The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-02-02
Mot nv "T'hrough Business"

l
Not by Through Business"
If there is smart pcople-universally
conceded to be so--in the world, it is the
people of Massachusetts. There is no kind
of trade, no strategem in commercial inter-
course, that has not been investigated and
fairly tested in and out Of the hub They
are both inquisitive and cooperative in their
plans for promoting their individual and
collective welfare. Therefore we take it
that the opinions of the people of Boston
and of Massachusetts upon matter OF bust
ness and Of trade are to be respected. They
are only welded to their opinions in such
matters as far as they may be proved COR
rect. No people could give up with better
grace a theory or plan which does not
"pay.'
The State of Massachusetts, went freely
into the railroad business, and built out Of
its treasury three roads that were intended
to enable Boston to compete with New York
for the trade of the great West. They were
conducted with this view upon the grand
"through freight" "sealed car" slow
crate" fast transportation" principle.
And after years of trial the Bostonians do
not see the anticipated benefits and the
State, feeling anxious to probe the system
and to find out exactly how it operates, ap-
pointed very intelligent Board of Commits
sioners with instructions to overhaul the
whole business of the roads and report
fully thereupon.
This Board has performed the duty as
signed, and their report is exactly what
might have been anticipated by those who
understand how local interests have been
sacrificed by the wild mania for through
freights-every tidal city setting itself up
as the competitor of New York. and the gate
through which the trade of the world must
flow.
This Board declares that the railroad
policy of the State to establish and promote
q through business from the West to tide
water has proved complete failure. Tho
Board publishes the fact that the system
thus far has imposed burthen upon the
class i'll able to bear it, with no great adj
vantage to amy class. 1t has fallen upon
the way and local population and business,
while it has failed to secure any decided
advantage.
What policy does this Board recommend
In substance to cease an attempt to force
the interests of the commercial community
| and to foster those of the manufacturing
| community. The Board says before 1880
the State was ga commercial community " !;
| and now, in 1870, it has become Ga manu-
featuring community, and it requires a
railroad system especially adapted to its
"needs as SUCH" 1t says: Commerce is
"no longer, as formerly, the principal
source of prosperity, but is rather auxil-
"iary to more overshadowing interests" -
i. e., manufacturing-as is more emphati-
cally stated in a subsequent message as fol-
| lows:
"Its chief function for years has been,
| and will now permanently continue to be,
/ to import raw material for the use of man
| ufactures and food to sustain artisans, and
not the goods which We ourselves manufac-
ture, either for our own consumption or in
competition with other ports.''
We have contended that manufacturing
enterprise does more to build up q State
than trade in staples and imports. The
trade in staples leaves little to the commu-
nifty engaged in that trade, and the trade
in foreign imports is hardly more beneficial
TO domestic interests. The profit on the
| former is reduced by competition to the
lowest rate, and the losses of speculation
| render it questionable whether in the ag-
gregate any community dealing in staple
exports make or lose by them. The trade
| in imports possibly more certainly benefits
| those engaged in it; but then, all save their
profits upon their importations is sent out
Of the country.
Now, look at manufactures. The raw
material produced here, in great part, is
exhumed out of the earth, where it was
valueless. 1t is worth when delivered the
price of the labor that produced it, added
to the profits to owners of the lands OF
mines where produced and the freight ia
the mandatory. When there manufac.
tured, it has added TO its value the labor
aud profit of its conversion into the new
form it takes. All this cumulative value
is retained here.
What contrast there is, therefore, be-
tween these different branches of employ
ment Of money and capacity What {
great mistake it is for community which
he's facilities for manufacturing to invss
its means in mere trade, which pays 81
| little, when manufacturing teens witt
sources Of profit in many ways 1t estab
fishes large communities Of consumers il
1.-THE midst. Of agricultural circles, thus fur