The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-12-02
UNCOMMON SENSE.
The Stockton Mail says.

The Stockton Mail says:
The aims Of the Traffic Association Of San
francisco are represented as embracing all that
pei tains 10 the welfare OF the State whereas the
benefit TO the members OF The association Is the
ouIy purpose in view. The importers OF mer'
enaudI.e are going 10 get lower freight rates. If
they can; but are they going TO sell their goods
for any less price on that account?
Tie Record Union quotes this, with the
remark that there is a world of good COM
mon sense in this suggestion. The. good
common sense OF the suggestion seem to us
of a very uncommon order. Ii the import
ers of merchandise get lover rates by means
of the Traffic Association. does it not follow
that the same means will procure lower
freights for farmers products? The CON-
plant all through the State is that freight
eats the tyuit up. The producer hardly
get enough for picking and placing on the
market. We are informed that some we'll
managed orchards this year brought their
owners In debt. The Traffic Association
has determined, if possible, to obtain lower
rates for both incoming and outgoing freight.
The press OF the State has generally taken
friendly view of the proposed work, but
now and then journal pretends TO think
that no good can come of it, The Record
Union assures its readers that freight rates
do not affect the prices at which merchan-
disc is sold. Shoes, for example, sell at the
same price now as IN the days when freight
was twice as much. The reduction in price
on single pair Of shoes not being of much
consequence. the Record Union argues that
consumers would gain nothing by general
reduction all along the line. TIE uncommon
sense Of our contemporary comes out strong
in the following:
There has beeu for long time an unfair profit
| 10 the merchandising SIDE Of the account on
California products. For Illustration, the wine
me- chants are building magnificent cellars, pala-
tial private residences and siuFeudOuS fortunes
out of tile wine business OF this State while the
grape grower is growing poorer every year. The
wine merchant complains that he pays high
freight on his east -bound freight.
People would like to know who are the
winp-dealers who have made stupendous
fortunes ont of the business. They Know
that there are several palatial private resi-
dPnccs on Mob Hill. but they do not know
which among them is owned by wine mer-
chants. Without doubt, however, the men
who have had the ca ital to buy vines at
first hands and the knowledge nPce ssary to
their proper treatment have made consider
able money But if palaiial private resi-
deuces are evidence Of unfair profit railroad
owners are hardly in position to call
attention TO such evidence. The Record
Union does show little common sense in
the following;
What high protective tariff does for the mFn-
uiacturers OF America, a high rate on manu-
iacufed wares Will DO for California, If there is
any sound reasoning underlying the policy OF
p election. We therefore suggesi the pJOpIiety
OF adjusting the freight rates IN such way as
will give us cheap material upon which 10 eX-
y nd skin and labor and high price ON the
wares.
Doubtless a freight schedule might be
made out which would help the import in
du>tries of this State. II railroads were al
liberty TO impose discriminating rates with
ont regard to distances or to the nature of
the article offered for transportation, the
800 miles between the Atlantic aud Pacific
coasts might be made a sort of protection to
CUR local industries. But the rule of regu-
latirg fseights that cur people have become
the most familiar with is 10 charge all the
traffic viii bear. That rule has been az
piled TO raw material as well as to finished
goods.