The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-11-14

Sixty merchants of Philadelphia, representing
various branches of trade and commerce in that
city, have recently returned from well concerted
tour, embracing all the principal towns of the
West and Northwest. The chief object, how
ever, of this imposing demonstration, was directed
to the opening up of business relations with the
Lake Ports, and diverting towards Philadelphia
portion of that vast trade of which New York
now enjoys almost an entire monopoly. Though
tardily executed, it was bold and sagacious
move, and promises TO result in very beneficial
consequences. We have frequently had occasion
to dwell upon the extraordinary productive capa-
city of the Northwest, and upon the noble des-
tiny of those who inhabi that fertile agricultural
region. We have quoted statistics to show how
rapidly the commerce of the Great Lakes has in
creased within the last twenty years. what it has
now become, and what it has every prospect of
being in the near future. We have done this for
the express purpose of drawing the attention Of
our own merchants to comparatively new field
of commercial enterprise, and of eliciting such &C
ton therein as would best conduce to pro-
mote the material prosperity of this city. We
do not desire to undervalue our present
benefits that have accrued to us from the various
works of internal Improvement by which we have
been brought into direct, and easy, and quick COM
munication with their rich and populous valleys
But because, at an earlier day. it became essential
to our future prosperity that we should resoluely
undertake the then novel and daring enterprise of
breaking down the mountain barrier that separ-
ated the Western system of rivers from the Chesa-
peake Bay it surely does not follow that the hard
won success which finally crowned efforts in
that direction should make US indifferent to the
Importance of other avenues that have almost in
sensby opened up to commerce an equally vast
area of country, Astounding in all the elements of
agricultural wealth; embracing the largest extent
of inland water communication that is to be found
in any part of the world, and inhabited by thrifty
and energetic people 1t is natural, we know, that
men should estimate the worth of thing by the
struggle which it cost them to obtain it, and tina
they should fail to estimate at its true worth what
ever has been easily acquired. 1t to this cause we
attribute the extreme senstiveness with which our
people regard any movement on the part of other
States, that has for its object closer and more
strenuous competition for the trade of the West
and South. That we should grasp with tenacity,
and watch with jealous eye, the course of traf-
6c which we have hazarded so much to gain, is
perfectly right and proper; but that we should
occupy our thoughts with it, to the exclusion of
other equally available sources of demand and
supply, argues either narrow views on our part,
or an imperfect appreciation of the advantages to
be derived from extending and varying our field
OF commercial operations. The Northwest has
become the grauary of the Union. The total
value OF its coasting and foreign trade amounts,
annuaiiyI at the present time, to more than four
INJURED millions of dollars Its exports are al
most wholly confined 10 the products Of the field,
the mine, and the forest. It's itnnorts consist of
articles OF foreign and domestic nar,fac,nre ond
of those commodities that enter into tho ,enerol
consumption of the household, and wh;o, oro tho
growth of other climates and soils. Wbotouou &c
its surplus is destined for sale in fore;or
must find its way there threlgh the cite. =, a.
sea board. Whatever it purchases that is not os
domestic origin or manufacture, must be obta;nea
through the same channels. The Atlantic port
which is nearest to the chief cities of the Great
Lakes is Baltimore Its facilities for communica-
ton with those centres of commerce, 10 far o.