Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-14

i.or. az ths nnion ana Aneriean

Editors of the Union and Anierean:
see II, the city papers this morning the Pro-
ceedines of the Chamber of Commerce yesterday
and card from the Superintendent OF the LOUIS
Vile and Nashville Railroad in the Banner Al
low me TO suggest, through your columns lnas
there may be unnecessary and unfoundea ieeAlhg |
upon this subject.
In the first place, Nashville Is SO situated 70
other cities and other Zines of transportation 70
the south of her. that she meets now, ana VIII
continue 70 meet with vigorous competition IN SCI
curing trade to the southwark. Commerce VIII
always seek by instinct its destination ana Wlli
forever find the cheapest and most expeoitioas
channels of transportation. Where there Is ae-
mand, the American merchant viii furnish tne
supply, and in doing so he will use the readiest
and cheapest mode Of transportation In tnlS
respect economy IS the ldsO Of trade II the nnsi-
ness of supplying demands is undertaken by ner-
chants Of the locality where the demands exist
they will invariably go to the cheapest market 10
hnv and avail themselves of the most certain and
cheapest means of delivery. They wiz pay no
regard whatever to who is to be injured or who
lie to be benefited by the wayside. There Is
another fact in this connection which desire to
present. which is, that all transportation compa-
mics are made up of either individual cspartners,
D
will invariably seek to SO managetheir affairs as to
realize the greatest profit on their business opera
tons and the capital invested If the latter. and
their officers are honest and dutiful they will use
every legitimate means thrown in their way to
enhance the value of their stock and make their
enterprise most remunerative to the holders OF
that stock These are primary laws in the con-
Duct of business in this country, and viii be as en-
during as the trade and commerce Of the country.
To me these facts seem amply illustrated by the
! very controversy now going forward between the
merchants of Nashville and the railroads, and the
railroads among themselves. By reason of these
| laws of trade the n. & C. X. R., including the n
| & WR R., find their interests to conflict with
| the L. &NR R. They pursue their own inter
ests respectively regardless of those OF the other
| Anon we hear that the insufficient supplies OF ma
ehinery and rolling stock on the connecting roads
| south are inadequate to transport the supplies
| demanded by that region. The merchants buy,
however. until it is found utterly impossible to
meet the demand for transportation. and then
stop buying. This produces a stagnation in bust
ness at the points of supply and the merchants at
| those points rise in arms against the nearest
transporting agent. This fact is as fully Illus
trated at the present moment, at Louisville as at
Nashville. ejobber at Louisville finds that his
Southern customers fail to renew their orders. for
want Transportation He goes to his only railroad
connecting SOUTH and is answered that he has called
| at the wrong door; and that he must APP
! ply at Nashville. Upon application here, he falls
| in company with number of our own merchants,
down with the same complaint" They then go
in a body to the Nashville l. Cha ttanooga rail-
road, and are referred to the connecting road in
Chattanooga. They are there informed that their
connecting roads fail to receive freghts promptly
and all are remedIess. They rush into the papers
at Louisville and Nashville and open upon the
first road beyond this place. which is the Nashville
| & Chattanooga Railroad. While this dispute Is
going on, the Tennessee d Alabama road, which
has the same connections, is as silent as death.
| 1t is ready to take all freight to Decatur. and
thence the Memphis & Charleston will try the ex-
pertinent of doing justice TO its patrons from all
quarters.
Side issues are introduced, suppose, as make
weights. Local freights said to be excluded
to give place to through freights. l saw recently
| in the eitY papers IN advertisement from the
Nashville 4 pbattaRaasa Railroad Offering for To-
cal freights and excluding through fFoightsi This
may have been more recently changed. do net
| pretend to know. II Is also said that through
freights are carried at a cheaper rate than way
freights. 1t would be exceedingly strange if this
were not the case. 1t is the same old principle of
wholesale and retail. by which the mercantile
| world lives and has its being. And if the stock
holders are paid thereby whose right is it to COM
plain The romantic idea of spending millions
for mere public utility win do very well to amase
us for hrisf space, 9H il VIII MT Edsi:
But it is entirely foreign TO my purpose ia enter
into this controversy, one way or the other,
Al. a., $50 .tn
from undue excitement upon topic which Is
ephemeraI and must soon pass away. and direct
it to the foundation of our city's prosperity and
the means by which that prosperity is to be Sc
cured and perpetuated, deemng it an excellent
opportunity.
The prosperity Of Nushville doss not rest upon
question Of transportatiOH-bdt upon production.
The railroads. by every law of trade and every
motive Of hqlFqp aetpR, are perfectly iqstiAable
In consulting the interests Of their stoekhGl1ers.
The merchant, by the Same rule, is perfectly justi
fable Ia using every means that will enhance his
business and advance his fortunes. This is what
has built cities and constructed railroads. l ac-
cept the practical workings of this principle in all
rs extent and embrace and admire its followers
| in every branch of human labor and enterprise.
honor every one of the disputants, because the
interests Of one branch Of industry, or trade, or
production eeHtyikHte 80 much TO the general
wealth of the community. Whoeyef pay be
proved to be wrong, we are all are right.
Did il never occur to the Of capital in whole
sale business here. that competitor in the middle
business in going between the original manufac-
turer and the ultimate consumer, might break
him down in business Is it not possible that
such employment may break itself down by its
own weight l think this is precisely what is the
matter There is too much of this species Of en-
terpriss throughout the South, and especially in
Nashville.
l nov propose remedy. t9-wit: sFHhdrFF
your capital from that reproducing branch Of
business and Unrest IN another. Go to building
factories. machine-shops, and mechanical estab-
Hshments of every known description. Go to pro-
d9cing the leading articles which enter into the
commerce Of tho capatry, and are especially de-
handed south Of us, In that case tFEnsporta-
ton viii take care Of ITSELF and all interests viii
take esre of themselves. and there viii be none
of those conflicts over which men get so fuFiously
excited to no good purpose.
am sure, Messrs. Editors. have trespassed
upon your space-which from the manner in
which It Ia daily filed, / know to be valuable-as
well as upon the patience of your readers; but
trust you will permit me to plant seed which, If
it falls in good soil. viii grow and flourish as the
banyan. MECHANIC.