The Daytona gazette=news. (Daytona, Fla.) 1901-1922, 1904-03-05
LOWER FREIGHT RATES.

1T may be added that the Florida
delegation has been an important
factor in obtaining lower freight rates
for Florida by success. Ghy advoca-
ting the improvement or rivers and
har bors. Ten years ago the business
Of the ports OF Florida was insignIfi-
cant compared to what it is today.
As al example. the business OF one
Florida port has grown from less
than a million dollars annually to
over twenty-five millions The
freights have sought the cheaper or
water haul made available by deeper
water; and. as such Improvement
progresses. so will the business OF
that port increase to the advantage
OF both producer and consumer.
Il have made some inquiry into
the system OF rebates alleged 10 have
obtained some years ago. and am In.
formed by reliable parties that. as
the result of rate war between
competing railroads. freight cCnces-
sions, or rebates, were given-not
to one firm alone. as Mr.. Stockton
would have you beieve-but TO
wholesale merchants generally at
competing points.
In his attack upon the e. y. Rog,
ers Company. why does Mr.. Stockton
30 studiousy conceal from the pub ,
N hot =
with a wholesale house which also
received rebates in the same rate
war Has he conveniently forgotten
1t! Let us refresh his memory. Mr..
Stockton was one OF the members OF
the Tampa Commercial Company.
established largely through his ef.
forts. He had been in the wholesale
grocery or grain business with VII
liam Root IN Jacksonville. and
through his experience in the bust.
ness, induced others to embark with
him in the Tampa enterprise. This
company received rebates. Just as did
ether companies at competing points
Who solicited the rebates. or
whether they were solicited at all
do not know. | did not. certaihIy.
They began. | am told. when a steam
ship line was established between
Mobile and Tampa. which put into
Tampa the Jacksonville freight rate.
Jacksonville up to that time having
been practically the baSing point for
Florida rates To make II plain. the
Tampa merchants could buy a barrel
OF nour and have IL delivered at Tam.
pa by the Mobile line for the SAND
freight II would cost a Jacksonville
merchant TO have a barrel of four
Delivered from the west ar Jackson
Vile. Some Of the railroads running
out OF Jacksonville resented This no
ing threatened, as they argued. with ,
great loss Of business through the
competition OF the steamship line In ,
order TO retain the business. they cut ,
The rate. There were cuts In retaIia.
lion. backward and forward. and /,
was in this war that the wholesale
houses. Including the Tampa Com. :
ner'ial Company. were given re- -,
bates am further informed thar
he rebates were Of no direct beneet .
% any OF the wholesale houses-tha, .
'very dollar cut from the freight rate :,
'ad also 10 be cut from the price or +,
by the wholesale daalars \
order to hold the trade in the dis
'uted territory. So that after all il :.
appears that the consumer was ben ~
'fted by the competition. prices 10 a
I'm being necessarily lower IN coDse. =
luence OF the rebates When the .
Noble ships were taken OF. soma =
ears ago. the freight war ended ;.
IN told. and with It the rebates ana :,
5 l understand. the rebates have not
eel given since :,