Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1869-02-18
Nh. Enron.

Il correspondent, ~ Uork1nl
Farmer" justly complains OF the enor
mous tariff charged by the railroads
tor carrying our produce to market;
out does not suggest any remedy
Kermit me to make a few suggestions
IN reference to the best way of over
coming. or removing the evil. THIS is
a question in which all Iowa farmers
are moro or less Interested, and it be-
comes them to give this matter their
earnest attention, and seriously consil-
er the necessity Of their taking some
steps to protect themselves against the
land sharks, who are devourinc thcir
substance. What does it cost, to mar
ket Il produce at present cost of
transportation? Is it possible to OBJ
tain another and cheaper outlet for our
surplus produce.
what does it cost to carry a bushel
OF Wheat from lama to New York?
ufain Leaders claim q margin of thirty
1--WE or forty cents per bushel to take
a bushel Of wheat from lama to Chic
ago. Then ome storage, commits
sions, profits, &c. at Chicago, to the
amount OF ten cents per bushel; and it
costs thirty tour cents per bushel to
take 4 bushel otgrain from a s~torehouse
in Chicago, and put it on board ship at
New York. So that it costs from so
to 80 cents per bushel, to take a bush
Ell OF grain from Tama to New York.
In other words it costs at the present
time just n halt of the crop to .carry
the other half OF the crop to market.
How long will farmers quietly submit
to be robbed in this style, by soulless
c~orporators9 Is there no help? Must
We sit calmly by and lock on, while
our hard earnings are wres:ed from
our grasp, and so to fill the already
plethoric pockets Of spectators,
schemers and swindlers?: Let me say
If farmers are destitute of energy and
that they can divisc no rem
eGy for these evils they deserve to suf-
fer.
| think it possible to obtain another
cheaper route to the seaboard, for our
surplus produce, and that route is by
the Mississippi River. 1t costs only
twelve cents to take a bushel of wheat
from Cairo, and put it on board ship at
New Orleans. If the farmers of the
Northwest would only determine that
from hencetorth the Mississippi River,
should be what nature evidently in
tended, viz: the great highway OF com
merce; and would see hat the naviga-
ton Of the rapids was SO improved that
the Upper Mississippi would be navi.
gable at all seasons of the year, when
tree Of ice, for frs. class steam
boats, and large grain barges, and in.
addition to this, would see that a fair
and equitable Rail Read tariff, was es-
tablished in our W State, we could
easily reduce the expense Of reaching
the seaboard one-half below present
rates. To do this we want to ship
down the Mississippi in bulk, and we
want the navigation SO improved that
We will not need to break bulk until
we reach New Orleans. Let this BIZ
done, and it will cost less to carry a
bushel OF grain to New Orleans, then
it costs to carry it to Chicago.
| am in favor of immediate action III
tbs matter but will wait and see if
any one else has any anything to offer
on this subject, before offering any
plan, as it is possible that same one
may have Q much shorter or easier
mode Of attaining the same re suit than
the plan that | would propose .
A FARMER WHO WANTS Pay FOR Work.