Peninsula Enterprise, November 7, 1891

Public Roads.

Transportation -- Road - Maintenance

MR. EDITOR -- The unanimity of public sentiment in favor of a radical change in our road law, was shown by the action of the recent Democratic convention at Accomac C. H. Not one vote was cast against the resolution favoring the construction and repair of our roads by improved road machinery. This resolution means an entire change of our road system -- paid labor to work the roads and to use this machinery. The necessary money must be raised by taxation, but I don't think Captain Browne's plan of laying a special tax on horses, mules, etc., will work without a change in the Constitution. Sec. 1, Art. X, says: "No one species of property from which a tax may be collected, shall be taxed higher than any other species of property of equal value."

While I welcome Captain B's resolutions as a move in the right direction, I think they must be greatly modified. In my humble opinion, the first thing to be done is to survey all the public roads in the county, and make a complete map of them, and as far as possible straighten out the worst bends, abrupt curves, and serpentine windings. I know this would be a difficult matter, but let us begin right, even if it costs a little more. I certainly think it would be a mistake in making our roads good, to follow their sinuous tracks. I prefer that the State should take charge of our roads, as Capt. Browne proposes, but I am afraid we shall sink in the mud before this slow moving Commonwealth wakes up. We need the roads now and cannot wait five or ten years. Let us act. Be sure we're right and then go ahead.

J. D. PARSONS.

The Sweet Potato.

Fields -- Crops - Sweet potatoes : Quality controlFields -- Crops - Sweet potatoes : PricesProfessionals -- Commission merchantsFarmers -- InnovationAfrican-Americans -- Work - Agriculture

EDITOR ENTERPRISE -- The history of the growth and marketing of the sweet potato in Accomac county, as given in Mr. LeCato's letter in a former issue of your paper, was both interesting and instructive. We do not agree with him entirely as to his reasons for the low prices and inferior quality of the potatoes shipped.

Undoubtedly, the old plan of receiving in open packages was a check on any tendency to bad culling on the part of the growers. Did we not get our ideas of shipping in covered barrels from the [New] Jersey farmer? Jersey potatoes are now sent to market in barrels covered the same as ours, and yet there is a difference in the price per barrel from 35 to 50 cents, which means, (if Eastern Shore potatoes were as good and as well culled) $100,000,00 to Accomac county at a fair estimate of the number of barrels raised.

For several years after the introduction of barrels and covers the complaint of bad stock was not general enough to injure the sale of the entire crop of Eastern Shore potatoes. It is sufficiently known, now, however, and buyers have learned to beware. Since covered barrels came into use we have known names whose initials were a guarantee of the quality of their stock and it always sold at a premium.

It is only of late years, that we hear so much complaint about badly culled potatoes, and in our opinion the origin is twofold. There are two causes producing the same result. It is a well known fact, that the Baltimore produce commission merchants, those handling our potatoes, inaugurated a system of sending one price to all shippers without any reference to the quality of goods sent. In other words, if A's potatoes brought $2 per barrel and B's $2.50 per barrel, they would strike an average and send both $2.25. Not ten days ago, a farmer told me he had a letter from one of the largest commission houses in Baltimore telling him "not to cull but to put in everything." Could anything be more destructive to quality and finally to prices?

And this uniformity of prices to all is the prime cause of the evil of bad stock. This being true, I think we may without injustice lay a greater part of the blame, if not all, at the door of the Baltimore commission merchants. And with them is lodged the power to make every shipper properly cull and put up his produce for market. It is impossible to go back to the old system of open packages, nor is it at all practicable to have inspectors at the different depots of shipment. The consignee can, if he will apply the remedy, and the result will be a prompt return to a better quality of goods shipped.

But do not understand me to charge the commission merchants with being the cause of the low prices of sweets this season -- I believe the price is lower than it would have been by reason of their system of returns, and yet potatoes would have been low this year, no matter how well put up for market.

The principal reason for the low price of sweets is the great abundance of all other crops. The country has never known such a year of abundance of apples, peaches, grapes, &c., and the low price of these products proves the truth of my position. There is very little demand for sweets, good or bad. However, if they had been properly put up for market, Accomac county would have realized at least $100,000,00 more on her crop than she will -- at a liberal estimate.

It is evident from what we have shown, that the Baltimore commission merchants have by their unbusiness-like methods damaged Accomac county this year at least many thousand dollars, because the are responsible, not for the demand for sweets, but for the quality of them when shipped.

But no law can be violated with impunity, no matter whether it be natural law, or moral law. When we are sick it is evident that we have violated some law of health and our sickness is the result. The same law is in operation everywhere throughout the universe. The merchant who sells A's goods for the same price he does B's when A's are worth double the price of B's, violates the law of equality and fair dealing -- this of course produces a result in keeping and the consequence is the dishonest package -- on account of which all Eastern Shore sweets suffer a reduction of from 25 to 50 cents per barrel.

The cloud is never so dark and over-shadowing but what we may find some trace of brightness beyond if we look for it. Our trouble is we always look at the dark side, in fact, we look at it until the bright side hurts our eyes. The failure of the crop this year will have a tendency to drive out of the business those who have neither the capital, labor and brains to farm intelligently -- consequently those who know how to farm and how to market their produce will be able to get labor at a fair price.

The negro is beginning to see that it will pay him better to work for the white man by the month or day than to farm on his own account and find himself in debt after his crop has been harvested.

It is likely, after this year's experience, farmers will diversify their crops. Another good thing growing out of this seeming calamity is that there will be an effort on the part of farmers to raise corn, hay, pork, butter, eggs, &c., in sufficient quantity to support the family. This is the first letter in the alphabet of successful farming.

We have shown that potatoes are low on account of the abundance of all other crop, and that they are at least 25 to 50 cents per barrel lower than they ought to be, because they are not properly culled, and we have shown that the commission merchants of Baltimore are responsible for the bad culling, because they inaugurated a system of returns, entirely ignoring the quality of the produce shipped -- and the reader can figure for himself the loss in money to our county. The farmers have done wrong in beating down the commission merchant to 5 per cent. It is not enough. It is not a fair compensation for the trouble and expense. There is not much left for the commission merchant when he sells potatoes of 50 cts, or $1 per barrel -- pays drummer 5 per cent for getting it consigned to him, and he gets only 5 per cent.

T. A. J.