The morning call., 1892-06-17
THE EVIL AND TIE Remedy.

Beerbohm reports that California wheat
is very heavy in the English markets.
| This means lower prices and a scramble be-
! tween the W eat-growers of this coast and
/ the Wheat-groweTs Of the central valleys TO
| effect sales. When The markets get into This
! condition a small difference in cost turns the
/ scale In California Wheat-produeerS have
TO struggle with high freights in order to
place their wheat at tidewater. This, Of
course. initiates against one of CALIFORNIA;
stable products, hence il is an object of
great Importance to obtain reduction In
freight
Not many years ago the railroads OF Kan
sas, Nebraska. Iowa, Illinois and other
wheat States pursued the policy which the
Southern Pacific is pursuing in this State,
and insisted on taking the lions share of
the proceeds OF the wheat grown along
their lines for carrying it to market.
Twenty years ago henry v Poor laid down
the proposition that wheat will only bear
transportation for go miles over highways
to a market where il is worth 81 30
bushel. Beyond that limit aud with no
other means of conveyance it had no COM
mercal value. Taking this as the rule, the
companies adopted freight schedules which
assimlated railroads TO highways and
charged so much for transporting grain
that the farmer in Kansas and Iowa made
nothing by growing wheat. as he had no
local market to sell IL in. Then followed
the granger laws and the railroad commits
sions, based on the decision Of the United
States Supreme Court in Mum vs.. Illinois.
The consequence Of these measures Of lit-
CATION. coupled with the energetic action OF
the Railroad Commissions. was a reduction
in freights which enabled wheat to be
moved 5000 miles by rail and steamer and
10 be marketed at 30 cents a bushel with a
profit both TO grower and carrier The
trunk lines reduced the rate on wheat to
S. a ton for 1000 miles, or half a cent a
mile. which is less than one-fOurth the
average rate charged by the Southern Pa
cifc in this State; aud the late William II.
Y andeTbilt testified before the New York
Legislature that his road was making
money by doing business at this rate.
This is the example for the California
farmer 10 follow. The wheat growers Of the
river valleys did not win their fight In a
single campaign. They had TO continue the
war, during which they were told, as Mr..
Huntington now tells CalifOrnians, that the
railroads were making no money and that
IL would be counting bankruptcy to reduce
rates But the farmers Of the prairies were
not humbugged. When the railroads
bought the Railroad Commissioners the peo-
pie turned them out, and chose honest men
in their place; when the companies got con-
troll Of the courts the people legislated the
corrupt Judges out Of Office and put upright
magistrates on the bench In this way,
after a hard struggle the farmers carried
their point, and wheatraisiug in Kansas
for consumption in England became not
wholly Improbable pursuit.
If the farmers Of this State have the cOuT-
age to wage war On the same lines they will
find their efforts crowned with the same
success. II only needs persistent and intel
ligent endeayoT. But the war should be
conducted simultaneously against all the
vulnerable points which the enemy presents
Competition by sea and by land should be
encouraged. And as the despotism of the
monopoly is bOttomed upon its control Of
the Railroad Commission and Of the courts.
they should be assailed-wbether by i'm
parchment and removal or by an amend
ment to the constitution is a matter Of
after consideration. The remedy is in tie
hands Of the people if they take the right
peth IN Snal- II