The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-11-25
RAIL WAY OFFICIAL
DISCUSSES LEMONS
Vice-President of Santa Fe
Gives Side of Roads in
Los Angeles Case.

charge Of traffic Of Tho Atchlson. Topeka
& Santa Fc has written the following let
ter 10 the Chicago Record Herald. IN ae-
fcnse OF tho action Of the railways 10
advancing rates on lemons from CaNt'T
MIA 10 the east says the Railroad Age
an editorial headed The Lemon
Growers and the NAilWhyH' Wt'yH aP
peared iu your sunday ISSUE
YOUR doubt as 20 the equity ot Cle -
cont advance In tho freight rate on !enohs
from California 20 eastern mhrhelr' 81.
quotes from a paper whleh exp, ,.,,,'--,,g,,.
r,,ot.st AGAINST the advance and pre-
dlction that ~ Is likely 10 reverse gul
national policy OF nrin protection lot
"a brir, statement OF thc facts in the
case viii. / think, convince you and yolI
readers that the railways nave l'rt'L,-
this industry during its youthtui t'ruEN!ee
and have repeatedly como 10 ~ leS.u,
during periods ot price dcpFnHHiph- NoN
that the necessity for such assistance uu |
longer exists the discrimination IN irelEHt
rates In favor % lemons aud against
oranges should cease and TIE carriers
should receive a fair return for thelF se'-
"OrlcIn,uv tho freight rate on all citrus
f-uits was the samc-fl-25 per loo POUNDS |
from California 20 eastern markets. ~ !
1902 the lemon growers asked loI u l"N. |
rn;e during tho winter months as a ncceS- |
aory aid ln selling during tho season oi |
the year when tho market Is glured Win |
imported lemons and when prices gre low /
est Tho railways compiled bF kIhhlt~ /
n ysdurcd rato ~ 81 FOR the winter auD |
spring mouths ~ 1898. tnc orlHs sy''-
ing this 10 ho n winter relief rate. Alt,L /
this period the regular tarin rate OF Fl.-'
was restored Tho reduction was l'-
questcd and granted under a distinct uh-
dcrstauGIuE with the principal growers |
and shippsrs that u was emergency |
raie and N needed contribution BY inc
raIways toward the cost Of establishing
the Industry. There was no contention
that under normal cgndiuon7 lemons
should carry lower tTciSnt rate lh'n
"During the following winter of 1905
the 81 winter relief rate was again asked
and granted. and in the following sum
mer the regular rate was again restored.
In the fan of 1905 tho lemon growers an"
packers urged that this relief rate 't
made an all thc-yopr-round rate bscaus"
the continued depressed condition ot IN.
California lemon industry had Tcach'd
such stage that many orchards were
cut down and buidod over 10 oranges,
"As on previous occasions. TINS ald from
tho railways was not asked on the ground
that tho freight rate on lemons should be
less than on oranges under normal con
diiions. or that the rate was excessive |
but wholly on tho ground mat the ral-
ways should grant this temporary assist
Encc in their own interest as carriers ana
partrcrs OF the lemon growers In pro-
duclng Hnd transporting this transcon-
tincntal freight The railways again com
piled. giving notice. however that tn'
reduction was OF a temporary nature.
subject 90 restoration AT any time II was
found 10 be no longer necessary
THE time has come when II ls no
longer necessary. The lemon Industry
ls'now profitable and the import duty has
been increased 80 cents per 100 pounds.
Thcr is no equity In longer carrying
lower rate on lemons than on oranges.
The railways have therefore advanced thc
rate 90 the same figure as charged on
oranCes-which by the way, IS now $ll1
instead OF 81 % per 100 pounds.
Railways are entitled 10 toir COM
pcusRtion tor their services The 81 rate
Is 81 far more Importance 10 tho pro-
duce~ and shipper OF fruit than Is an eN-
tremcly low rate bnprohtahle rates re-
suit In poor service. Good service calls
for the purchase and maintenance OF ,
refrigerator cars. which arc more cN-
pcnsivc and less scrviccahlc for general
purposes than ordinary box cars. IL calls
FOR the concentration Of such cars in large
numbers az shipping points In California,
which often means empty movcmen, west |
bound In train lots for 2ooo miles dis J
tancc. It means fnstcr time schedules for
the movement OF this pershable freight
than Is given freight Of any other dcscrip-
tion. II means an expensive organization
TO look after refrigeration and care OF tho
fruit. and for dlvertinE shipments en-
route from one market 10 another In order
10 secure best distribution and best prices. ,
No other class of freight business is so
expensive 10 handle
"Thc paper from which you quote cN-
presses tho fear that this advance in
freight rate ~ likely 10 oycrturn our ma
tional policy OF tar!fI protection OF Amcri-
can industries. and gives voice 10 the de-
spalring cry. Help Tor struggling In
dustry Is the claim; help for an cxaCtlng
servant Of that industry is the result
Congress has added so cents per 100
pounds 10 the import tarln on lemons. and
the railways have added but IL cents per
100 pounds TO their emergency freight
rate. not for the greedy purpose OF profit
Ing by the tarin luCrcasc-as Is claimed
hut wholly because they are nj this time
fully warranted IN doing 50 under the
terms OF their original understanding with
the Interested parties
III there be occasion FOR the alarm
quoted In your editorial. " will not be
chargcahlo 10 this just freight revision.
nor 10 any voluntary act Of tho railways.
Their record proves them 70 he the stead
fast friends Of this Industry"
Los ANGELES. Cal Nov. sg-A sure
" company bond for $3.50 900 has been ,
ncd in the United States circuit court by
the Citrus Protective League OF CAlifor-
mia. TO protect the railroads In the lemon
rate injunction cases, as required by
law
The extra IS cents n hundred pounds
for freight which the railroads purpose
TO collect Will be deposited with the
league and pat into hanks throughout the
citrus belt Ultimately, N the railroads
fail 10 maintain the $ll5 rate before tho
itcrstatc commerce commission this ,
moucy VII be returned 10 the growers.