Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1860-04-20

&eutafrat aud @fles.
FRIDAY MORNING.. .APhIL y, looc'
The n. 4 n. II. II. Tinc Table, asa the
Merchasts or DavcnPort.
We have repeatedly been requested
by many of the merchants and business
men Of our city to come to their assist.
.uce in the matter of the Mississippi d
Missouri Railroad Time Table, and by
80 doing aid them in effecting such .
change as will do away with the present
cut-throat system, and give them little
chance at the Western trade, which,
through the means of said Time Table,
they have been from month to month
losing until it has almost entirely left
their counters for other places either
either east or west of this city.
Having in view, as in duty bound,
the best interests of our home institu-
tons, and 10 particular our home trade,
which is our only hope at present, we
have not unfrequently assented to their
eutreaties, and put the ball in motion
with the promise that the merchants
themselves would follow it up and use
their best cndeavors with the powers
that govern our Railroad, by petitions
and remonstrances to bring about the
the much desired end. Heretofore,
We have laid the matter before the
the people and explained to them pre-
cisely how the running Of the cars effects
their interests-cuts off their trade and
impoverishes the city generally, but up
to this time We hsve heard of no effort
to shake off the curse.
Let us ask the merchants of Daven-
port, and they are intellig mt mon and
all agreed on the point, how it il that
they expect to be helped unless they
will take hold Of the work to man and
help Themselves! Let our merchants
without delay or parley call a mass
meeting and get some public expression
in regard to the matter, and get up pc
tilon, or send special committee Of
merchants or men who are most deeply
interested in the matter to head
quarters, and try there to make q
friendly and judicious adjustment
Of the trouble in question. 1t il
by tho combined and concentrated eff.
forts Of the people, that great and bene-
fetal results Of the character in question
are brought about,and not by individual
effort or by squibs in newspapers. Let
the merchants Of this city unite their
strength, and 60 to work-not one at q
time, and behind their counters, nor on
the corners Of the streets, but in one
harmonious body, and in some proper
place, and we doubt not that beneficial
results will be the consequence. If not
if the government of our Railroad
refuses to notice any petition or take
heed TO such protests and remonstran-
ces as the people Of this city can inaugu-
rate if they will, then there is time and
occasion to make use of some other
means to rectify the difficulty. If there
are those among US who are afraid Of Of
Tending the Railroad Company and pre-
fer to let matters stand as they sre-pre-
fer to have the trade which by right
belongs to them, and which they have
labored long and earnestly to build up,
spirited away to some other point, to
benefit and build up some other place,
then so be it; we cannot help
them. But We are slow to be-
lieve there are any such among us.
We have good reason to believe there
are none-then why in the name Of all
they hold dear and sacred, don't they
arouse at once without any further de-
lay, and take prompt action upon the
matter!
Such spirit of temporizing a. we
have witnessed in regard to this vital
matter does not in any way become men
of sense and men Of business. 1t is bet
ter to know at once what can be done
aud what cannot be done it is best that
the true situation Of affairs be known a,
once. Will the merchants Of Davenport
heed this, or will they allow the custom
of the Western towns to 60 where it hal
gone for months and months past! There
arc merchants and traders in the coun.
try.-lots of them-who wish to dc
their trading here, but are driven away
by the time table Of the NJ. & NJ. rail.
road. Is there any better time than the
present to initiate proceedings Will
next week, or next month, or next year
answer better! No, decidedly, no -
Then take time by the forelock and 90
to work now or else let the matter 90 by
default-closey your shops-submit to the
swindle, nor look for any change for the
better. Shall . meeting be called next