The record-union., 1893-02-21
THE LEEDS AMENDMENT.
How 1t VIII Iniuriously Affect Leading
Industries.

hoW IL w III inJuriouSly Affect Leading
Industries.
The st. Helena (Napa County, Star,
under the head of"A Home Question:
has the following editorial:
There is no longer any doubt that the
Act now before the Legislature. as TO the
regulation of freights and fares in this
state, was, to say the least, very hastily
Planned and very crudely thrown to-
gether, Investigation by the Senate
committee on Constitutional Amend
ments, as shown in the published pro-
ceedlngs of that body, reveals so MANY
inequalities, inconsistencies and contra
dlctlons that it is a wonder that the docu-
ment has not already gone 10 pieces for
the want OF conference in its parts. If
there Is single locality in the State
which, on the whole, can derive any ad-
vantage from its provisions, ii would be a
rellef to know that such an exception ex-
lists. There can, at least, be no question
that the proposed ill-digested scheme
proposed for the regulation of railroad
charges would cripple, if not destroy, in
uustrlal enterprise in more than one sec
tion OF the State. At any rate, no legisla-
ton can be depended on as generally ad-
Vantageous which would disastrously
Affect leading industry, upon develop
ment In which the great future of that
industry depends
We suggest this as general PROPOSE
ton, but we have in mind particularly
now, the effect which the Act in question
would have on wine-growing in Napa
county. rms industry, for reasons ap-
preclated by all who are conversant with
the circumstances surrounding it. re-
qulres Tor its promotion every available
advantage and stimulus. 1t cannot afford
to suffer any additional handican
At present, so far as the very important
factor OF transportation is concerned. the
conditions are favorable. and those who
are actually interested in the material
welfare OF the county would regret to
have these conditions impaired or dis
turbed IN any way. Owing to competi-
tlon prevailing between rail and water
carriers, the freight charges on wine
shipments from this vicinity are now
quite low. If the measure submitted bv
MT. LEEDS, the manager of the Traffic
Association of San Francisco, should be-
come law ana the freight charges of the
railroad On which we depend for the reg
ulatlon OF rates by competition should
thereby be very greatly reduced as pro-
posed, the railroad would evidently be
compelled to increase it's present wine
rates, which are liz cents a hundred
pounds, or - 80 a ton, very materially in
the direction of the maximum specified
IN Mr.. Leeds amendment, which is 26
cents hundred pounds, or So 20 a ton
from St Helena to San francisco. The
same is approximately the case as to other
points OF shipment in Napa Valley.
The emergency presents itself about as
follows: Suppose the Constitution
amended as proposed, the immediate re-
suit would be to force the railroad to
raise its rates to the legal maximum on
all commodities on which it now charges
less, as the cut in its rates on other
articles is so deep that it would have no
other recourse whereby to save itself
from aggregate loss. We believe that the
proposed legislation is unwise, as a
whole, and that consequently it would be
attended with results generally injurious.
1t is enough, however, to suggest to our
people, who are directly interested in this
matter. that it will pay them to look into
the facts OF the case. Their influence, it
goes without saying, will be felt in oppo-
sition to any measure of legislation the
provisions of which are mischievous and
hurtful 20 our chief industry which is
universally cherished with pride and
confidence.