, 1862-12-19
4 COMPLAINT FIeOHI IOWA,


lCorrespordence OF the Chicago Tribune.7
Iowa CrTy: Dec. Is, 1852,
desire to call the attention Of the business
men Of your city, who are deeply Interested
in The trade Of The Mississippi Valley, and the
fertile country west Of the Great River, to the
causes which, unless removed, will soon di-
vert large portion Of their lucrative bust
ness into other channels. The remedy, I
know, is not entirely in their own hands, but
their influence is sufficiently potent when ex-
ercised to be felt. IalIude to the existing ex-
horbitant rates Of freight charged on all arti-
eles Of produce now ready for transportation
Eastward, from prominent points on the Mis-
sissippl River and in the interior Of
Iowa. It is no justification to the
railroad managers who happen, at present, to
have 4 monopoly Of the freighting business, to
say that their respective lines have ill the
business they can do. The question is,
whether the public will tolerate Or
should submit to course Of poli-
cy on the Part of few powerful rail
road corporations, striking not only at the
properties Of the producing Glasses, but cal
eulated 10 engender in the minds Of the peo-
pie ofthe Mississippi valley strong feeling
Of hostility against Chicago and cities farther
East. The present tariff of freights from
such points as Burlington, Muscatinc,
Davenport, Dubuque, &c, is virtual.
" an embargo On all produce de-
signed for shipment to the Atlantic cities.
With freight On flour at $3.50 or Sc, IS, aud
other articles in still higher rates from the
Mississippi River to New York, how loue
think you the people Of that great valley will
submit, in the eyerf Of ncw boundaries for
cur suffering conOtrr (which God forbid} to
be held tributary to the eastern States? Does
any eane man pretend to say it costs fifty to
one hundred per cent ,n641 to transport
freight from Iowa to New York uoae, than it
did three or six months ago? I know it is a
pleasant thing for railroad managers to pub
l1sh each months statements, showing an
a1nount Of earnings beyond all previous COM
parison, and point to an advance Of fifty or
styoEs, but when reflect that these
achievements arc at the expense Of
tue fa7mers and producing classes. see in
it no special cause for cangratnL1tion.
Let the navigation Of our great river be once
again secured to us, (and if under the auspices
Of the general government it cannot soon be
done, the people of the West will do it with
outt and the sllacklcs which bind us to merci-
less railroad managers will be instantaneously
broken, and much Of the trade on which your
city i nov thriving, will take wings and fl
elsewhere, If tho business men Of your city
wish to secure and retain the enormous and
Increasing trade Of the Mississippi valley, and
the Immensely productive region west Gift,
from whence thty arc HOW receiving ut least
oue-thlrd OF all their supplies Of hogs, cattle,
ETC., let them at once set to work and aid IN
protecting our people from these railroad
corn,nants. Lei The Board Of Trade Of Chi
cago, always alive to the commercial impor-
tancc Of their city, show to the railroad lines
connecting Chicago with the seahoartt, the eff
feet Of their suicidal policy under which our
already heavy burdens are seriously augmen-
ted, and failing 10 obtain redress for rs and
themselves, let them inagnratc an appeal lin
which the whole people will join) to Congress
in favor Of the enactment Of stringent 1aW,
by Which the producing classes Of the great
West may be protected from the outrageous
extortions and combinations Of powerful rail-
road nonopo1ies. Iowa,