Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1908-08-22
DISCRIMINATE AeAINsr FLoRIDA


There ID no question but that the
blanket rate from California Is big
advantage to that state, and to . Ger
tain extent detriment 10 tie Flor
ida producer For instance. Cali
fornia shipper can bill car or
oranges to Kansas City II be does
not find a satisfactory market there
he can have the ear forwarded to
Chicago, then 70 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-
ton Of the car SO long as II continues
In the same general direction.
"On the other hand, the Florida
shipper has no such advantage. II
he bills a car to Baltimore and de-
cides later to send II further North
ne has to pay an additional freight
rate. In the case OF the California
shipper a market can be found for the
car after II reaches It's first destina-
ton, 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 diyid- |
ID 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
% two or three terminal points, from
which trains are made up for the
20 Northern markets.
The relief given the Florida shin.
'ers ia the decision announced last
week was BY no means material, be-
ng only or cents per box. which,
I Is very evident, Is not enough OF a
'eduction 10 either increase the prof.
"a OF the grower much or result IN
! large consumption because OF any
possible lowering OF the price to the
consumer.
In several parts OF the decision the
commission states plainly that the
California orange has much the nd.
vantage OF the Florida orange. so far
Is transportation service and cost to
he principal markets Of the country |
afN NNWNNtHNNt Aub ~ Alc sumo tlule i
he commission holds our little hope
'or material change IN the situation
which would help the Florida indus
Try, n spite OF the fact that the
California orange Is hauled nearly |
twice the distance % the Florida or
ange. the former enjoys relative
lower rate and several other advant
Agea OF consequence. This appears
70 be one OF the problems OF trans.
portatlon which cannot easily be sol7.
"a, and yet Il Is plain that the exist
Ing conditions work 70 the detrlment
Of one part Of the country. Based on
the actual equality % rates. that h.
80 much per 100 pounds per mile. the
Florida orange ought 20 reach the
New York market considerably cheap
er than the California orange. yet the
reverse n enc true condition. and win
likely ROMAN 50 for some time TO
come"