The record-union., 1893-02-13
THE NAPA SITUATION.
Leeds Bill Bound to Work a SerIou
Injustice


Napa Daily Register. Feb. 11th1
Inc Register seems 10 have undertaken the
TASK CT preJudicing the minds OF the wine
men OF Napa Valley against senator Gesfords
the business is it is only the railroad company
tnat has cause to be worried over the Gesford
Dill, and the attempt of the Register and its
correspondents to brighten the wine-growers
into the belief that they are going TO be IN
lured is all in the interest of the corporation
mere Is no reason whatever tor alarm about
Zinfandei and Napa City are permitted to
navigate Napa River. Napa Valley WINE
men may rest assured of that fact.-Journal
The Register is doing what it has always
done, and always will do, viz: battle for
the best interests of the producers, ship
pers and dwellers in Napa County. 1t is
not and never expects to be in the BUSH
ness of "prejudicing' anybodys mind.
ms is not Its plan of operation. 1t is
| popular, of course, to Join any howl
against the railroad, right or wrong, but
we are willing TO take our chances with
those who are with the railroad when the
material Interests of our country can be
advanced by such position, and against it
Wnen III oVer-1 caches to the country's
hurt. We oppose the Leeds measure
champloned by Mr.. Gesford, first, on the
ground that our State Constitution should
not be numbered up with the details that
belong to railroad freight rates. A rail-
road schedule is subject to change con-
tlnually. 1t must meet different stages
OF state development and the varying
conditions OF commerce. The Constitu-
ton of the State is an organic law. 1t
were better to have 1t like the laws of the
Medes and Persians, Unchanged BILE than
constantly to be the football OF legislators
who are often times more selfish and
visionary than patriotic and practical in
their work.
I j
Gated by Mr.. Gesford, until it can be
shown that our correspondent, "Vindex, ;"
Is wrong and Mr.. Gesford right on the
subject OF freight rates as defined in the
schedule quoted.
The good service performed for Napa
Valley by the steamers which ply between
this city and San Francisco, has been
more often noted by the Register than by
any other paper published here. The
river is the most effective Railroad Com
missioner Napa could have, and it is a
! natural advantage we long ago set to
music and will ever sing, because il at
| lords us competition between water and
| rail.
We want this competition to continue.
But according TO statements made, we be-
lieve honestly, before the Senate Commit
tee the Kansas tariff which it is proposed
20 apply to California railroading puts
some OF the chief products of this valley
Including wine) into the second class.
The independent rating which now rules
IN order to meet team and steamer COM
petition. would be under the new classifi-
cation, knocked out, and in order to con-
tinue carriers of wine, the railroad man
agement would be compelled to reduce
the rate on everything in that class all
over the State. This, we are reliably in
formed, could not and would not be done:
ana this would mean the withdrawal of
one system of transportation, on wine at
least, from the Napa field and leave the
business entirely in the hands of the
steamboatmen.
What the people want at this writing is
something besides the simple assertion of
the Journal. If the interests of producers
and shippers are not imperiled by the
Leeds amendment some one ought to be
able to point out the reason why.