Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-05-18

about been reached. With special regulation
on the one hand, and interstate on the other
the transportation companies are threatene,.
Win bankruptcy. through and unproductive
rate-Often below the cost of carriage-to meet
competition and to make market for Califor-
MA products by Interpretation of the interstate
Jaw, has made the through rate the maximum
1or intermediate local points, where no compe-
tition exists, ana Understanding to all the
laws OF trade and commerce-they are not en-
titled, at the hands of the carriers, to that
which nature has denied them. For my life |
do not know whatI can say to satisfy you or the
shippers, except that it would seem the time has
come when the people should look elsewhere
than to the railroads for remedy for every
evil. real or imaginary, of which they are often
SO unJustly complaining.
You say there has been much talk and fault
finding about the through rates, and that the
people want Information on this subject In re-
ply to this. should say-this is privilege en-
Joyed by all who paw. even though they get full
value received; but ge eral complaint with
little reason is one thing, and just complaint
quite another However, had hoped the ship
pers would have been satisfied with the position
OF our company relative to the through rates as
already explained to them by our Traffic Man
ager: who is SO familiar with all the facts and
details connected with these matters that it
would seem almost useless for me to attempt to
satisfy those who, apparently. do not want to
know the true state of affairs appertaining to
transportation-a subject SO generally misun-
derstood not because it is so very difficult of
solution from a business stand point but be-;
cause there are so lew who are frank enough to
admit that the laws OF trade and commerce and
the laws OF nature should properly be as appli-
cable to our profession as to all other callings
Upon these false premises are based all the rad
lcal and restrictive railroad legislation, both
state and national, and not one of these laws
insofar as am informed, has redounded to the
benefit OF the producer or consumer: especially
is this true with regard to the interstate law in
ITS effect on the trade and commerce of Califor-
mia.
1t is true, we have favored a 9O-cent rate of
canned goods from California to Eastern points !;
not because the difference between this figure
and the current rate would in our Judgment
increase the consumption, but because we are
all Californians We are of the people of this
great state and are striving to build up and en-
courage, IN every way. all her industries by
quoting as low rates as possible under the cir
cumstances that ever surround u.s.
There is no margin of profit over and above
the fixed charges and the cost of operating the
iine and there has not been since the rate-war
OF 1856, which harmed many and did no one
any good. The same rate as now on canned
goods was then in force and every body seemed
happy and prosperous.
We are told that the railroad stands in the
way OF marketing the products of this State
This is not true; WHILE on the other hand. it is
true that the railroads have made not only a
market, but they have made possible the profit
over this great commonwealth.
am aware that the Canned Goods Associa-
ton mas mad several largely attended meetings
and that some of lis members have seemed dis
posed to severally censure the railroad comma
mes because there has not been heavier sale
OF California goods in the Eastern markets In
answering this, | would ask you and all
simple question: Are the millions of people
East OF the Rocky Mountains likely to consume
any more OF our canned goods after d small per
cent. OF our freight has been thrown off? Let
US see what it would amount to. The retail
price TO the consumer, as he goes from day to
day IN the markets of Omaha, Chicago or other
Eastern trade centers TO purchase of these once
called luxnries, now the necessaries of life is
at Omaha, for canned peaches, 40 cents per can
of 21a pounds: the difference in the rate, which
believe will be made l cent per pound and
that now in force, is 156 per cent. of the whole
cost OF the article of consumption under con-
sideration; and yet we are told that if we would
reduce the rates that much, more of the goods
would be purchased by the consumer Let the
producer reduce his price in the same ration 2L
mills per pound, and the jobber in like proper
ton, and we have total reduction of only ~
mills per pound.
Would this, do you think, induce the average
purchaser, who may use, say, perhaps as much
as one pound for supper each day to purchase
any more of the produce sent from California I?
Certainly the amount the carrier throws off
would have no effect on the amount consumed
II would seem that the people have little or
nothing 10 complain OF, even at current rates,
and II the II per 100 pounds is adopted (which
VIII be applicable east of the Missouri river all
the way to New York;, it will be, say On canned
x, .OtD
OF cent per ton per mile. Since all things are
measured by comparison. and when we COM
pare the rate on these goods, carried large Dor
ton OF the way over the most expensive lines to
operate on this continent, and perhaps in the
world, at SO per cent. below the average charge
per mile for all the railroads of the United States
LOT the year 1886, during which year | believe
the rates averaged lower than ever before or
nee, am sure no fair-minded man will saw
this is too much.
The cauned-goods man is not alone seeking
reduced rates; the bean man is on his feet cry
ing for a lower rate; therefore, let us see about
the beans. In one of our daily papers d few
days ago appeared an article headed One Cent
Meals, stating that Mrs. Lamadrid of New
rork furnished meal for one cent; from to
II A. NJ, one-half pint of coffee with milk and
one slice of bread, l cent from IL A. NJ to 80
?. NJ, one nall pint of soup and one slice of
bread, l cent pork and beans every day, l
cent per plate. There is large amount of Cal
itornia beans consumed in the East; the cur
rent rate on beans from San Francisco to Chi
cago is 81 per 100 pounds. The bean man wants
the rate reduced to 10 cents. l think you will
agree with me that, even if the carriers made
this reduction (one-fourth of its charges 1t
would be rather difficult for Mrs. Lamadrid to
reduce her price below cent in like proper
non the good woman might however. as an
inducement, otter her regular customers l05
tickets for 81.
Since the plate of beans would not weigh over
three ounces tuncooked) and the difference in
the rate of transportation for 2t0J miles on
this amount would be three-sixty-fourths OF
cent 1t will. perhaps, aid in conveying some
conception OF the Insignificant part we play as
the medium of the excnsnge of all articles of
consumption. The railroad interest in the
canned goods is only 1-56 per cent. of the retail
price and the same is true of nearly all other
things transported, except, perhaps, raw mate
rails. II is impossible to take these things in
and the little they imply, without realization
at once of the trifing amount of this interest
which is chargeable to the carrier; and only this
trif1ing charge for the introduction of enterprise
and capital to build and operate a great trans
portatiou line. And with all these facts ever
before us, is 1t not little strange that the world
of business men, with all their united wisdom
are so slow 10 giving credit and so quick in
charging up to the carriers that which might
properly go to the account of others?