The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-03-02
SAINT PAUL, FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 1860

best propositions their representatives or
officers can obtain under these restrictions
to limited extent. They will vote to and
pay without hesitation, the necessary amount
when the road or roads are completed,
equipped and in operation-bM not a dtme
before. -.i
By this mode-these principles of justice
capitalists will select and compete for the
best paying routes, and just in proportion as
the route is known to be profitable in
trafic-the bonus asked will be less. The
route or lines known to be the most profit
able will, as matter of course, benefit and
accommodate the greatest number of people.
Secondly. The people expect that this
Legislative session will inaugurate system
that will bring prosperity to them, and give
early relief to present necessities.
Unreasonable expectation ! Yet so it is
such was the implied, if not positive
promises.
The task, however Herculean, must be
performed, or some of US 60 back to our
constituents, defeated, disgraced, incompet-
ent, or incapable of performing the task.
The facts bearing upon this subjects will
be considered in view of the true policy of
the Commonwealth. ....e
Before stating these facts, the Senator
from Ramsey on my right Mr.. HalD will
pardon, while the gentleman from Hennepin
(Mr. Heaton) will distrust my sincerity.
1 love both of them, and will make sacri.
fees for either, or both, when in right, but
the voters of Minnesota shall never say that
Tom Clark is capable of compromising
their rights, or sacrificing their interests.
The people of Minnesota want money to
aid them in the development of their natur-
al resources. They have tried to induce
capitalists by high rates of Interest. Gentle
men who are from Sherburne, Hennepin,
Grow Wing, Blue Earth, Houston, Olmsted,
Mower, Mcleod, Freeborn) farmers will
tell us they cannot pay high interest for
money to carry on their farms Farmers
cannot pay rate of interest that will in
duce capital. Merchants may do it, but if
they do they take it out of the farmer, and
compel time to pay what he is unable to do
The only interest paying business we ever
had was corner lots" and they have sus~
pended. -. .-..1 .ii..'l ....
Yet, unconscious imitation F" of the times
of 1856 and 1857, clanors and protests;
the Legislature must not deprive /" corner
lots :" paying ten or twelve per cent; must
not interpose and protect against the sacri-
flee OF property to pay usurious contracts
But if farmers and corner lots cannot pay
interest, we must, in justice to truth, ex-
punge from the statutes all laws recognizing
or compelling the payment of usury. Make
not pay. Therefore have no laws compel
| ling US to do what we cannot. Glue the
| land rest" -. l'.>t..1i
live could bank proftably, capital would
come here for employment. But we cannot,
the balance of trade, if not against us, is
less in our favor than in our sister States
south and east of US. While we pay ten cents
per bushel on our own roads to Iowa o.
Wisconsin, we must pay those States ten
or fifteen cents more, an item on $500 900
bushels of grain amounting to 100000
which counts against profitable banking.
My friend from Goodhue Mr.. M Laren) will
look at this fact and not fall into the error
of past legislation in these halls. 1 will
! give him another item that tells against
banking in Minnesota, it is a repetition of
what may have said before, but it bears
repeating. The shipper of Chicago and
Milwaukee, has the ear of the banker in
those cities. The shipper demands COM
mission of from two to five per centum on
the Minnesota grain and he will supply the
wheat buyer with the currency of the Chi
cago or Milwaukee bank for trife higher
commission and thus compel the grain mum
ger to obtain the currency of Wisconsin
This is another item Of OOOOO-making
with the former, six hundred thousand dol
lars Con the products of 1857 against bank
ing in Minnesota !.41
If the gentleman, chairman of the com.
mittee on banks does not admit this posi-
ton, let me implore him not to attempt a
disproval by actual experiment but seek
facts and not learn, as have, from past but
bitter experience.
MERCHAND1sING.-Our surplus produce te
a great extent, goes to pay for our imports
as we are not in possession of statistics tt
show the mount, we must: estimate. We
have. 100000 inhabitants equal to five to
the family 10000 families. =. b..
Each family buys of dry goods,
clothing etc.. ..........:...:. so lbs
/ Boots and Shoes. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.; 20
Tea, sugar, and coffee and molases, 200
Stoves, Nails and Iron for farms. . 200
wagons, plows and carriages. $500. 900
Salt. ...................... 800
Carpets, Furniture. 500
Building material, glass, iron and
! A"iiS'''... .............. .l,OUO
r 81 ia ,rs....,.~...as ..+s,., SD, 2,77O
Or two and one-third tons per family, equa
to 10000 tons of imports. A note from
the State Commissioner of Statistics, ap
pended to the report of the committee o
which the gentleman from Houston (Mr
Kennedy was chairman, gives the averag,
of the freight on imports at 81. O5 per cwt.