Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1871-04-01
NEW ORLEANS vs.. NEW YORK.
From the New Orleans Picayune.

From the New Orleans %Picayune.
NEW ORLEANS, March Is, III.
Every product of the earth finds
its way to market by the most natur-
al channel. Beforn the war, New
Orleans was comparatively the sole
tobacco market in the United States.
Why? Because it was the natural
outlet. Climate and cheap river
freights made it SO. Tobacco passing
to foreign lands by the southern route
becomes mellow, and therefore loses
nothing in weight or oily appearance.
Tobacco passing out to Europe 10y the
cold northern route becomes dry,
brittle and crumbly, and therefore
loses in weight and oily appearance.
Is not this common sense?
Again, river freights are always
cheaper than railroad frcights. God
has given to New Orleans the Green,
the Cumberland, the Tennessee, the
OHIO and the Mississippi rivers.
What diverted the tobacco trade to
New York? Was it that the climate
changed and the rivers were divert
cd? VAST that New York, by some
sudden freak Of nature, became the
natural, and New Orleans the unnat-
ural outlet? We think not. The
trade was handed over to New York
by the accident of war. The simplest
uncommercial man knows this
New York knows it, and therefore
waves the agitation of these matte :,
and sets up another plea for the to-
bucco trade. 1t is that New Orleans
has not sufficient ocean transporter
ton. Let us examine this argument
and lay bare its sophistry. This as
sertion was true during and immedi-
ately after our war between the
States. Why was it so? The war
came and with it the blockade and
blighting trade restrictions against
New Orleans. y suspension of her
commerce and shipping, Of course,
followed.
In addition to her own, New York
fell heir To the trade of New Orleans.
During, and for II time after the war,
New Orleans had no freight to invite
vessels. 1t was then that New York
began this cry of M tonnage ut New
Orleans, and, like the man that said
the horse was ten feet high, she has
stuck to it.
What are the facts to-day? We
have recovered the cotton trade; we
have recovered the suguar trade; we
have recovered the tobacco trade of
Mexico; we have partially recovered
thctohacco trade Of the United States;
we have recovered our ancient grain
trade with immense additional adj
vantages. st. Louis Is the great CEN
ire OF the best grain region in the
United States. The completion OF
recent railroads opens up To st. Louis
n large grain growing district, the
products of which heretofore passed
via Chicago over the Lakes To Eu-
rope. st. Louis must therefore he Il
mammoth receiving grain market.
st. Louis must empty her grain into
the lap of New Orleans for shipment
out. Barge transportation makes
this the surest and cheapest route.
The through COS from st. Louis tn
/ Liverpool via New York is S2S 30 per
ton, from st, Louis to Liverpool via
Baltimore ii Is S25 per ton, from st.
Louis to Liverpool via New Orleans
it is SIS 80 per ton. This, then, must
again he the exclusive shipping port
for st. Louis and the West. Now
make the application. Vessels go
wherrthcy can obtain freight. With
the great trades of cotton, sugar, to-
baccO, corn, wheat, etc, in u hands
will New York assert that we have
nothing to invite ocean tonnage
Surely not. so much, then, for New
Orleans export advantages. Now let
us examine the import trade Vt New
Orleans and her capacity to control 1t.
All things equal the exporting class
will import 10y the same route that
they export. Is this not n%atural?-
/ New Orleans then Is the natural port
of entry for the South and West
Are our advantages equal" YES
Are they not superior, to New York
With cheap and abundant tranSpOr-
tatiOn hy steamboats, on Il river al
WAYS naVigablc, is this not the most
eligible port of entry for the West !
With our river advantages and the
nearuess of our position, is this not
the natural port of entry for the
south a.? Besides, all business meIl
know that river, have II tremendous
advantage over railroads in the
transportation of heavy, or bulky
articles of freight. These are u adj
yantu-cs and the world knows it,
Ncary every boat going West l.
heavily laden with imported goods
New Orleans j. fast becoming tht
port of entry anal export for the Soutl
, and West, and yet IN the face OF thi'
. truth New York warns the people @
Kentucky and other tobacco grow
ing districts that they must not shin
their tobacco to New Orleans because
we will not have vessels and steam.
/, ships here Ia take il out to Europe.
b Ii the people will ship their tubac
go to New Orleans we viii have CHEAP
aud abundant foreign freight EDVu