The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1888-08-14
COMMISSION.

in our article in your issue of July
3lst how the huge trust or combina-
ton known as the Associated Rail
ways" imposes immense burdens on
the Industries of the country, en-
braced in its o~ctopus-like grasp, and
especially on agriculture. We showed
that the principal factor in this ''trust"
the Richmond and Danville R. R.
Co.-was making profits at the rate
of % 3-5 per cent. per annum; all of
which, beyond what is legitimate and
reasonable-and 6 per cent. should be
considered as such-amounts to rob-
berry. United States Government
securities, yielding from 3 to d per
cent. per annum, command a premium
of Z to % per cent. and any six per
cent. dividend -paying stock is worth
anywhere above par. Therefore, a 6
per cent dividend by any railroad
company ought to be deemed ample
and sufficient, and any earnings in
excess of this amount is a ~burdensome
tax on the productive industries,
levied to enrich the few. What the
1e1CIlIlOuo III DdAN11lO SJSCOIA ga
tracts directly out of the pockets of
our people in excess of it's legitimate
earnings, amounts to the enormous
sum of $3.50, 600 per annum; equal in
value to 81, $50 bales of cotton at $40
per bale, and about II per cent. of all
the cotton grown in those States
through which it's lines pass, and into
which they penetrate. How can our
industries stand such a drain and
prosper?
The raising of melons has grown in
Georgia to be an important industry
in the past few years. Let the At
lanta Constitution bear witness as to
how this ~"infant industry" is being
treated by this hydra-headed and all
consuming trust.
July 10Th it said: We'll, the mar
kets have increased every year and
the demand for Georgia melons during
the present season has been so great
that the railroads have been unable to
furnish the growers with sufficient
cars to transport the melon crop of
southwest Georgia. Nevertheless the
growers are discouraged. They have
made no money, and this in the face
of the fact that the market has not
been glutted, and hat prices have
averaged higher than yer before.
The trouble is not because the mar
kets r glutted, o because prices
are too low. If our railroad friends
will look at their books, they will dis
cover that a promising industry is
about to be smothered and slaughtered
because the transportation companies
and commission men pocket all the
profits"
And in a later issue the following:
awe note with regret that the
transportation companies appear to be
doing all they can reasonably be
expected to do to destroy this new
and promising industry. The World,
of New York, says they are charging
more than the melons are worth to
carry them to market"
Again in it's issue of July 22d:
"The complaint, or rather the
charge that the growers make, is that
the railroads, together with their
partners, the commission merchants,
have pocketed the proceeds of almost
the entire crop. The Constitution,
commenting on this charge, has re-
marked that it is robbery; but in
order to give both sides a hearing, it
has invited the railroads to give the
process a new name if they have one
convenient. Thus far no railroad has
responded"
Besides these gigantic robberies in
which the railroad companies are en-
gagged, they indulge in small and
seemingly insignificant populations,
yet which in the aggregate amount to
large sums, and are especially annoy
ing to their victims. A merchant
bought a lot of melons in a neighbor-
ing town and the freight charges were
something like Is cents per 100 lbs.
He ordered a second lot, and on this
the rates were increased to something
over 20 cents per 100. We don't re-
member the exact figures, but approx
mate them. He felt like rebelling at
this charge, but stood it. He ordered
a third lot, and on this the charges
were more than 100 per cent. above
the rates on the first lot. He then
wrote to that high official Solo,
mon Haas, and complained. That
gentleman in reply wrote about as fol
lows: " l have investigated the freight
charges of which you complain, and