Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1868-11-18

vention as follows:
GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION =
The Importance of the subject which
has called Us together cannot be over
! estimated. 1t is subject affecting
not the interests of an individual. of
corporation, Of city, or of a single
State even; but is one Of such magni-
tude that five or six States have as
sembled here IN the persons of their
Representatives To consider and dis
cuss it. | know not how others may
feel, but, speaking the convictions of
my own Judgment and rejecting, | be-
lieve, the sentiments Of the people |
have the honor IN part to represent, |
declare it my belief that our growth
and prosperity Will be largely affect
ed by the success or defeat of the
measure now before us. w are es-
sentially an agricultural people.
Providence has located US upon the
fairest soll on Gods green earth, and
has given us a climate which looks
kindly upon the Iabors of the husband
man. Our resources are IN the fields
and the strong arms of the Industrious
perseverIng people. Yet, in this par
adise of the farmer, blessed, as it is,
with every advantage for the accumu-
latiOn of wealth, the convictio is
general that the laborer, the producer,
does not receive the full reward of
his labor Ample evidence of this
may be found by an examination of
the market quotations in every East
ern paper and a comparison of the
prices of cereals there and here. The
great demand of the North Y est Is
for cheaper freights The cost of
transportation has always been and
still is far out of proportion to the
cost of production. To people like
ours, whose wealth is derived from
the sale of heavy exports, such as
wheat, corn, rye, barley, beef, pork
and stock, this is severe check upon
their prosperity The State of Iowa,
alone, according to moderate esti-
mates. has produced more than 25,-
/ 100000 bushels Of wheat the present
season. Of this quantity it is safe to
say that nearly three-fourths may be
exported, may be exchanged for man
ufactured articles of utility and taste,
or exchanged for money to BECOME ac-
cumulated capital in the hands of the
producer. The same may be said Of
corn, Of which we have produced (by
estimate) more than 100000 bush
els, nearly half of which might become
an article of export, under circum-
stances rendering it tremuneratIve. Re
member these are products with but
. small fraction of our soil under cuti-
! vation, and that they are increasing
rG IDLY as each year brings fresh ac-
! cessions of emigrants seeking homes
within our borders But even now, in
the infancy Of our productions, millions
Of dollars could be annually saved bv
the opening of line of water com
munlcation with the Atlantic sea-
/ board and the establishment of water
rates Of transportation. Millions of
dollars could be saved every year to
Iowa alone, and placed in the pockets
Of the people whose hard toll entities
them to the fullest fruits Of their in
dustrv. And the advantages of such
measure are not confined to the
West alone East and West would
share in them alike 1t would make
good markets for our heavy products
invite immigration and give new life
to the whole North-W est 1t would
make labor profitable here, and food
cheaper in the East. 1t would en-
hance the value of our lands and their
machinerv To both sections it would
invite and retain labor in those chan
nels for which nature has peculiarly
fitted them, by enabling them to com
mand the productions of the other at
prices within their reach.
There is another advantage in the
proposed improvement, which is wor-
thy of consideration. The opening of
the " isconsin and Fox rivers makes
an uninterrupted line of water com
municatien with the East. 1t mar
ries the Mississippi and the Atlantic.
1t strengthens, by the creation Of new
/ ties.0f interest, the bonds of entity and
goodwill between the East and the
West.
Now, what we wish is to increase
the returns of labor to place greater
values in the hands Of the husband
man; to open and develop the rich
domain God has given US. We owe
it to ourselves and to those who are
to come after US. TO remove every OBJ
stacle that obstructs the path Of prog
ress. Recognizing, as we must, the
great advantages which must flow
from the proposed Improvement, our
duty IS only to consider the most fea-
sible plan for the accomplishment of
the work, and then bend our united
/ energies to the task What either
/ State might fail to affect single-hand-
ed, might we'll be undertaken by the
common purpose and common strength
of the many. Accordingly, | have
great confidence that movement will
be inaugurated which viii eventuate
in the fulfllment Of the object we
have IN view.
Mr.. George Hyer submitted re-
port from the Committee on Stats
ties, appointed at meeting held IN
f Oshkosh some months sIlce.