The State Rights Democrat

The P. T. Co. And Benton County Farmers.—Maj. Bruce, of Benton, replying to the Statesman, shows that the P. T. Company was not willing to allow the farmers in that county to take their own wheat in their own boat to the Salem mills, but, under penalty of refusing to take the flour from Salem, that Company expects these wheat-growers to stop their wheat at Corvallis and transfer it to the Company's boats which makes the transportation cost the shipper 5 cents more per bushel than if he could take it direct to Salem.

Corporations are generally supposed to have no souls, but such conduct indicates that this one has no sense. Its conduct towards the Benton farmers is not only oppressive but absurd and contemptible. It is carrying tom-foolery into business upon a scale rarely seen.

We advise the owners of the Ann to ship their wheat straight through to Salem and take the chances that the P. T. Co. will not dare to enforce their threatened proscription.

The fact that they rush into print with denials is conclusive that they realize how indefensible such conduct is and how ridiculous it makes them appear. People who are blackguard enough to own a steamboat for themselves should not submit to an extortion of five cents upon every bushel of their wheat and we are certain that they will not do it long.