The San Francisco call., 1909-12-09
fruit GROWERS SAY
ROADS ARE UNJUST
Rate to East From Citrus Belt
Less Than That for
Shorter Haul
Continued From Page 4. Column

lies strong argument ia favor of our
contention. all of which is left 10 your
imagination.
In our letter TO you under date of
July 10 last we showed that the South
ern Pacific company was responsible
for the rapid increase IN deciduous
shipments.
AS proof that our statement was COR
rect. we cite the fact that the Southern
Pacific company gave free transporta-
tion 70 delegates who attended the
last in this city, at which several
prominent Southern Pacific officials
We're present and assisted in making it
The result Of the action taken at this
convention was that fund of $25O,000
be raised. $4,000 Of which is to be eX-
pended per annum for the purpose of
advertising California and its re-
sources. The object of so doing is to
induce people to come to California and
make il their home.
RATES KILL PROFITS
Such action on the part Of the South
ern Pacific company would be com
menda bic if conditions were such as to
justify IL, but they are not and will not
be until something is done that will
make deciduous fruit growing in the
Sacramento valley profitable to the
growers as a body, instead of profitable
to but a fraction of them.
The ability of California, through its
peculiarly adapted soil and climate, to
grow all known varieties of fruit ex-
cept very few that are grown at or
near the equator. is. the base of the
foundation for the upbuilding of Cali
fornia. Upon the development and
proper fostering of its horticultural in
terests depends the future welfare and
prosperity of its people. and any act
that viii impair those interests will
necessarily retard its progress for the
reas that in them and in them alone
lies the ability and the power to make
II what nature seems to have designed
il should be-the greatest and most
prosperous country in the world.
QUERIES FOR SOUTHERN PACIFIC
IN order that you may understand
how the fruit grower who is selling his
products in eastern markets at an
proposition TO tax him to raise the
proposed fund of $25O.000. we will ask
you the following. question:
How many millions do you believe
the Southern Pacific company, which is
receiving large profits from the busi-
ness it handles, would be willing to
Of a competing transcOntinental line?
You may say this is an absurd, fool
ish, silly question, yet this is what the
Southern Pacific company and other in
itial lines are asking the fruit growers
to do when they ask them to tax them
selves to bring people here to enter
into competition with them the only
difference being that the Southern Pa
cific company is not losing money, while
many growers are.
It makes no difference to the rail
roads whether fruit shipments sell at a
profit or a loss; it is all the same to
them.
IMPORTANT FACTS
You must not overlook the fact that
there has been comparative failure
in the fruit crop in many localities in
the east This happens once in four
or FIVE years only Had there been a
full crop in these localities the prices
received for our shipments would have
been lower than they were.
The total shipment this season to
date is 6,377 cars. as against 1897 cars
for the same time last sea son. a gain
of 400 cars. or % per cent, which,
when added to the gain of II per cent
made last year over the shipment Of
1907, makes net gain of about 100
per cent in two years.
IT was predicted by growers, ship