New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-01-28
STRIKING OFF The sHACKLEs.

AS II ideas were eleCIIN, +AO 'Ao"bA0
which occupied our pen on Thursday had
just escaped from the pen OF a st. LOUIS
editor onsTuesday. 1t was that the West
wanted q direct inland water route to
Mobile. The st. Louis Democrat, a lead
ing Republican paper, by the way, and
one thoroughly devoted to the prosperity
of the West, was driving ahead on this
subject while we were turning it over IL
our minds. The Democrat pursues our
general line Of argument, that New Or
leans is the fixed gate Of commerce, and
must pursue her greatness whether she
will or no. In this enforced duty the
pathway can be made easy and happy. OF
it may be entangled with trouble and
suffering. II New Orleans can catch the
spirit Of liberal progress. the future IS Il
triumph due to her ability; if she can no:
cut loose from redtapeism> then the
triumph is still inevitable; but it will be
DELAYED. and the men who hindered its
progress will be forgotten before they are
dead.
81 Louis complains that New Orleans
is an extortionist upon the commerce of
the Mississippi river and an enemy to
herself il being SO. First, she is the
meeting place where the trade of the sea
meets the trade Of the land Merchan-
disc comes to our wharves from '';arthest
Ind" and is transferred to vessels that
convey to the depths of the continent.
And merchandise from the Rocky Noun
tains here seeks new charter Oh its way
to the factories of Paris. We do not con-
sent that these interchanges shall take
place upon the payment Of ordinary and
regular transportation charges, but we
stand at the junction and demand exo-bi-
tant fees for the use of our gateway. Ee-
fore vessel Of twelve hundred tons can
surrender her cargo on our wharves and
get away with her return goods she is
forced to pay three thousand dollars TO
our cormorant demands. st. Louis has
hitherto been shut off from trading with
Mobile unless at the cost of three or four
Expensive transfers Of her freight. Now.
exnlts the Democrat, the West can use the
Lake Borgne canal to escape New Orleans
ex.ortions. by sending her grain to deep
water at Ship Island. and by {: Sigh: re-
modelling of her river steamers she can
trade with Alabama through the same
canal without paying toll to our gate
keepers.
These identical suggestions We're made
in the REPUBLICAN Friday morning. al
though in more genera! way. Oar re-
marks were based on the projected pro-
lection levee and canal which will open a
water route from the Mississippi river to
Lake Pontchartrain. thus enabling ST.
Louis to trade with Mobile without going
around to Lake Borgne. And we are
happy to know that the st. Louis Dem0-
GRO: has opened the way before us by s;g-
costing that the trade can be carried on
through the ship canal at 4 tlit.rS cost in
remodeling the river steamers. Tie
central idea is to iisembarrass con-
lnerce, and this seems to be in q fair
way o: accomplishment w.:hou: oar
direc: effort. Grain from the West need
10. paw the three Thousand dollars
Dor: Zee, when Il ran go 10 Ship
Island and be discharged without
the payment Of harbor dues. This is a
dangerous suggestion 20 make q; this
time. for the Legislature might be en-
trapped INTO the passage Of a law creating
po.:warden.. health Officer. we;shess.
gaugers, inspectors. and e hos. Of other
hange:s-or for Ship Island: bu: we can
no: suppress the information tor the pIr-
pose OF preventing jobs. I'll that We can
10 IS &c .ish: these evils when they swarm
o,.t asa:ns: the new port. IN tie mean
:ime. commerce can laugh q: The eyac:iors
Of the towboat inteyes. il & very short
time. fo1 that vii; be another monopoly
tina: Will be buried OF: G. sigh: by the
canal. We can shake hands with the Re-
publican organ Of Missouri. and assure it
that the Republican party is slowly but
surely bringing Louisiana tc the !e:e! Of
modern OrOcreSS