The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-06-10
Tho Trade Of Richmond.

onnortunities for rapid advancement Of
,,c prosperity of cities come in :cycIes'
when one opportunity is allowed to so ..
without being taken hold OF, pe', .'s;s u
apathy and lis.lessness ensues, dutihs w.
,bcre ia little manifestation OF emerpt, I,'
1ra th;nk tho present time the faVoiao'e
- e. ao;ng much that by delay VIII DC
postponcd for years. -,
We sbou,d now meet and confer ana SET
=, roo, mans for the benefit and growth OF
picbn,ond. We have great deal 10 40,
what is done should be OF praceea'
na,nre. bearing directly upon the interests
and trade Of the city. We beg TO eau atleh'
ton especially to one point
We know that in many part'cuiaiS' a"o
At xar;ous points in the country important
tons In a commercial sense, our trace Is
greatly impaired by determinations against
MS. Now, let our people, through their
boards and committees, look into these
cases. The merchants know these instances.
We assume that railroad managcrs;are not
hy nature and inclination opposed to Hlen-
mond and her trade. They are often the
means Of doing her serious injury without
setting ont with purpose to do so. They
might, properly approached, acknowledge
their error and cooperate in such redue'
tions of local freight as will be ialr 10 Ih'S
CITY. We know case IN point "heie,
through the agency of one man, "hat hit!
he called q Richmond tariff was established.
xvb;,,, at once caused the shipment OF many
Richmond manufactures to the far South.
What is wanted is to give Richmond, at least
IN n partial extent, the benefit OF her ad
vantsee In distance over cities further north.
81 This being done, of course we VIII suppi!
the cities and States which are nearer 10 US
than they are to the northern clties WIN
our manufactures and with everything
which we can sell on reasonable terms.
We repeat that arrangements OF railroads
lea,pg into this city are not hostile 10 H.
IF n properly organized committee were I"
opproach them prudently and bring TO tneir
attention the wrong we suffer we con]ec-
ture that they would become practicaDie
and reasonable, and probably concede the
interest they have in the rise and prosperity
Of Richmond. We do not despair that, ap-
proached in this way. tariffs at least toiefa.
bly fair to Richmond might be arranged
with most of them. This city is entitled I"
fbe benefit Of all the advantages in distance
which it has on the map. The rates from
Richmond ought to be as low as those OF
oil places further from the point OF con-
.sumption than Richmond. If that be done
we can sell goods. II it is not done We
cannot sell goods but northern cues wiz
s,pply towns close By Richmond, as the!
have done, and that at a lower freight thah
is charged from Richmond.
This policy is entirely consistent with the
railroad interests Us we'll as our own.
Every railroad company ought to kno"
that its greatest source Of prosperity is the
local freight and travel. & railroad company
is like the owner of many plantations. The
more encouragement he gives to those VIII"
till them the more produce will they have
for market and the more business viii De
thrown upon the railroad. The truly wise
railroad presidents know this, and will not
fail to be liberal to the local industry.
Again A railroad should be like great
river. The land it trayerses should be fol
miles on each of it's shores irrigated and
covered with rich crops. These load the
stream with transportation and spread the
fame of its fertility far and wide. 1t is not
the through freight which enriches rail-
roads, but the increasing production and
travel which liberal policy induces along
its borders, and which, by way of reward,
gives back to the road, the chief source OF
its wealth.
=. Richmond should set to work In earnest
oil this point, and leave nothing undone to
secure to herself the greatest benefits.
This is one of the subjects which should
engage our attention. There are others
which should be at this time taken into
consideration. They do not admit Of delay
without serious injury to ourselves. Trade
is built up slowly at best, and we should
not neglect any means which will extend
our interior commerce. .i