Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-11-23
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PeddIinR Apples from Cars.


Of The Bee: At a meeting before the rail-
road commission was taken up a hearing
upon an order Issued by the railroads
prohibiting the sale OF all commodities
from cars on their riEht-ot-way.
Now this Is question that interests
at least two-thlrds OF the people through
out the state.
We taking the stand OF producers It IL
10 our interest to get our produce to
market at the lowest possible cost.
Stop the selling or peddiing off OF cars,
and 1t shuts out practically all competi-
ton, as the commission men and the
merchants will have II all their own way.
This rule will shut out at least 20 per
cent of the Sulk apples
This will enchance the price to the con-
sun,er throughout the state from 10 to
60 cents per bushel.
Nc. 1 apples cannot be raised. sprayed
and properly cared for less than 30 cents
a bushel on trees, but the inferior stock
that is n waste and can be and IL shipped
out through the state and frequently sold
as low as 20 to 30 cents, these practically
fill orders for their present use and can
be taken care of in a great many diff
ferent ways for future use. II IL fact
that the majority of families will con-
sumo five times as many apples at SO
cents bushel as they will at $3.50.
Which Is the best for the greatest num-
Der OF people? We are all talking high
cost Of living. Cut out the delivering Of
apples potatoes, cabbage. pears, peaches
and all Of these commodities and IL will
cost this state millions yearly.
Apples are different from other pro-
ducts; they must be bsrreled in order to
get them to their destination in good
shape. This cannot be done for less than
% to IS cents per bushel. to barrel or box.
We can ship and sell No. l apples in bulk
nearly all over ;hc state at % cents to
800 per, bushel. This will allow us a
respectable price for our fruit as no one
can grow fruit at the present the way
we have to spray and care for our or
chards for less. Now II we are not al
lowed to sell from car we will be forced
to rent q room and move or unload them
and the more they are handled the worse
they are and It cannot be done for less
than 10 to % cents per bushel besides, in
nine-tenths OF the small towns one could
not sell "a car in q small town at all.
There was a time when apples were a
luxury. but at present they are a neces-
sity and are the greatest health preserver
of all fruits.
Looking at II from the railroads stand
point II il a fact this has been the GUS
tom for years. allowing the sale from
cars,
There Is no law compelling them to
allow this II is their right-of-way. The
cats are their property and we, as pro-
ducers or consumers, cannot force them
to ent us their property. 1t is fact that
people are taking chances around their
yards where trains are at work; there
may be accidents caused from careless.
ness on the part OF persons or OF their
employees. and cause a suit for damage
as persons and teams on their premises
are more or less in danger 20 examine
the produce or what it may be. Persons
must enter cars ard are taking chances
but. taking the whole thing from busi-
ness standpoint. whether the railway COM
mission will allow them to enforce this
rule. II will surely incur a great injustice
to the general public.
Why at this time do they come and
exact this7 They claim that they are not
getting a. much out OF their cars set
ting on the tracks. receiving demurrage
as they would be otherwise using them,
and others waiting to get them. and
thereby they could receive greater rev.
enue than renting them out TO peddlers.
IniS may DC tne case, out are Iney any
different than individuals? Are they not
common carriers? Have we not some
rights they must respect? They must
take in consideration that we are the
people from whom they derive their sup
port.
While they may lose little when their
cars are being used for peddling. IL this
were eliminated. would they not lose
ten times as much in not allowing this
cheaper produce to move and by so
cutting that out would they not be the
loser in transportation As II this cannot
be sold from cars 1t will never be shipped
ct all and will practically have to rot
thereby depriving many from goods they
could use II they we're not debarred.
From growers standpoint II does look
as II they were making one Of the great
est mistakes by this rule that they could
have issued The railroads should re-
member that without them We can live.
whilst 1t might be a little inconvenient.
but 1t is surely q cinch that they cannot
live without US.
Our motto Is, live and let live. Those in
the poor houses are often happier than
many millionaires.
Auburn. Neb. ]. T. SWAN.