The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-08-18
INTERIOR RATES

MI" AIASlcA Tic SAE1AG1ItES
| lessons given to it on the science of
economics. the Ocala Demands, the
Omaha platform and other extraneous
matters, this paper stands by its prop
osition that whether the depth of
water at the bars OF the St. Johns
and Hillsborough rivers be twelve
feet or forty feet freight rates to the
interior are not lessened to the
amount of a penny.
And without knowing very much on
the subject it also disputes the prop
osition that big ships carry freight at
less rate than schooners.
We in the interior produce things.
We ship car load after car load OF
stuff to the markets. Take the rates
OF twenty years ago and compare
them with the rates Of today and II
We are correctly informed they are
higher today than they were then.
But this is not the gist OF our com
plant Other things being equal the
rate It not so huytfuI as the discrimin-
alton
II TWO merchants are in business
side by side and are given the same
freight rate it matters very little TO
them what the rate may be but if one
IS given a lower rate than the other
then the one who is thus favored
will soon run his competitor out OF
business
1t is this discrimination that is the
gist Of our complaint The millions
and millions that are paid out for the
improvement of our rivers and harbors
are not paid altogether by the cities
lying next to them but are paid alike
by all the people, so why should the
interior not derive some OF the bene-
fits therefrom? Why should the cities
lying next to them be given a much
lower railroad rate than interior
points?
Is that not a discrimination? Is
it not favoritism? Is it not a special
privilege?
Let US say that the railroad freight
rate from Flint. Michigan. to Jack
sonville. on automobiles and other
manufactured articles. lie entirely
satisfactorily. Why is it that We can
not have this same rate extended on
to Ocala?
Well, the fact IS We cannot. There
is some hidden joker in the science
Of economics that prevents it an il
sures the seapoart cities against in
terror competition
Well, as We said, the railroad
freight rate from Flint, Mich, TO JACK
sonville, is satisfactory, but does the
gentleman that assumes to give this
paper elementary lessons in econom-
les know that the dealers in Ocala
save money by paying chauffers their
high daily wage. their railroad fare
10 Jacksonville and hotel expenses
while there, to bring these automo-
biles through the country TO their
destination here because of the ex-
cessive freight rate from Jackson
vile to Ocalae
We suppose that the Ocala De-
mands and the Omaha platform are
10 blame for this state of affairs.
But that's not curing the evil
We had 2 friend once who was
agent for blue ribbon beer. He took
Ia trip 10 ST. Petersburg and sold a
car load of beer 10 a dealer in that
city He had the beer in Ocala which
was one hundred miles nearer St.
Petersburg than Jacksonville but ha
was astonished 10 discover that he
could save money on the TRANSACTION
BY shipping the cargo of beer from
Jacksonville 10 ST. Petersburg direct.
He had never had any elementary les
sons given to him in the science of
i economics.
This same friend once watched the
| shipment OF a barrel of -four from
Jacksonville TO Orange Springs, a
point on the Ocklawaha river. The
-four was taken of the cars at Ocala
and stored in the warehouse until the
next day Il was then re-shipped TO
Silver Springs. Il was taken of he
cars there. put aboard a small boat
and shipped 10 Orange Springs. half
way back 10 Jacksonville for a small
er sum than our merchants are com
PEELED to pay direct from Jackson
vile. to Ocala
That, al least. is the story thar
/ comes 10 US
To understand this problem in
freight rates one must have some
friend kind enough and patient
enough 10 instruct him in the science
! Of economics.
But our erudite Jacksonville friend