, 1873-10-04
OCEAN FRErGHTS,

Ocean froiglatB aro reported firm, with an nd
vancing tendency. Tho mystery Of this Is worry
eaBi1y solved when wo consider how largo
portion OF the pay wo get for our grain abroad is
coming in tho form of gold. II tho roturn
carGooB Of tho ocoan stoamors consist
only Of q fow bags Of aoyoroignB, upon
which scarcely any freight-money ia
earned, 1t is obvious that tho outwarl-bound
grain must pay higher rates. It must pay tho
steamers expenses both ways. Tho importa-
tton Of gold, therefore, is not without ita drnw-
backs. Regarded as means Of restoring Bpccio
payments, 1t is hoaIthy movement. provided
advantage DO takon Of 1t to accomplish that re-
suit. Regarded in any othor light, 1t ts an un-
healthy tokon, since 1t puta upon our exported
grain tho on,ls OF defraying tho cost Of two trips
across tho oooan inHtoad Of ono.
Tho San Francisco Chronicle recently had an
editorial In whloh 1t pointed ont tho fact tint
last ycar California purchased twelve millions
Of wheat bugs, and that this year ncasly aa
many will bo needed. Thoso baga arc imported
from Scotland, and last year cost ono million
dollars. Tho Chronicle thinks tho bags ought
to be made In California, thereby giving on,-
ploy1nont to 1900 porHons, who could weave
imported juto into burlaps, aud convert tho latter
into baga In another article In tho samo paper
1t declares that tho farmers on tho Pacific Slopo
aro robbed Of one third Of tl,oir grain through
tho excessive ratos paid for carrying it to
Europe. Congress in It's wisdom having
taxed American vcHsols out OF exist
euco, those which visit California to
get wheat are European. The vessel
Of courso collects froights both ways On The
way hthor 1t will collect frofghss on tho bags or
On tho juto II It carry no Bugs, nor jute, nor
any other freight, thon 1t collects from tho ro-
t,irn cargo Of wheat the whole sum Of freight
that 1t would have oarnod upon full cargo both
ways. Tho Chronicle would havo tho importa-
ton Of bugs stopped altogether, 30 that thoy
could bo mado In California, aud to accomplish
TINT end and givo employment to 1,500 persons
now engaged in some profitable work, would
| subject the grain produced in that State to
double the prosont coat Of freight to Europe.
That is what the Protcctiopists call encouraging
tho homo production Of bags, by an c1traordi-
nnry and special levy on tho grain produced in the
State. II freight ono way now consumes ono
third Of tho grain produced in California, paying
freight both ways would take an additional third,
| and no submit TINT this would DO an expensive
| modo Of building up tho bag business. Even
then tho chances are TINT Tho Scotch bag-ulakors
could soll thoir bags cheaper than thoy could bo
made for in California. Tho Scotch n1anufac-
ture1s got their juto treo Of tax; the Califor-
nianB would have to pay tax on their juto Of
| so to 9l5 per ton. Perhaps the Chronicle
would find considerable relief for tho grain-pro-
ducora of California If tho tax on the bags
brought into California wore ropoaled. Tho tax
on tho Juto bags is Ga por cont, Which tax IL
paid by tho grain-producors out Of tho proceeds
Of tho sa1o Of tho grain thoy put into thom. Lot
California demand tho repeal of this ta1 On bags
which is wholly paid by tho grain-produccr.