, 1865-03-23
NllLWAHIKKEE, .


The policy Of Milwaukee toward the bal
ance OF the State, from its first organization,
Is a fair subject for criticism, affecting as It
has, We believe dtsastrously, its best and
marily, g'asping monopoly Of all Its lead.
ing Interests. This t'policy" has been uni
firm and consistent, without yariatlon, and
is best expressed by Its editors, who have not
hesltated to proclaim that "whateyer benc-
fitted MAwaukee benefited the State, and
whatever does not benefit Milwaukee was
damage to the S:ate"-so that every selfish,
gaspfDg scheme Of her citizens is to be held
and taken, without question, as purely for
the pnb1ic good.
THIS idea" is 80 implanted in the 3lilwau-
kee head, that o modest doubt, even, Ii held
to be little better than treason, AMI. yet at
the hazard Of being reasonable, Ws propose
brief sketch OF her career.
Among the first things done Was the bGild-
ing of roads 60 as to tap and destroy the
business prospects Of Ozaukee and Sheboyg:n
us commercial ports, and to do what was pos-
sible to obst1uct the bufidin. Of the Fo1 river
improve meat, 80 that Green Bly might slum-
ber without hope Of resurrection. These
schemes, If successful, we're designed to throt-
tie commerce at every point, aud give her
practical control OF the whole lake frunt, mud
60 well were the cards managed tkat for many
years, grain raised two hundred miles nearer
New York than Milwaukee, WAS forced out Of
its natural route to 70 round the circuit for
that city's special benefit.
Old settlers cannot fail to remember that
Racine and Southport tkeuosha) were for
ID as II they would be successful rivals to her.
Why were they not: The answer is easy.
They were jealous Of each others growth.
They sent divided delegations to the Legisla-
tuIe, and this WIS used to effect their rum IS
competitors for the position Of "commercial
metropolis" No danger OF Milwaukee being
diEidtd. Her vote has been always compact,
own schemes. Roads were pushed out be-
lind her rivals to divert their trade their
mist ehuisbed and vital interests were tap
ped their railroads to the Interior we're Bit
1erly opposed, and their efforts thwarted
whenever and wherever 1t could be done.
The first growth Of Milwaukee to consid"
c1ahle size, Was made from the ruined busi-
ness Of Racine and Kenosha. Having them
under foot, attention was turned to the bal
once Of the State.
Having thus placed competing ports in
what was thought a death grip, interior
towns came IN TOT their share Of the policy"
Her first railroads were made to run TO every
point Of the compass but the one to which
1ney were going, for the accommodation Of
me farms Of The directors, so that 1t took a
Aunofed miles advance to get scyenty-hvc
forward. Every yWhere that water-powers did
not x:st 2. any Of the Villages OF cities reach
ea' ?n,ta anutac1nies were etfeetua11y suppressed
great as on Eastern roads. The skill and in
dustry of the Inhabitants who had bled to
build tie roads, WAS eifectually suucIchcd,
The cheaper prices Of the county were over
powered by the ruinons freight. tWe don't
want your factories Milwaukee will manu-
facturc for the State" was the reply to ap-
reols from this. On the hundreds Of miles
Of Milwaukee roads, there Is not TO-DAY
single manufacturing village away from wa
ter-powers, and never will be, until compel
ing lines release, the clutch on the public
throat. On her lines everything Ia 1or Mil
waukee-noihing for the country, ''policy''
never heard Of before in any other State
Her people carly saw the necessity Of rail-
read connection with that terrible place
Chicago-in another &a7ef and lost no time in
building it, but when Janesyille and Madison,
whose people felt the same necessity, under
took TO secure the same benefits, tile howls
OF wrath and Indignation at the presumption,
were appalling. The Legislature was beslcged,
and State Pfide'' bowed in every note Of
Milwaukee to have n Chicago railroad, and
absolutely wrong for any other place to have
one +; and the prcss Of that city are certain on
this point 10 this day. They believe it!
Nor docs the disposition Of the land grant
Of 1856 fall to tbroW light on the policy" Of
Ne
n. grant ior ? central road from Madison or
Colrmbus to Lake Superior. by million do9
lars br.bt, Ma,edukee bought up the Ltglslature,
{being careful to pay in bonds, though seized
the giant, and sWindled eastern creditors by
mortgagipg It for funds to build IN east
and west road-not q rod ofwlich was on the
line OF the grant route, nor was The mortgage
sult-has been that the people on the proposed
route were robbed Of their road, all for the
benefit Of the s'commercial metropolis" and
have to thank Milwaukee for the favor. Her
interests a;c those Of the State, and the State
hers" so why should simple-minded country
folks complain
We would like to have some one point ont
to US any enterprise Of public consequence,
not directly beuef1tting. that city, that has
not been opposed by her, from the commence
ment Of the State government. Not rail-
road or manufacturing enterprise but has been.
cial importance Of Racine and Keuosha have
been laid out. sheboyean is struggling to
get line but won't Il Mllwaukea can help
It. Green Bay, by the help of Chicago, il
connected with The outer world. The south
west counties and the lower region, hare
"cut-out" from MineUl Point, and broken
In on-the "policy:" Portage City-:.the nat
for the grain Of the country and Minuesota,
isnow sought to be cut of, by depriving It ol
he new giant road to Lake Superior, al
though that line would accommodate ten
times the number Of people Of the State o1
any other proposed line. And so on, to the
end. '.
Il remains to be seen whether the people
of the State, Mt large, or Milwaukee, Is t.
laye The benefits Of this second land grant
whether this Legislature is to act like It!
predecessors Of 1856, or whether 1t will rist
nfoye the lirtleuess of locality, and look tt
tho true and enduring interest Of the who'll
people, for nll future time. TIE public walt
fts action with painful anxiety, and will no
fa!l 10 note who sustain their true interests
and who bet1ays them.