The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-19
COMMITTEE STILL INACTIVE.
NOTHING DONE FOR FAIRER RATES
ON FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

ticuIturaI Societies, and Fruit
GrOwers' Association Hesitate to
Assume the neutrality-suspicious.
and Communications to Newspa-
pers and individuals Express the
Discomfort Felt by the AgricuItu-
raj Classes at the Present scale of
Rates for Refrigeration and
Transportation.
The affairs of the joint committee Of
the State Agricultural Society and the
State Horticultural Society and the
Fruit Growers Association seem to be in
a somewhat disjointed condition. The
committee was appointed by these various
organizations to make an effort to secure
from the railroads better and fairer rates
for the refrigeration and transportation
of vegetables and fruits and its individual
members entertain hopes of accomplish
ing valuable results.
However, there have as yet been no
steps taken toward the organization of
the committee, and 1t rather looks as II
no one of its members is prepared to
take the initiative in this important mat
ter. It was currently understood among
the members of the committee that call
should be issued, but by whom was left
in some doubt. Hence 1t seems that it
is in a fair way of accomplishing moth
ing. The members all are busy men, and
most of them unwilling TO undertake the
responsibility and onerous duties of the
Craftsmanship. AS each seems to think
that if he issues the cal these duties will
devove upon him, whether he will or not
there IS a general hanging back and I'M
willingness to talk.
This state of affairs cannot long con-
tinue. throughout the state there is a
feeling that the railroads get more than
their share of the profits on fruits and
| vegetables, and that while their profit is
constant, the share of the farmer and
fruit grower is entirely dependent upon
the stale of the crop. 1t is said that the
roads never get less than a third of the
| gross proceeds, and that very often all
that is realized from the sale of a con-
| signmeut goes 10 them. Less frequently,
! but still often enough to be disagreeable,
a shipment realizes nothing for the far
mer or to anyone other than the trans
| portation companies, it being necessary,
because of unfavorable conditions, to feed
| the packages to the fishes But every
| time the freight is collected.
These are the matters the farmers and
| fruit growers believe to be strongly TO
| their disadvantage, and that they desire to
| see remedied. Communications to the
| Morning News and TO other newspapers
! throughout the state, indicate the condi
| ton of the agricultural pulse on
this question, and demonstrate that
| the farmers are anxious for
| a change. Some of these communications
! so so far as 10 say that unless there is a
| reduction of the rates for refrigeration ana
| transportation the farmers and fruit grow
| ers will be compelled to go out of the bus
!
is certain that there must be a material
| reduction. il it is the desire of the roads to
! induce others to enter the business and
carry it on in this state.
The farmers generally believe that there
| is no section of the country more favoIa-
BILE to the raising of agricultural and hor-
tcultural products than this state. Al
| most every variety of fruit and vegetable
may be raised within its boundaries cheap
ly and in abundance. But these adVan-
| tages are in every case minmized and Oft
| en- wiped out completely by the high rates
! of transportation. Composition with other
fruit and vegetable sections. which enjoy
| more advantageous rates for the refriger-
! alton and transporta ton of their products,
is rendered impossible.
I Therefore the hesitancy on the part of
the members of the committee appointed
to confer with the representatives of the
| railroads and seek to remedy these evils
| cannot long continue. For their own pro-
| lection as well as for the protection Of
| their brother planters throughout the
| state they will be compelled to do some
| thing and some one among them Will of
necessity assume the leadership in the
fight The question has been squarey
drawn and it is generally felt that some
definite decision must be reached.
When the members of the committee
discussed the project at Quitman 1t was
practically decided that Macon would be
(, 10, ala, hoIl he first
meeting. Its central position and the fact
that it is surrounded by large vegetable
and fruit growing areas, and that hence
several of the committee are from the Sec
ton adjacent to it, recommended it as
the place to hold the organization meet
ing and it was virtually decided that this
would be the case. But as yet nothing
has been done to carry out the directions
of the several bodies the committee repre-
sent and active work seems TO lapse. Ii
cannot be thought that this state of in
nocuous desuetude will be suffered long
to continue.
1t was virtually decided also that the
committee should go on to Washington be-
fore its .aborS were concluded, with the
intention Of placing before the representa-
tves of the Northern lines, connecting
with the initial Lines from the South at
that point the arguments faVoring q re-
ductiOn in the rate for the transportation
of fruits and vegetables. The initial lines
have been in the custom of ascribing the
blame for the existing high scale Of rates
to the Northern lines, and 1t is the in
tention of the committee, primarily, to
investigate the truth of this contention
and il the blame really lies with the
lines with Southern termini at Washing
ton to submit the arguments in favor OF
moderation to them
II is thought that the representatives OF
these roads will prove reasonable and that
they can he brought to see that it is not
to their advantage to continue in force 4
scale of rates that is almost prohibitory
on the contrary, 1t is believed that they
win be willing to inaugurate a rate that
will not only permit but encourage. the
raising of fruits and vegetables in Geor-
gia, and that, recogn zing the importance
of the industry they VIII be glad 20 dc
what they can to increase the number OF
those engaged in 1t. Surely. the commit
tee thinks, these roads cannot be anxiou.
| n cfqr1rl ont a bvsiuecS that rebounds 81