Kansas weekly herald., 1855-05-11

sesS s-~>--S ;" --1s1-t1><s< ~ - 8tl4S&
composition. snd q mon1poliss de busi
nsss, number 81 noneIed man, MOI,
comnonly known IS ..sssanhsas men =
combined togesher md e1gagedthe seyise.
OF EvERz licensed lfissoor:: rissF s;los )
exorbnant wsges, With the understanding
that no ons Of them Sd q dare 70 90 q
any transient boat even ifhis services shoall
not be brought into reqrisision We hsal
from Q fsiisbie source that shess aEssaHnzn
Der Of piiotsin 81 Loois, waking ths stsest,
unemployed and leading a iife Of uniaier.
lrup.ed idIeness fof which they draw ths
regular salary Of pilots. This arrsneemenl
was perfected with the licensed piiots with
no other view than excluding from the trade
boats from the Ohio and Mississippi rivers
thereby enabling the regular Missouri siv-
er boats to have things their own way and
to exact such prices-just OF unjust LAS they
might see proper.
The people have good to complain
of thissaonopoly for It is unquestionably
stagnating their business. They ssnno.
with justice to themselves pay such high
and exorbitant rates for freight as are now
being asked by the MissosEi river boats.
They are willing to pay fair and reasona-
bly, r-rnu ,ct - prices but they objects The
payment of such extortionary rates as are
now being demanded Twenty years since,
when the navigation of the Missouri river
was attended with far more difficulties than
at the present day the prices Of freight were,
if we are correctly informed, not more than
half what is now charged. If boats found
it profitable to navigate the Missouri river
at such rates when the travel was not near
so great as at The present day.an when a
much longer time was required for the ac-
complishment of the passage. how is it, We
say that such exoxbitant rates are now being
asked. How shall we overthrow the mo.
nopoiy is the question now being asked z
Although this is q serious question it is by
no means unanswerable. OF the many me-
thods that have been proposed by the press
the most practicable, we think is that the peo-
pie along the river, who are directly inter-
ested IN the Glovement, shall form counter
monopoly by building boats of their own;
which shall be patronized exclusively by the
community and shippers Of all
the towns along the river. Such course
would surely have the effect ofdestroying
the monopoly /; and unless some such step
as taken we know not how long we shall
be made sufferers to this monstrous none
poly. It seems to Us that the best and most
method of oveIshrowing the me-
nopoly and preventing lite recurrence "a fu.
ture would be to complete the St. Louis and
Weston Rail Road. This certainly would
be by far the most judicious plan and would
effectuaIly prevent the future formation Of
any such combination as at present exists
among the Missouri river boats. We see
no good reason why the business men along
he river do not take the matter in hand, for
he money which is extorted of them during
o'ie season of navigation would contribute
argely to the completion of the road. Let
he people give the subject mature and de-
iberate consideration and we will venture to
'ay they will endorse our suggestion. and
agree with us that the surest and most eff
ectual method Of destroying the present mo-
lopoly and to obyiate its recurrence is the
Of = rail road passing through
Ill the business towns on the Missouri riy-
.r.
From late number of the Liberty Tri-
,une, we learn that it is proposed that con-
rention of the merchants and business men
long the river be held in Lexington (cho-
en as the most central point some time du-
ing the Month Of may or June for the pur-
,ose Of taking the subject of this monopoly
nto consideration. We most cordially en-
!orse the Tribune's proposition and We |
hink that an early day should be designa-
ed for meeting Of our citizens Cor the pur-
'ose of making known their sentiments Us
o the course OF the Missouri river boats and |
# appointing delegates to represent our ci-
y in the general convention. Will It be
one! VIII the present monopoly be sus-
aimed or will it be suppressed! That is |
he question.
The CuoLERA.-During last week a |
housand and one exaggerated reports were
circulated through the conn-I
ry Of the prevalence Of cholera IN cur city, |
which We are sorry to say were received BY |
ONE persons with the most implicit credit. |
We are surprised that sensible persons viii |