The New York herald., 1870-01-04

These figures are Curious anu interesting, They
seems to nave set n before the war Which is proved
by the sudden bound upward In 1859 ana the rapid
continuance OF Tie movement until u reached its
elimination N 1862, OBVIOUSLY 1t was not the war
which cansed this movement since 1t commences
before the conflict. and the decline set IN 1868
ana mas ever since steadily cOnMnued. The return
Of peace has moi turned the adverse tide, Tor the
decay sti goes until this year The commerce Of
the port is below That Of 1859, showing that 1t has
lost more than ten years of ITS growth
But while Eualo is losing ground Cleveland ap-
pears TO DC gaming The aier city Is fast becoming
2 great manufacturing centre There the coal OF
OHIO and the iron and copper ore OF the Lake Supe.
rlor region are brought into contact and use 1hls
Industry Is destined make Cleveland the most inn
pOrtant manufacturing point ON the lower lakes, as
CHicag0 ~ on the UPPER La our city the coal OF li
nois and the iron ana copper ore Of Lake Superior
are being brought lnt0 contact and use siInuliu-
neously with the same movement in Cleveland.
we are thus inclined 70 believe That the decline in
the commerce OF Buffalo Is natural diversion OF the
current trade and that indicates several inp0f
tant commercial changes, the most prominent Of
Which are:-
The rise Of manufactures consequent dverslcaton
OF industry IN The Mississpp valley and Lake Basin,
ngushed from mere agricultural production develop
2 The approach Of period when the Northwest
agricultural products In future win increase as q
and dsefsass - 70 ou asun 81 anS @
productions.
tendency OF railroads 10 supersede all
other means OF travel and transit. 10 prevent the
srncon M Of The Lre Gana as means of and
the canal must be the tseif enlarged
whsG wl capable IN products Sswssa wee New
York city and Chicago without brsaking bulk.
The question ls, will such change be made in time
to save the canal and lake from almost entire
prOetratlOn, will the railroads In few years more
supersede the slower means OF transit winch at pre-
sent provide stout competition TO monopoly
which threatens to be one day the most gigantic
the countryf We allude to the monopoly Of railroad
combinations II the changes IN lake ana canal
navigation are not made and II the StaIe OF New
York continues to bar the way OF the great West
the sea- IKE some ancient robber baron IN his castle,
IL r. ana nfo ah-
ing her own t0wDs and cities, then the next in
the drama will be an appeal on the part Of the people
TO the general government to regulate RAILROADS.
es 70 prevent them from eating up the entire profits
Of industry.
been sounded citizen OF Chicago some three years
since Having been the FIRST TO take up the subject In
series OF elaborate articles These have lately been
!ouoweu Dy movements IN and out OF Congress- by
Generals Butler, SChenck, WasDburn, aud the
brother OF the latter, now Minister to France; Gen.
eral Spinner, Of the United states Treasury, and
Senator Matt Carpenter, OF Wisconsln. A snort
time since Mr. J. M. Richards, president OF the Board
OI Irade o1 TINS CITY, presented very able review OF
the changes wnlch nave taken place and are daily
continuing TO take place IN the trade and industry
OF the West IN connection with the carrying trade
and the raIrOad mOnOpottes winch threaten II. The
pr0p0sl,lons aud principles laid down BY Mr..
Richards, aiNhough In direct opposition 70 the
principles and propositions OF the nee trade and
state rights democracy, are bound to prevail, be.
cause they are III sJrcS accordance with social,
commercial and poticai progress 0. the country.
II 10 patent u the most superficial observer that
Mr.. Spinner says the creature cannot be greater
than the cfeat0r--t1at corporations aefiving their
powers from the government must, In some shape
Or other be controlled by that government when
tney attain proportions that threaten only the
rights and liberties Of the people, but the very
ence Oi the government Itself.
There are no questions which will receive such an
emphatic endorsement from the great mass Of the
peope as those embodied in the two propositions
that the government alone should regulate the COM
merce between the Sales and alone create the
means for exchanging the merchandise OF That CON-
merce IN the shape of q circulating medium winch
SHAH pass currtn ut IRON end OF the Union the
other, any be convertible into specie on demand aG
certain great centres OF traric.