Gainesville daily sun., 1908-08-27
DISCRIMINATE AGAINST FLORIDA

The New York Packer says:
There is no question but that the
blanket rate from California Is big
advantage to that state, and to GER
tain extent detriment to the Flor.
ida producer. For instance, a Cali
gornia shipper can bill car Of
oranges to Kansas City II he does
not find a satisfactory market there
he can haye the car forwarded to
Chicago, then to Buffalo, and finally to
New York without paying any extra
transportation cost In other words,
the rate applying between the Mis-
souri, and the Atlantic seaboard is
the same, and the shipper Is given
the privilege OF changing the destina-
tion Of the car SO long as 1t continues
in the same general direction.
~on the other hand, the Florida
shipper has no such advantage. II
he bills car to Baltimore and de-
cides later to send II further North
he has to pay an additional freight
rate. In the case Of the California
shipper market can be found for the
car after It reaches its trst destina-
fion. or even after II has stopped at
two or three markets. while, generally
speaking, the Florida shipper must
use the market he originally selects
for his goods or pay additional
freight. The commissions statement
that II could not advance the rate
TO the East on California oranges
leaves only one avenue Of relief for
the Florida shipper that Of securing
the same advantage for Florida
oranges, but In this instance further
difficulties arise from the fact that
the California oranges are hauled
most OF the distance on the original
lines. while the FLORIDA haul Is divid-
cd into several parts. Then. too. the
cost OF concentrating shipments In
California Is much less than in Flor
ida, because the transcontinental
railroads pass through the principal
producing districts. In Florida the
oranges are gathered UP In small lots.
comparatively speaking. and hauled
to two or three terminal points. from
which trains are made up for the
movement TO Northern markets.
"rhe relief given the Florida ship.
pors IN the decision announced last
week was by no means material, be
Ing only or 4 cents per box. which,
Il Is very evident. Is not enough OF q
reduction 10 either increase the prof
It's OF the grower much or result IN
a large consumption because OF any
possible lowering Of the price 70 the
consumer
"In several parts OF the decision the
commission states plainly that the
California orange has much the ad.
vantage OF the Florida orange, so far
as transportation service and cost to
the principal markets OF the country
are concerned but at the same time
the commission holds out little hope
for a material change In the situation
which would help the Florida indusu
try In spite OF the fact that the
California orange Is hauled nearly
twice the distance Of the Florida or.
ange. the former enjoys a relative
lower rate aud several other advant
ages Of consequence. This appears
70 be one Of the problems OF trans.
portatlon which cannot easily be soly.
90, and yet Il IA plain that the exist
ing conditions work TO the detrlment
OF one part Of the country. Based on
che actual equality OF rates, that is
80 much per 100 pounds per mile, the
Florida orange ought 20 reach the
New York market considerably cheap
or than the California orange. yet the
reverse Is the true coddltion. and win
likely remain 80 for some time 10
caftN"