Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-06-24
PEACHES Us. RAILROADS.

We believe, that, aside from few gentle
men whose prejudces lead them sometimes
into angry denunciation of the corporation
controlling the railway system of our State
and peninsula, oil the speakers at the recent
meeting of peach growers were animated
by a common purpose, !. G., the securing of
the prompt and speedy transportation OF
their fruit to market at a fair price.
One set, however, is firmly persuaded that
policy, which, for want of a better name,
we may call the "bullying policy, is the
only way to obtain justice from corpora
tion, while the others believe that the good
natured courtesy which prevails in most
business transactions, is as possible in deal
ing with railroad company as with any
other ASSOCIATION of business men. Those
present could not help but notice that the
gentlemen who had had dealings with the
Company, and its President, and who have
conducted the negotiations which have led
to reduction of o cents per basket on
former rates, saving to the growers from
$l35, 900 to $iS0,0OO on the present crop,
unanimously held to the latter theory
1t is fair to presume then that they had
acted on the policy they favored and that
their success is the result. But aside from
this there are reasons founded on simple
common sense and knowledge of human
nature for believing the policy of courtesy
and Cancellation the most likely TO succeed
Whether corporations have souls or not,
they give unmistakable indications of having
brains, and hence are neither likely to kill
the goose that lays the golden egg by dis
couraging fruit culture nor to unnecessa-
rly gain the i'll will of those with whom
they have constant business relations.
Again, corporations are composed Of, and
represented by, men, who, being human,
have tempcrs, and if the "bullying policy
leads them to make as ugly display OF
these as some of our peach growing friends
make of theirs, we think any conference with
the contracting parties would be more likely
TO end in a row than bargain.
We say this in the interest of peace and
concord. We do not believe the peacf
growers are so wroth as they seen
because an arrangement which re
duces the freights nine cents per basket
on account of an unfair and unreasonable
State tax, does not reduce it one cent more,
but some merely bluster from mistaken
notion that II is the proper thing to do. w
arc personally acquainted with the gentle
men controlling two of the railroads carry
ing the peach crop, and believe them to b.
really anxious to do everything they reason
ably can for the development of on
Peninsula, and that they are desirous Q
cultivating friendly relations with our peopl
notwithstanding the long series of year
that m application of tho bullying policy
has subjected them to the silliest lbels an
most unreasonable personal abuse, for it
silly libel TO accuse my railroad presiden
or superintendent of persistent efforts I
ruin and impoverish the country throug
which his road passes. If the fruit grower
will always appoin, such gentlemen as r'
Gently represented them 10 conduct the
negotiations with the Company, and wi
then treat their action with the respeclf
consideration and approval ii deserves, tn,
will soon begin to lose their old enmi
towards corporation whose interests u
so closely identified with their own.