Smyrna times., 1871-08-16
Tor the 'SInyrna Times. J
The UpshOt of the Peach Business.

The bitter experience of the Delaware Peacl
Growers, during so much of the current season
as has passed, should awaken their thinking
faculties to some remedy in the future. The
existing Peach Growers Association, in thi:
State, is as magnificent humbug as could DOS
Slb!y lie cOujured up by the widest flights o.
human imagination. The full extent of its ope
ratlOns has been to make probable estimates o
the crop, to give to all the " world ana the rest
OF mankind, through the press of the country
! these estimates, made from time to time Civ
| ing every facility to Shrewl operators in the
cities to take advantage of this information,
gratuitOuSly disseminated, to register the edicts
OF selfish and oppressive corporation, and
generally, to indulge in the cheap luxury of
compllmenting itself Individually and coec-
lively. We take it for granted that intelligent,
thinking men, and indeed the community at
large, will agree with us in this opinion. We
also take it for granted that the importance of
protecting the interests Of Peach Growers in
Delaware is admitted. The great question
then Is, " How can it be best prOtected?" Let
there be an Association formed at once, and at
the next session Of the Legislature clothe it
with corporate powers. Act at once Select
competent and experienced officers. at salaries
commensurate to their abilities; see to it that
they are men of the first business tact and
talent in our midst, and these officers should
devote their whole time to the interests Of the
Association, such us looking up all the points
to which fruit may be shipped to advantage,
seeing that exOrbltant trcghts and repeated
commissions are not collected out of the fruit,
appointing inspectors of the quality of the fruit
at the various points Of loading and thousand
other things which may not be mentioned in a
bnet letter Let it go to the Legislature and
make the reasonable request that the rate of
freight to he charged by the railroad company
shall be fixed by statute, or if as some contend.
that cannot be done, then build a Peach Grow
ers Railroad thro' the entire peach district.
Instead of scading all the peaches grown in the
State to twenty New Y ork commission houses,
compel the railroad company to change its sys-
TEN OF treghting 50 that TIE fruit can be ship
ped 10 as many hundred different houses, en-
aDlng each shipper to send to the house of his
choice, thus distributing it, and subiecting him
self to but one commission, instead of five or
SIX, as now. Say to the Railroad Company
that 1t is amenabe to the law respecting conl-
mon carriers, and that it has no more right to
Charge bonus of $25 for a fruit car than it
has to charge like bonus for grain, lime
or wood car. it Is only necessary for ship
per to dem0nd his rights and the Company
must respect them. As long as we fold our
arms and sigh, " Well, the Railroad Company
does as 1t pleaSes, as we hear men say daily,
just SO long VIII 1t DO as It pleases. And it is
with the hope Of being able to do something
that we propose an Association that shall have
the loTer to make itself felt, respected and
hio!nored, unIke the present weak and sickIy
thing that Is tossed about as foot ball by
the X. X. Co., and is managed by being tickled
with free passes or haf-fare tickets during the
peach season, 1t is a self-evident truth that
when You touch man pocketbook you touch
his principles, and, if it becomes necessary,
let this question take political shape, that it
may have a controlling influence in the right
place We are not, however, welded to any
political course, and anything that promises re-
llei shall hare our cordial support.
Pro BONO PCBLICO.