northern capital and are | under the control of Northernlmanagers, so that an | appeal has been made by Southern reformers to Northern sentiment for assistance in putting an end to the evil.” It is rightly urged that since the ownees jof many of the mills are out of reach of public opinion in the South they ought to be made to feel it in their Northern homes. / Public sentiment, however, whether North or South, is not going to have much effect unless it be directed to the enactment of legislation forbidding | child labor. That much has been proven by the ex- perience of every country in dealing with the fac- tory system of labor. It was so in old England and in New England; in the East and in the West. The South must profit by the example of the older man- ufacturing communities and enact laws to put a stop to a practice whose pernicious effects can hardly be overrated, . Among the forces leading the contest for the emancipation of children from the curse of prema- ture toil the labor organizations of the country have naturally taken an important ‘part. A report re- cently published by an agent of the Federation of Labor upon conditions in the Southern mills says: “Little ones of\six or even younger begin their twelve hours’ work a day in the mill, and theré is scarcely a factory out of the 663 at the beginning of 1901 without a batch of little ones under twelve. When the mills are run at night, brilliantly lit with electricity, the little cnes are still at work. The illiterate negro sends his child to school, the illiter- ate white man sends his into the mill. In Augusta, Ga., there are 567 children under twelve working in ecight mills. Of these only 120 can read or write, and they entered after their tenth birthdays and had learned what they knew before that. In Alabama, where the industry is comparatively new, there are s from 1000 to 1200 children under twelve in the mills, ilose the recital of railroad horrors. most of whom are illiterate. In South Carolina in 1800 there were 30,000 more negro than white chil- dren in school, while the factories swarmed with white children. ,Th_e‘presidentl of one mill, giving evidence before the Legislature, stated that 6o per cent of his operatives were under twelve.” Such a condition of affairs is not to be tolerated, and it is gratifying to note a strong element of the Southern people earnestly seeking to put an end to it. The struggle, however, is likely to \:‘be a long one. The South has just begun to develop manufacturing industries, and will be averse to. enacting legisla- tion which the factory owners regard as hostile. Ef- forts have been repeatedly made in several of the cotton States to procure the enactment of child la- bor laws similar to those in Northern States, but they have hitherto proven futile. The factory owners array against the reform movement first the poor whifes who wish thefr children to work in factories, and, second, Southern sensitiveness to Northern in- terference with Southern problems. It may take a long time to overcome such opposition, but in the erld it must give way. Child labor is too alien to all American traditions and to all the aims of American workingmen for its practice to be continued in- definitely in even the most backward States. According to a calculation made by the Naval Bu- reau of Ordnance, Dewey’s fleet burned seventy-five tons of powder and hurled sixty-seven tons of pro- jectiles at a total cost of $50,000 during the battle of Manila, while in the Santiagé fight the consumption of powder by our fleet was fifty tons and the weight of projectiles 114 tons, while the cost was $85,000. It will be seen that the ‘cost was big in each case, but, considering what we got for it there is no occasion for kicking, THE CUBAN SUGAR SCHEME. ISPATCHES from Washington concerning D the conference of Republicans of the House on the Cuban reciprocity question show that while no decisive vote on the issue was taken there is every reason to believe the opponents of reciprocity are assured of ultimate victory. It is stated they were eager for aivote on the question, while the ad- vocates of the scheme sought delay. At the request of the Speaker delay was granted, but it is stated that many who voted for postponement did so solely out of deference to the Speaker’s appeal. The resolutions submitted to the conference ex- press true Republicanism. They declare: “First, that we reaffirm our adherence to the Republican national p]at{grm of 1896, insuring adequate protec- tion to the cane and beet sugar industries of the United States, and to the policy of reciprocity as declared in our platform of 1g9oo. Second, that, we have maintained and will continue to faithfully dis- charge the obligation to Cuba assured by virtue of the treaty of Paris and.the Platt amendment, and that we favor such commercial agreements with her as her government, when established, may be willing to make and which will be in harmony with our na- tional policy of protection and reciprocity. Third, that no further action be taken respecting the propo- sition to reduce the tariff on Cuban products com- ing into this country.” -+ It is difficult to see how any stanch and genuine Republican can consistently oppose such resolutions. In fact, the leading speaker in favor of reciprocity at the conference was com‘pelled to base his drgument upon the assertion, as reported, that “Cuba is now and has been ever since the treaty of Paris under the sovereignty of the United States; that her terri- tory is a part of the territory of the United States, and that her people have been permitted to erect a government, but not z sovereignty, and consequently they have a right to special trade privileges with this country.” An argument based upon such assump- tions hardly necds refutation. It is worth noting, however, as an evidence of the drift of the Cuban sugar schemers to bring about annexation of the island. In a recent report vpon the subject the Committee on National Affairs of ‘the Republican Club of New York said: “In view of the fact that we are pay- ing $100,000,000 annually for foreign sugar, and en- couraged by the repeated pledges of he Republi- can party in its national platforms of fidelity to the principle of protection, in addition to the vast sugar interest of Louisiana, American citizens have in- vested $27,000,000 in the beet sugar industry in the United States, and so rapid has been its development since its establishment about a dozen years ago that facts sustain the prediction that within ten ygars of continued protection this domestic product will en- tirely meet the home consumption, the sum of an- other $100,000,000 be spent in our market for the enrichment of our own people, and another great industry, in addition to that of tm plate, steel rails and many others, be credited to the Republican prin- ciple of protection.” That is the situation, but now comes a strong Tobby urging the sacrifice of American sugar inter- ests for the sake, it is said, of “helping Cuba.” Un- der the fair-sounding name of “reciprocity” the scheme is being put forward as a part of the general policies of the Republican party. Its supporters, however, come mainly from the ranks of free-traders, or from Republicans who are willing to sacrifice the interests of some Americans for the advantage of others, or from those who are dominated by senti- ment, and believe we really owe Cuba a debt that cag be paid only by assuring her a continual pros- perity. & Such men are not likely to control the vote in the House unless they get all the Democrats to vote with them. Should that happen it will be the duty of the people in the coming election to take note of those ,who voted with the free-traders and retire them from Congress. In the present emergency American industry cannot afford to trust to half-way Republicans. We must put none but stanch pro- tectionists on guard. Our invasion of Europe is becoming a matter for the deepest concern, and if some of our ambitious capitalists are not more careful we will have new trouble on our hands. J. Pierpont Morgan wants to send the yacht Columbia across the pond with the boast that it can beat the best our Continental friends can supply. —_— If the British boast that nothing but guerrilla war- fare is now in progress in South Africa be true we can most heartily congratulate the British that they are not compelled to face anything more serious. They might have cause to ask the nations to try the ‘Boers for wanton murder. A4 B Another fast train has been wrecked, this time in Towa, because of a misunderstanding of signals. If State Legislatures were to make such misunder- standings punishable by death, newspapers would T Harvard University én the afternoon of March 10 James B. Dill, the well known corporation lawyer, of New York, discussed the necessity of having “national laws to govern trusts or great industrial combina- tions.” Besides the members of the Harvard Economic Society, the address attracted a large assemblage of visitors Interested in the questions growing out of the anti-trust liti- gation before the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Dill, in opening, made the points (first) that the best intelligence of the country favored the adoption of national principles with respect to corporate measures; (second) that history showed that in instances where interstate warfare had affected trade and commerce unfavorably Federal assumption of the matters in dispute had frequently resulted, and (third) that whenever a force affecting the welfare of the country at large has been found ‘“to have outgrown the swaddling clothes” of the express powers of the constitution and to be en- titled to the protection of a national law the American people had always overridden mere technicalities and taken unto them- selves the requisite authority under the implied powers of the constitution. Saying that he accepted the term “trust” to signify a “‘cor- porate aggregation engaged in other than merely local busi- ness, and not confined in its operations to the State of its creation,” he insisted that the “trust”. was national in extent and an integral part of the best growth and financial develop- ment of the country. i Present State legislation tended to lack of uniformity, to diversity and to direct antagonism. ‘“‘Charter-granting States are so shaping their corporate legislation,” added Mr. i, “that their charters will be a salable product to other than their own citizens. More than this, they are permitting those of other States who will come to them for charters to do things which they deny their own citizens. The State of New York to-day forbids the oi1ganization of transportation, rail- road and what is commonly known as quasi public corpora- tions to be organized uader any other than the particular law providing such corporations with its restrictions and safe- guards. Nevertheless, tnat State has before it to-day a bill making it lawful to form a corporation for the business of constructing, maintaining and operating a railroad, telephone or telegraph lines under the business corporations law, pro- vided all operations of these companies shall be carried on wholly beyond its borders. In other words, New York is as- suming to grant powers to corporations to carry into effect outside the State that it will not permit to’ be exercised wihin its own territory.” Further, Mr. Dill contended that “State legislation for revenue” was most pernicicus In tendency, since If the Stage as a whole was for sale the moral example of the State tended to make legislators individually for sale. Mr. Dill contended that the power for good legislation af- fecting trusts was crippled by the lack of national Jurisdic- tion. Each State legislated for itself in disregard of the na- tion’s good. The result was confusion and frequent conflict between Federal and State statutes. ‘‘Americans have not as yet begun to realize,” declared Mr. Dill, “the force and power of these aggregations of capital. Viewed on the one hand from the standpoint of undoubted advantage to the country, certaln intelligent people are in- clined to do away with all legal restrictions upon the growth and progress of great organizations. Others, realizing the dangers which of necessity acgompany power of any kind, and which, when united in combinations, present, if uncontrolled, more than a menace to ocur country, are inclined to repress the trust movement in every possible way.” The safe method, Mr. Dill thought, was not in abolishing trusts, but in properly applying the principles they represented. The basis of discus- sion respecting the legal centrol of combinations was not first utility and then control, but utiiization and contrel pari passu. Citing several interesting instances of interstate warfare, Mr. Dill contended that trusts had outgrown the confines of mere State legislation and had now become a national force. He said: “This contest between States has reached the point where Minnesota has in vain appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States for relief, openly charging New Jersey with permitting a great corporation to organize under its laws for the express purpose of doing what was forbidden in Minne- sota, and what directly affects and was intended to affect property located in Mianesota. It needs no argument for the student of corporate legislation to reach the conclusion that it is not toward uniformity that StAte legislation is drifting, but toward interstate warfare.” Mr. Dill then urged the passage of a Federal law along the lines of the national banking act, not abridging the powers of the State to create corporations, but giving the option to corporations whose business is national in extent relating to trade with forelgn countries or between States to organize SPRING VALLEY OVERTURES ON RATE QUESTION The Supervisors continued the water board is fair-minded. thought so.” $92 in the last few days, if it was not our votes?” asked Braunhart. “It was the faith of the public,” torted Keilogg, “that a majority of this they were looking to you when City Engineer Grunsky stand briefly and Fire Chief Sullivan tes- "4 under pational laws guaranteeing protection against conflict- ing State legislation and political enactments. Such an act should be based upon a public demand for cleaner legislation and purer politics, and providing: First—It should be optional, as in the case of the national banking act, leaving corporations free to organize under State acts if they choose. Second—It should deny the name “national” to any but national corporatidns, compelling other corporations who as- sume that title to change ft. Third—National corporations should have freedom from State supervision and should be subject fo taxation by the State only to the amount of property actually in the State, and then upon the same basis’as an individual. Fourth—The national corporation should be subject to na- tional supervision and examination and should require at least private publicity, would probably also require a degree of pub- lic publicity. Fifth—It should be protected from State attack to the same extent that the national banks are, viz., it should not be sub- Ject to attachment or other provisional limitations which pre- vail in any State against non-residents; that is to say, being a United States corporation, it should be a citizen of the United States and a citizen of each State to the extent that it has all rights of citizens as to attacks in the courts. -~ Discussing the practical advantages of such a measure, Mr. Dill said in conclusion: “Would corporations avall themselves of the o) to organize under a national law? Yes, for their tendency to- day is to assume a national character. This is shown by the designations ‘United States,” ‘American,” ‘Federal,” ‘National® and even ‘International.” There is a tendency to publicity, at least to ‘private publicity,” on the part of the better class of corporations, such as the United States Steel Corporation, the National Biscuit and others, as a matter of self-preservation. The tendency in each case is to publish more and more the details in order that the good corporations and the sound or- ganizations may show themselves to be in a position where the others dare not follow them in making public statements. They proceed upon the theory that the man six feet tall can wade through a stream of such depth that a man five feet high would be drowned in the crossing, and the great cor- porations are quite willilng to drown in the stream of pub- licity the other corporations who are following in thelr wake and attempting to imitate their standing and position. “No great corporation can be put upon the market without a financial syndicate. No matter how great or how strong is that syndicate, it must go to the banks for money. The banks will not perpetually advance funds upon underwritings or other securities. So the syndicate ultimately gets to the pub- lic. The bankers, knowing this, would insist that the financiers organize their company under that law which would inspire the greatest public confldence in order that the public would ultimately invest. “Then, too, the law should have a requirement that pres- ent combinations might become national combinations upon a theory similar to that by which State banks are entitled to become national banks. This would be availed of by the sound corporations for their own good, not only for protection against imitators and those not able to follow them, but also as a protection against the diverse and inconsistent laws of the various States. The tendency of the States is to attract more and more foreign corporations, and therefore the great cor- porations would avail themselves of the privilege of becoming a United States corporation, and thereby being a corporation foreign to no State, thereby securing to themselves the priv- ileges and immunities of citizens of every State. “The point of the whole matter is that they would secure to themselves uniformity of legislation throughout the length and breadth of the United States. Texas and other States may drive insurance companies out of their territories, but they cannot drive national banks out because the national bapk derives its existence from a power higher than that of a State-created organization. No corporation engaged in inter- state commerce, no corporation desiring to do business throughout the length and breadth of the country could afford to be other than a national organization. *“It would not be long before the investing public would draw the lines sharply between State-created organizations assuming to do a business national in extent and truly national corporations. In a word, the successful combination must be in its nature a national organization in order to even pretend to carry out the economic theories upon which it is based. Given a law which creates real national corporations and alt others would become imitators and be so known to the public. The public would refuse to take the stock of such an organ- ization on the same principle that it would refuse to take a counterfeit bill.” NEW OIL RATES ARE PROFITABLE Y TO THE RAILWAYS The State Board of Railroad Commis- re-| And I don’t believe they | was on the rates investigation yesterday in commit- tee of the whole and ended with closing the inquiry and reporting back to the board all the reports and evidence ad- duced. The board will meet next Mon- day at 1 o'clock to consider the reports | and fix rates for the next fiscal year. Supervisor Braunhart and Engineer | Schussler of the Spring Valley Water | Company occupied the center of the stage | during the afternoon’s inquiry, with At-| torney M. B. Kellogg occasionally coming | to the support of the engineer and Super- | visors Brandenstein and D’Ancona ask-l ing pertinent questions of the corpora- | tion’s representatives. | Supervisor Connor submitted an amend- ; ed minority report, based on City Engi- | neer Grunsky's report of March 10. This | amended report adds $177,166 to the pres- | ent valuation of $23914,454, making a total | of 324,091,620, and 38858 30 to the interest | allowed, making $1,204,581 03. The report; explains that this increased amount does | not in any way change the ordinance pre- | sented by the minority of the Water Com- mittee, as the company will receive suffi- | cient revenue to meet it from increased meter rates for public buildings. As a result of much questioning Engi- neer Schussler made certain definite prop- ositions as to expenditures for improving the distributing system which the com- pany would make if the Supervisors would fix rates as provided either in the | majority report or in the Mayor's recom- mendations. This, he contended, was done on his own authority and against the judgment of the directors, who stood out for a $5 fire hydrant rate. Dependent on Rates. If the fire hydrant rate were fixed at and other rates left unchanged Schussler | agreed that within two years the com- pary would expend the $465,000 necessary | to put in larger mains and increase the fire pressure in accordance with the reec- ommendations of Fire Chief Sullivan. If the hydrant rate of the majority report, $2/50, be adopted Schussler sald he would pledge the company to expend $127,00 during the year for the improvements which Chief Sullivan had indicated as most urgent. After repeated questions by Supervisors Braunhart and Brandenstein Schussler agreed to ‘such improvements even should a $2 fire hydrant rate be es- tablished. When the $1 75 hydrant rate of the minority report was = suggested Schussler objested and said if it were adopted the company would expend only the items of $10,000 for mains in the Sun- set District and $16,000 for increasing the pressure in the Market-street mains: From figures presented by Schussler it appears that the company proposes to ex- pend between $700,000 and $800,000 during the next fiscal year on the present reser- voir sites and dams. Expenditure for im- proving the distributing system would de- pend, both Engineer Schussler and Aftor- ney Kellogsg explained, on the board’s adopting a fair ordinance, one that would raise the market value of their stock to par so that sufficient of it might be sold without sacrifice to give the better service desired. 3 Rates and the Stock Market. “The trouble is,” Kellogg sald, “you de- cide that 5 per cent is a fair income on ouryinvestment and then you pass an or- dinance that gives us but 3% or 4 and a fraction per cent, “If you'll squeeze the water out of your stock,” Supervisor Connor said, wita some heat, “you'll get 5 per cent on your investment- under the ordinances pro- “ Y Kellogg tried to show how the Super- visors' lack of fairness, as he termed it, | hurt the market for their stock and so prevented needed improvements, because | the company could not afford to dispose of more stock so much below par. He said unfair ordinances had knocked the stock from $102 to $s6. “What has made it jump from $8 to | firmity rendering them unfit for military tified’ that while all the improvements he had recommended were urgent, the most urgent of them had been placed by him on the list of improvements which Schuss- ler proposed should be made during the year. ANSWERS TO QUERIES. FRUIT FARMS—G. W. K., Sidrey, Towa. The Call does not publish “a list of fruit farms in and about San Fran- | cisco.” A BRIDGE—F. W. L. Alton, Cal There is a bridge connecting the Hearst building with one that fronts on Steven- son street. OUTLAWED-N. D., Verona, Cal In California an obligation if executed with- | in the State runs four years, and if | without the State two years, and Is out- | lawed if no action is taken. | FALSE PRETENCES—E. V. H., Oak- | land, Cal. The punishment for obtainins | money by false pretences is, if urder 33, | the same as for petty larceny and if | above that sum- the same as for grand | larceny. SENATQR—R. G. R., Milo, Cal. Sena- | tors to the United States Congress are not elected to represent particular districts. They represent their States in thelr en- tirety. Representatives are elected from districts. Tulare is in_the Seventh Dis- trict, of which James C. Needham is the representative. MURDERS OF THE PAST—B. 8., City. In asking the question, “In what year did Captain Planter murder Mrs. Harrington on Geary street in San Francisco?’ you have mixed up two murders. One was Miss Ellen Harrington, who was mur- dered in a house on Efiis street by an unknown party June 1, 18%, and the other Mrs. Philippina Langfeldt, who was murdered by Philip Blanther on the 16th | of May, 139, in a house on Geary street. | MILITARY ACADEMY-R. G. R., Milo, Cal. Applicants for admission into the United States Military Academy at West Point must be not less than 17 years of | age nor more than 22, free from any in- service and able to pass a careful exami- nation in reading, writing, orthography, arithmetic, grammar, geography and his- tory of the United States. File applica- tion with the Congressman from your dis- trice DUTIABLE ARTICLES IN THE MAIL —H. 8., City. When letters, sealed pack- ages or packages the wrappers of which cannot be removed without destroying them, are received in the United States from a foreign country and the post- master of the exchange office at which they are received has reason to believe that they contain articles liable to cus- toms dutles, he shall immediately notify the customs officer of the district in which his office is located or the customs officer designated by the Secretary of the Treas- ury for the purpose of examining the mails, also the addressee, who must be advised that he must appear at a time not exceeding twenty days to open such pack- age in the presence of the customs officer, A package containing dutfable articles must pay the duty. —_— Ex. strong hoarhound candy. Townsend's.* —— e . Cai. glace fruit 3c per Ib at Townsend's.* e s o o o Townsend's California glace fruit, 50¢ nl pound, /in fire-etched boxes or Jap. bas- kets. A nice present for Eastern s, 639 Market st.. Palace Hotel building. * Special information supplied . daily to bueiness houses and public men the Fress Cli g Bureau R e prgau (Allen’s), 510 ol:tf‘ sioners filed in the United States Clrcuit Court yesterday their answer to the three complaints filed by the railroad companies in the oil rate cases. One suit is by the | Southern California Railroad Company, another by the Santa Fe Pacific Railroad Company, and the third by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Company. There are three answers, one to each suit, but as the suits are similar the answers are likewise. The Commissioners deny that the rail- roads of the complainants connect at Barstow, and allege that the said lines of railroad have been and are owned, oper- ated and controlled by the Atchison, To- peka and Santa Fe, and that the same have beey operated in connection with the entire system of raliroads referred to in the complaints as the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe system of roads, and no one of them was, during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1901, operated as a separ- ate lirle, nor were the earnings or oper- ating expenses in any manner separately kept or ascertained, but that the were maintained and operated by th Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe as a of its system. They allege further that the figures given as the net and gross earnings and the operating expenses of the separate roads are simply estimates and arbitrary statements, and that there are no means of estimating exaetly or ap- proximately the eanings or expenses of said lines of rallroad.’ It is averred also that the roads paid a very large profit, both as an entire system and upen that part which is operated wholly within the State of California. . Reduced Rates Are Reasonable. The Commissioners further deny that they gave théir consent or approval or ratification to the rates fixed by the com- panies for the transporation of petroleum over the lines of the complainants in Southern California or elsewhere. They also deny that the rates so fixed mre rea- sonable, and deny that the company or its roads will suffer any injury whatever by the enforcement of the reduced rates proposed by the Commissioners. The Commissioners allege that their schedule of rates was adopted after a careful and thorough investigation of all the circumstances pertaining to or sur- rounding the said rates. Denial is of the allegation of the company that per cent must be paid for the use money for railrcad purposes and it is alleged that money for that purpose may be obtained for 4 per cent. Then, using plainer language, the Commissioners aver that the claim of ownership separately of the different lines is a sham, and that the said lines are owned and operated exclusively by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe. Business Will Continue to Increase. The allegation is further made that the bonded indebtedness of the complain- ant is in excess of the assessed valuation of the property. With reference to the statement that nine-tenths of the busi- ness between San Franciseo and Bakers- fleld is done by the Southern Pacific Company the Commissioners say that the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe is young yet, and that its business will continue to increase. The answer alleges further that the earnings of the Southern Pacific Com- pany and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe between Bakersfield and San Fran- cisco for the carriage of oil alone exceed $1,500,000 per annum, not Ineluding ship- ments south of Tehachapl, and that these earnings will steadily increase. In con- clusion the Commissioners ask that all the actions be consolidated into one and tried together. — ee——— Becauseyof neglect, It is said, the treof\ of B_alo:’Cc-mon are in a woeful state S e e e e o e o