The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-02-21

w bne quaker OlJYs lu bnlS We VIII Db aluou
by an able article in the Pittsburg CONNER
ciol, from which we win take the liberty TO
quote such statistics as go to illustrate our
point It n n
We find that in 1925 the Erie Canal was
completed from the Hudson river to the
lake. That year we exported only $11,239,9s1,
the next year but $Sy331, ,722, and in 1929 had
fallen to S4y000,O25, whilst the exports of
New York in the same period Of ten years,
only Eve of which followed the completion of
the canal, had risen to three times Lhat of her
rival.
The completion Of the Pennsylvania Canal,
and its connection with the head of the Ohio,
which occurred between 1881 and 1919,
occurred just in time to prevent the total
destruction of all our Western trade. As it
was, it was not suflic c'ent to gam anything,
but merely to enable us to hold our own.
The completion of the Reading and Penn
sylvania Central added three millions imme-
diately to our commerce, and the extension ol
the Pennsylvania Railroad to the Ohio caused
eain of twenty millions.
During the same period New York en-
larged her canals, the Central Railroad was
consolidated, the New ork and Erie finished
to Dunkirk and Buffalo, each with magniA-
cent lines Of steamers to the western lakes.
Her export trade increased seven hundred
and twenty-eight millions over the preceding
period. We have quoted enough to show the
policy of the Empire City. 1t is to watch
any effort Philadelphia may make to regain
IoeN
accomplishing her scheme, but to ruin her by
the performance Of greater. If we lay
out line OF railroad, she hastens to con-
struct two; if we talk of starting line of
steamers, she Immediately sends out couple
to cover the same track. We admire her for
it, for it shows energy. BY her indomitable
determination she has beaten us, notwith-
standing all the advantages which nature and
prestige had given us. If we would regain
our lost rank, it must be through decision
and energy. She has both, and if we may
judge from the zeal displayed by our citizens
in their efforts to secure Southern line of
steamships, we have great cause to hope that
brilliant future is in store for our city. The
success with which the 100000 asked for has
been raised is a harbInger that when between
our own and the Southern ports there shall
ply line of vessels bearing to our whaIves
that trade which was wont of old to be the
life Of Philadelphia, that at the same time we
will have more and larger connections with
the West, and draw from her wealth to rival
that of the Metropolis. We say, with our
Pittsburg contemporary =
at is not loo late for Pennsy lvania to regain
her lost position She may indeed only succeed
in Ieclaiming moiety OF the existing trade
which she has bindly lost; but no matter. There
is an hundred-told greater in anfonnt looming
up in the future. The West-already the generous
feeder OF six great routes-s loudly demanding
additional avenues to the Atlantic seabOari. She
must and will have them, through Canada, New
York, and the st. Lawrence il not through
Pennsylvania. It is for Pennsylvania now to
sav whether a commerce 80 grand in its infancy
that no human mind can estimate the magnl
tude of It's future matur ty, shall be suffered tC
enrich herself and her metropolis, or be com
PEELED to pass bv for the enrichment of Other
States and citles.n