The record-union., 1895-08-17
BE SURE YOU WANT IT.

BE SURE YOU WANT IT.
Our esteemed metropolitan oontempo-
raries, with that little learning which ia
dangerous thing, seize upon every propo-
sition of reduction of freight rates with
an avidity which indicates to their con-
ception that all reductions sre in the line
of the accomplishment of good to the peo-
pie. Laboring under this peculiar form
of belief some of our San Francisco con-
temporaries have applauded Railroad
Commissioner LaRue for proposition to
reduce the rates by rail on grain from
the interior to the seaboard 15 per cent.
on main lines and 20 per cent. on branch
lines. If the Railroad Commission and
our esteemed contemporaries will honor
US with their attention for a brief space,
we will present some facts bearing upon
this situation which it will be well to con-
sider calmly and thOughEfully.
In the first place, the question as to
whether the grain shall move by rail to
the seaboard or by water is determined
by the rate of transportation by rail.
When the railroad has sought to divert
the movement of grain from the Sacra-
mento River, 1t has done so by reduc-
ton of freight rate. Every reduction of
rate by rail takes away from the river a
portion Of its tonnage. Captain Roberts,
the party most largely Interested in the
movement of grain by river to the sea-
board, and necessarily the supplemental
movement OF mixed merchandise from
she sesboard to the interior by river, pro-
tested against the reduction made by the
ground that it would inflict injury upon
his revenues. Let it be understood that
she movement of grain by river Induces
supplemental return freight from San
Francisco to the interior by the same in
strumentality of transportation. The
general merchandise and mixed freight
carried by river boats to the interior is
high-olass freight. and is moved with
maximum of profit both to the river
steamers and the railroads.
Over 60 per cent. of all the grain raised
In the Sacramento Valley is moved to the
aeabosrd by river. This is a very i'm
portant fact, and one which should be
very carefully considered by Mr.. LaRue
before he risks his reputation as an ex-
pert on transportation, and it is fact
which should be clearly recognized by
our San Francisco contemporaries before
they proffer advice to the commission
with that prodigality which is born of an
imperfect knowledge of the subject they
are discussing. Captain Roberts declared
80 the commission on Wednesday that the
reduction proposed by Mr.. LaRue would
the railroads will carry 100 per cent. of
the export output of the grain fields of
the Sacramento Valley instead of 10 per
cent. Hence q reduction of 10 per cent.
will confer upon them al increased tom
mage of 90 per cent. of the whole output.
We say with all sincerity: BE sure you
want this before you do it."
The navigation of the Sacramento River
Is sustained chiefly by the export of grain
from the interior to the seaboard. Incl
dentally it becomes a competitor for the
import tonnage into the vallsy. If the
river boats are driven out by cheap rail-
way transportation, then the railroads
will gain the tonnage of merchandise
the high-class freight which Is now lost
by means of river competition.
This presentation may be formulated
into set of questions as follows:
Does the river carry go per cent. of the
entire grain export of the Sacramento
Valley?
Does this grain tonnage sustain the
commercial navigation of the river?
Does the maintenance OF the river
service offer to the railroads competi-
ton upon q tonnage of general merchan-
disc and high-class freight?
Will the reduction proposed by Com
missioner LaRue cripple the river service
so as to eliminate this competition?
VIII the reduction enable the railroads
to carry a greatly increased tonnage OF
grain, If not all of the grain raised in the
Sacramento Valley?