New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-02-23
THE PRO-RATA MOVEMENT.


ALLEGED RUIN OF NETWORK TRADE-NEw-YoRK
PROSPERITY FOUNDED on THE ERIE CANAL
RAILROAD WAY FREIGHT BETTER THAN THROUGH
FREIGHT-RIvALRY OF OTHER cITIEs-FALLAcIEs
OF ARGUMENT AGAINST I" PRO RATA"
To The Ed,sor Of The n. Y. Tribune
SIR: The friends of the Pro-Rata Freight bill, in
this portion of the State, grafed to see that the
press Of New.York City is not entirely against them.
The TRIBUNE is neither subsidized frightened into
opposing a measure 80 salutary aud just.
The practical operation of the Pro Rata principle
would not prove injurious either to New-York City or
to the railroad interest The friends of the measure
claim that its ultimate effect would be beneficial no,
Only to the agricultural manufacturing and mechanical
interests Of the Interior but Also to all connected aud
dependent inteIeststhe mercantile of our commercial
emporium and the and and tcater trans porting inter
ests and yet most Of your city cOtemporaries have
been engaged for weeks in setting forth the eeS TO be
aoprehende6, in the event of its becoming law.
ALLEGED RUIN OF NETWORK TRADE.
They saw " The trade of New-York is TO be ruined.
"Baltimore and Philadelphia on the South, New
"Orleans onthe West, and Boston and Portland
con the North are TO control the trade of the West
"New-York is declared to be in danger" and the
State at large is invoked 10 save it. Now is the utter
ance of w-York-inheIently, and by virtue of geo.
graphical position great and sesusainedor is il the
ntte1ance of a selfish railroad INTEREST,"
NEw.YoRK PROSPERITY FOUNDED on THE ERIE
CANAL.
Our conclusions upon this point will be assisted by
looking at the history of the commercial advancement
of New.YoTk City. 1t will not be denied that the
rapid growth of New-York City, and its present COM
Icat supremacy are due primarily TO it's geographic.
cal position. That city is the principal entrepot OF
foreirn commerce for the whole counTJ; and by the
construction of the Erie Canal it is practically the
foot Of the great chain of lakes which drain five Of our
richest agricultural States.
What the effect of cutting through the isthmus
of New-YoIk Ststef Did 1t not pour the wealth Of
the West into the Golfers Of New-York City And
WAS il not mainly due to the construction Of that great
work that she passed by such RAPID strides TO her pres
ent postion Of commercial influence and powerI
EFFECTS OF THE ORIGINAL ERIE CANAL.
But all tins was accomplished tor her by the original
rarrow canal--the fimple Clinton Dltch'-and be-
fore pound Of freight was landed on Manhattan
Island by the railroads. But TO meet the increasing
trade of the West, the State at immense eost has en-
la1eed the Canal and has placed forever at the dis
posal of New York the most effective instrument for
controlling the trade Of the West. To accomplish this
great result, the benefits OF which New York City re-
sizes Bo1e than any other locality in the State, the
State st large has borne year by year, heavy bar
den of taxation. But when lhteIiOr and Yves ern
New-Yorb oppressed they are by the present Rail
road policy, seek for relief, proposing only measure
which will place them, in respect 10 raj road trans
portation upon equitable footing with the Western
States We are met with the cry that the trade OF
New.York ia in danger" We are told that any inter-
terence with this arbitrary and unjust Railroad pohcy
will place it out Of the power OF the New fork Rail
roads TO draw Western trade across our State.
RAILROAD WAY FREIGHT BETTER THAN THROUGH
FREIGHT.
Let us see if these roads actually benefited by
the through business they make such desperate efforts
TO control. The reasons they urge against pro rata
transportation prove that much of the through" bust
ness they are now doing, affords them but very little
profit. They admittbat only by the imposition Of high
and dispIoportoDate local tariffs hey enabled to
support the Losses they must suffer on portion of their
/" through" business.
If then our railroads must after ALL lean upon their
local traffic il it net their ultimate interest 10 foster
ard cherish II
TO what extent can il be the interest Of our rail-
roads to pursue policy which is crushing out the in
duftrv and capital of Interior and Western New York;
In Justice TO tnemselvesnot TO speak Of justice TO our
own peope from whom they have re ,eived the priv.
eaes which place them in position 10 do us injury
nv should cur roads imperll and destroy their most
reliable and most profitable traffic il the insane
erdesyor TO grasp an updue share OF Western trade
Iut phaGel )bia and Baltimore III the held, and
" we mus c)mpete gitb them at any sacrifice"
Bot if in this struggle for Western trace by our rail-
roads thew conn lee the ruin of thenselves-aready
be guI-and paTalyze they are fast doing the farm
mo manufacturing, and mechanical interests of our
SAFE will they not and will not New York City, that
roust suffer by the injury done 10 all her dependent
interests learn that such sacrces were too
costly, even 10 gain control Of Western tradeY
RIVALRY or OTHER CITIES.
But even that would not place the whole prize in
her hands The geographical positions Of other ctes,
v b reference 10 different portions OF the West entitle
them 10 share of its trade and not even oor enlarged
Ca1al can permanent y proftaby divert that por-
ton from ia Datural ebaDnels.
The industrial interests then, of interior and West
err New.Yo are all the more IN earnest IN reestlng
the imposition of this tax upon them IN favor OF West
crn Interests because they believe that this railroad pol
ley is both uess to lie end and rninous 10 the ra-
roads themselves ms well 10 us Nor IN the matter
do they ark privileges. They claim rights which they
never surrendered by granting to the roads the Pryl-
leges under which they have become 80 potential Tor
good OF evil TO our State.
RAILROAD "REsThcTIoNs UPoS TRADE"
We are Lot insensble 10 the benefits which railroads
confer upon gs. They have become necessary 70 the
great Industrial, commercial and social interests Of our
country and our State; but when their policy becomes
such as TO uDberve instead Of such M strengthens and
fosters our industry, are justified in seeking a
remedy.
In the discussion Of this question: we hear much said
by the opponents Of the about restrictions
mon trade ne II the eXactions under which the i'm.