White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1934-09-27
SHOULD RATES ADVANCE?

The Pacific Northwest, and especially the apple
growers, are taking good deal of interest in the
attempt by the class I railroads to increase their
freight rates fruits and vegetables by ten per
cent And it is only right that they should For
further increases in the cost of transportation
will place too large burden on the shoulders of
an already burdened industry.
The apple industry will be represented at the
hearing in Washington DC, next month by T.
L. Plette Of the Yakima Traffic and Credit Associ-
alton, and B. L. Baker of the Wenatchee valley
traffic group. Both men are capable and qualified
to present the apple growers stand on the matter
OF rail rate advances.
It is pointed out by officials of the railroads that
the advance would not be ten per cent in all cases.
that the cost of shipping apples to the east would
be advanced but three cents hundred pounds
which would be an increase of about two and one
half per cent.
An increase of two and one-half per cent is not
a large one; but when the rate is already far too
high, as it is in the case of apples, the matter is
far more serious.
The cost of transportation is already the larg-
est single item in the production of fruit; it far
exceeds the cost Of water, spraying, or even the
packing and handig of the fruit. Further in
creases will simply cause the growers to search
for new methods of marketing the fruit, and this
would mean the practical end of the railroads.
There is little question but that the Transport
tatlon costs are based on what the traffic will bear,
rather than on an economic level 1t is asserted
that the roads are now carrying as much or more
freight to the east than during the past decade;
labor has been reduced and the wages Of those
working have been drasteally reduced If
these facts are true, why should there be need
for increased rates?
Ia man mt tha fo no
for advanced rates? II so, it will be but a short
time until the management of the railroads is
entrusted to the federal government. But the UNI
fortunate phase of the picture is that before the
roads are taken over by the government, Compel
ing transportation mediums will have been built
up to point where the railroads will never regain
their lost business
Railroads no longer have a monopoly on the
transportation of produce. One does not have to
look far afeld to the inroads that trucks have
made on the business that formerly went to the
railroads. And it is only matter of few years
until water transportation will have been devel-
oped to point where much of the produce shipped
to the east will be sent that way.
The outstanding reason for this loss of traffic
by the roads is perhaps lack of cooperation by
them. Failure to provide schedules which will ia
cilitate the marketing of fresh fruits and vege-
tables has resulted in much produce being shipped
by truck.
When it is possible to load fruit on truck at
the orchard and ship it direct to the market sew
eral hundred miles away with resultant saving
in handling charges and saving in time Of from
four to twelve hours, it wonder that the roads
are losing business.
Rather than seek increases in rates. which win
virtually kill the goose that lays the golden eggs,
the rail companies should consider ways and
means Of improving their service for the grower
There are still many advantages to rail transpor-
tation over other means which will increase bust
ness for the companies if put to use.