460 SECOND ANNUAL CITRUS EXHIBITION 



trees might have been said as the few points were introduced in the 

 foregoing, but aware of the value of time and the indisposition of 

 fair gatlierings to listen to lengthy papers upon any subject, abridges 

 this to a few hints and brief suggestions. Of the red scale I can say 

 nothing, having no personal knowledge of its habits or ravages, but 

 believe health and vigor of the tree are also indispensable in success- 

 fully combatting this destructive parasite. 



The discussion at this point opened with a rather wide range of 

 thought, and for two hours the firing was brisk all along the line. 

 The forces were lead by Major-General George Stoneman, of San 

 Gabriel, who had no scale bug in his orchard, and as he had not 

 examined other orchards, he had nothing to say on that subject ; but 

 he had studied the transportation question, and as it is useless to 

 raise fruit unless it can be taken to market at satisfactory rates, he 

 thought this branch of the subject a proper one for discussion. He 

 paid his respects to railroads in general, and California railroads in 

 particular. At the first citrus fair he was appointed a member of 

 the Committee on Transportation, with instructions to report to the 

 Southern California Horticultural Society at Los ilngeles, but soon 

 after his appointment the people of the State inaugurated and carried 

 forward a peaceable revolution in regard to the organic law of the 

 land, making important changes in the laws governing common car- 

 riers. In this unsettled state of affairs the committee had made no 

 report. The work of controlling railroads had but just been inaugu- 

 rated. The more one studies the transportation question the less he 

 seems to know. The railroad companies had purposely befogged the 

 question, and it was doubtful if the officials understood it themselves. 

 They laid great stress on competition ; but in this age of great com- 

 binations a competition of to-day would inevitably result in pooling 

 to-morrow, and the people must look to other remedies for self-pro- 

 tection. The great question at stake was, can these great corporations 

 be subjected to legal control ? Until that question is settled nothing 

 can be done. The railroads had defied State and National authority. 

 The Railroad Commissioners had a great work before them. It would 

 be their duty to visit all sections of the State and find out what com- 

 plaints must be redressed and corrected. One section would have 

 one complaint, and another section another complaint. Riverside 

 might demand redress on the rates of freight on fruits, while another 

 section wanted cheaper freights for lumber, another oil, and another 

 wanted empty crates and casks returned free. Tlie transportation 

 companies would leave no stone unturned to i^rotect themselves and 

 defeat the will of the people. It might be necessary for them to 

 manipulate both branches of the Legislature. It is not an easy 

 matter to buy legislators ; they are generally managed in some other 

 way. Political influence, social position, and every other means pos- 

 sible would be brought to bear. The Railroad Commissioners could 

 not be expected to pursue a course that would cripple the railroad 

 companies, but he firmly believed that the Commission as at present 

 constituted, would see that justice was done to all parties, so far as 

 they may have the power and wisdom to act. The present system is 

 an experiment. If it prove a success, it will be copied by other 

 States ; if it prove a failure, it will retard the solution of the trans- 

 portation ciuestion fifty years. 



Mr. S. Richardson, of San Gabriel, could say but little on the 



