The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1866-05-26
NIAGARA SHIP CANAL.

I'd, Mr. INGERsoLL, of Illinois, having tn
Aoor.- -.
Mr.. INoERsoLL yield ten minutes to m
colleague, Mr.. Cook.
Mr.. Cook. Mr.. Speaker, this question wa
80 fully discussed in the House during III,
last Congress that do not q kpect that any
upon it; and yet As it is question of 81
much interest to the people of my own OWL
state, in common with those of other we sterr
agricultural states, l have been forced t.
consider 1t with care, and | wish to submit {
very few suggestions upon it to the House.
The proposed work is shown 70 be practi'
cable. The report Of Captain William G.
Williams, of the United States Enginee,
corps, House Document 214. Twenty >fourtt
Congress, fist session, made by an officer of
high professional attainments, demonstrates
the practicability of the enterprise.
he cost is small. The report Of the en-
gineer fixes it at from three ard halfto five
millions, according to the route chosen
Tho increase in the price Of labor and na>
terlal since the report was made, make it
necessary to increase this estimate soue>
what, aud accordingly the sum is now fixed
at $6,000,000.
Can the loan of the credit of the Govern
men. be constitutionaly and properly given
to this work as a work of military necessity?
We have been called upon at this session 10
appropriate very large sums Of money for
the erection and repair of Notifications along
| our Atlantic seaboard, and to some extent
upon the lakes. | do not question the pros
priety Of such appropriations, and | thiEk
that ii can be demonstrated that the princi-
| pie which woud justify them, would justify
the passage OF this bill. To illustrate this :;
We very properly appropriate sum Of money
! to repair and garrison fort at Oswego, for
instance. Now this is wholly for the defense
OF that city and harbor, and is wholly un>
! necessary except in case of hostilIties with
! Great BritalE-no other enemy coald ever
reach that pont-and the appropriation is
made. But in the event of hostli,ies with
Great Britain or her Americ an dependencies,
this shp-canal would be thou.a.idfold more
available for the defense of the country than
Fort Ontario. We have nearly or quite three
thousand miles OF lake coast The whole line
o. this coast is studded with tiourshing cities,
the marts of busiress and the avenues of
commerce. We have upon the lakes some
four thousand vessels. An enemv in COM
maId of the lakes could do us more injury
than would result from the reduction of any
one place ia the country. The whole trade
and commerce carried on in the four thousand
vessels OF the lakes would be at the mercy of
an eGeny who could place n superior force
upon their waters. The damage that would
result to the business interests Of all parts of
country in such Ell e7eut can scarcely be
calculated.
By treaty with England We are prohibited
from maintaining upon the lakes more rAan
single yesse!>oi'war, 10 be armed WIN
sag!e gun; ana We have no war vessels upon
La e Ont ,r!O or the 81. Lawrence. 1t IS true
that the Brlush Government ID also Limited
10 single war vessel, but i. has facilities
Within lis own territory FOR the Concentration
Of fleets aud material of war uf5n the akes,
The Canadian canals are so constructed as
20 &c available or This purpose. The British
| Government IS prepared. III the event OF war,
70 assert an entire supremacy upon ,be LAKES
for she can send the necessary naval force
from the s.. Lt.rence to do Sc while we
have not naval station ou the laks where
single vessel could be promptly fitted out,
nor n fJrt!tlcatIOn that could withstand
modern iron-clad vessel. What vast public
and private interests are thus lct. defen@.less
Surely the constitutional right u erect !.
fertilization anywhere is not palmer than IL
the right to construct upon our side canal
through which vessels war can be transs
ported from the upper to the lower lake. or
the point to wEich ! respectfully and earnest
iy ask the attention OF the House is th :
the work Is essential to US of the <T,,t to
enable Us 10 bear the burdens which have
been laid upon us IL the shape Of taxation,
direct and indirect. We are au agricultural
people. Ia The state OF Illinois We have bat
one commercial city, properly called The
great leading interest oi the state IS the agri-
cultural interest. We produce an immense
surplus oi fool, which must find I;s way 10
the eastern markets. it is the only com-
modify which we have to eXcha hge Tor The
manufactures Of New England for the coal.
iron, and oil OF Penusy ylvaria. The facilities
OF transportation are wholly Inadequate. We
have magnificent water communication
between Chicago and Buffalo, Sufficient for
tD- transportation Of any amount 0; the 70
duc;s OF tie west, but al Bnft: 10 our troubles
begin. There Is barrier which we cannot
pass. The am INT Of freight olfering Tor
shipment from Buffalo eastward is so great
during the season OF uaT.gatlon that the !
owners OF boats can and DO demand and re f,
ceive almost any amount for freight they +.
choose to ask.
ask attention TO one fact which will state
and which will show the interest which our
people have il this .hip-canal. There ale
five routes by water and by rail from Chicago
to the sea board, and vet tae demand Tor
transportation las; fall was SO great, such
vast quantities of agricultural products were
waiting to 90 forward, more than all the lines
could transport, that the price of tranporta
ton frOEi Chicago to the sea board was fixed !
by the dearest route Of all, and -four or pork
or beef could be as cheap!y transported By
Fort Wayne and Pitts5urg and over the
mountain. OF Psnnsy ylvania, as by the great
Iha pf pur itural
staples is almost wholly consumed in getting
to market. know tha. men answer this
appeal by saying, establish manufactures
among yourselves and consume your agri
cu!tursl products ut home. This is easy to
say, aud trust that one day it nay be ac-
comp!ished, but 1t is not presently pracica-
bic. Our soil, the chea psst and MOS prodIc
tive in the world, inJites to agricu ture. We
have not the capital At comma nd to establish
manufactures on SO largo = scale. We ap-
peal, therefore, to the men of New England
to aid rs IN transporting to them the food
which they require, and which we are anxious
to exchange for the products of their manu>
factoves, and thus confer a real and lasting
beneh\ upon both sections.
1t is fact that the emplyu,ent Of a farmer
At the west Is less remunerative than almost
any other. There is now IN ore real reason
tor complaint. / ask gentlemen 70 consider
that, however carefully and ski fully aud
honestly YOU may arrange the various sys>
TENS of direct and indirect taxation, tariffs,
and internal revenue laws, the burden OF the
tax must to great extent fall upon the con-
sumer. We are consumers of the nanufac>
tures of the country. Our interests are not
directly protected in your tariff laws, bat we
could bear all public burdens easily and
cheerfuliy if it were no. for the difficulty of
reaching the markets of the world with the
bulky products Of our farms. II this cana is
constructed, by opening a new route by water