The morning call., 1891-11-03
THE PRODUCER NOT IGSoKED.

Oar citizens generally, we presume, know
that the Record Union of Sacramento and
the Chronicle of this city have been striving
to convince the inhabitants of the interior
Of tile State that the movement which has
been Instituted to reduce the price of trans
poUIatjon on freight between California and
the Eastern States does not contemplate
any benefits to accrue, except 10 the mer-
chants Of this city. the movement is said
20 be one controlled entirely by selfshness
Oh our part Such an argument as this is
perhaps as good as any which can he put
forth, but we are surprised that men who
write upon topi which are supposed to
instruct a community indite such nonsense.
The complaint has been general in Califor-
mia that producers have had to pay such ex-
cessiYe freight rates that they are kept poor.
Take our fruit products for instance, great
and overwhelming interest and one which,
if it could have a chance, would soon enrich
the entire State. 1t has, however, to pay
such rates Of freight that it takes nearly all
the fruit viii sell for when 1t reaches mar
ket to pay them. Most products in this
State stand upon a level with our fruits.
All are taxed as much as they will bear. If
our fruits could be marketed by paying two
thirds of the freight rates which are now
cially benefited? Every interest would feel
the impulse, for more money would 20 into
the hands of the people to enliven business
throughout the State. The situation is
readily understood. The money which
ought 10 go into the hands of the producers
goes to enrich few millionaires. The one in
terest grows rich while the public generally
gains little or nothing 1t is surely for the
advantage of the merchants in this city
that orchardists and farmers generally
throughout the State should sell their prod
ucts for profit, so as to have the means to
patrunize merchants. In other words,
farmers aud orchardists cannot purchase
goods unless their products bring something
more than the cost of transportation and
commissions for selling them. Again, sup
pose the merchants in California are COM
PEELED to pay excessive freight charges, is it
not manifest under such circumstances
that orchardists and farmers will have to
pay higher prices for the supplies which
they must obtain from the mere hants?
Ever since the railroad company obtained
control of the avenues of communication
between this and the Eastern States the
people have labored to very great extent
to enrich a few men. Most Of the profits of
agriculture aud trade have gone into the
does not make a mistake in saying that even
our politics have been controlled and de-
bauched by the men who have worked them
in the interest of persons whose property
is counted by S1OO,oOO,O0O or $500. .0OO
THE CALL has been led into these remarks
by noticing the persistency with which a
few organs of the railroad company are try
ing to confuse the public as to what is
sought to be done. We know that our
citizens have had even the waterways
blocked against them, to a certain ex-
tent, in order that a railroad COM
pany should be able more completely
TO control the business of the State. Com
hinations, 1t is urged, have been made with
nearly all of the railroads leading across the
continent; and even steamers which are
subsidized by the General Government have
worked against u.s. 1t has been said of
late, also, that sailing vessels departing
from the Atlantic ports for California have
in number of instances been induced to
combine against California In the way of
freights. THE CALL has been led to make
the above remarks as before suggested from
reading such criticisms as the following,
copied from the Record Union of a recent
date;
THE PRODUCER IGNORED.
up IN San Francisco uuder the speclous plea
that that city is suffering from unjust discrim-
ination by carriers, and by iniolerably high
rates, The producer appears to have been ignored
and his interests wholly put out of sight.
- 1t Will occur 10 all who have m de transporta-
tIon Of freight a study. and to those familiar
d. with the laws OF production aud of markets,
:. that the wel-b being of the producer is the first
consideration in the promotion of trade. In the
San Francisco scheme however, tbs real pur-
pose. iconcealed, is TO compel the producer by
involuntary contribution TO pay tribute to that
market
The object of the movement in this city is
:. TO benefit the entire State by obtaining the
means OF transporting products to and from
market at reasonable rates. We have per-
United the transportation ways to be con-
: trolled by a single railroad company. Even
by water we have been shut off. Perhaps
it was too much to expect that such COM
plete control as has been exercised by few
men over California would be dropped
without struggle. At any rate, it is worth
an effort to throw off a thIalldom which has
dragged down the business and politics of
the city and State.