The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-03-16

Decline an Commerce and It's Cause Prac
teal Comments and Timely Suggestions.
NEW ORLEANS. March n. 1s71


New ORLEANS, March IL. 1871.
EDITOR CLARION IL have been thinking
for some time past to drop you few lines
from this metropolis of the South.
You must have noticed from the out-giv-
ings fthe press here, that the future of
New Orleans is discussed with some earn
estness by her citizens and business men.
Some of the old merchants are having
gloomy apprehensions as to our future.
There is, however, much conflict of opin-
ion on some points, but nearly all agree
that the trade of New Orleans is falling off
in several of her staples.
What is more, her trade will continue to
to decline unless a change of policy and
administration is inaugurated.
The voracious appetites of our officials
seem to be Unsuitable, and instead of devils
ing means to tighten the burdens on trade
and commerce, their ingenuity is on the
stretch to devise new methods oftaxation.
Well may we be apprehensive of the fu-
ture when such burdens are imposed upon
commerce as we discovered yesterday at the
leyee. ship of 1000 bales tonnage of
cotton had paid out, as her port bills 90 to
show, $l,700, and was still lying at the
wharf to be preyed upon.
No wonder ship Captains curse the port of
New Orleans and denounce her officials as
a set ofvampires. The city and State legis-
lation is certainly stabbing the trade and
commerce of our city, and though the Times
and other papers have called attention to
their declining commerce, the officials pur-
sue the insane policy of taxing it at every
turn.
For instance the trade in corn alone this
season has fallen off 1,000,000 bushels, and
in the important article of flour, the falling
off has amounted to 100000 barrels. Other
departments have suffered in like proper
ton, save that of cotton alone, and its low
price has not benefited us to that extent
we anticipated.
Strenuous efforts are now making I'm vari-
Gus places to still further direct trade from
this city, and with these facts staring in
the face. our officials seem perfectly indif-
ferent if not criminal, in their negligence.
Never was there more propitious time
for your State to wake upt her material
interests, and if your legislators would only
rouse up from their Van Wrinkle sleep, and
study the interests of Mississippi, instead
of party politics, she might enter upon a
new era of prosperity. You have harbor
upon the Mississippi Gulf shore that might
be made the cheapest port in the world.
The Southern Pacific Railroad having
now become fixed fact by the late action
of Congress, your State occupies an envlable
position to that road, for the cities and
States east of you must run their roads
through your territory to connect with that
great national artery.
Your Legislators would show much wis
dom if they would build railroad from
your Capitol to the Gulf shore, and make
the Ship Island harbor the first harbor on
this side to connect with San Diego, ON the
Pacific. If your State was to build the road
from Jackson to Mississippi City, on the
Gulf Shore and then lose every dollar in
it, she would be amply repaid in few years
by the legitimate increase of taxable prop
erty that would flow into your treasury.
The finely timbered lands through which
the road would run would double in value,
and thriving towns will spring up every
ten or twelve miles along the route that
would yearly pour thousands into your
State treasury. Look at the result of the
New Orleans, Mobile IL Chattanooga road,
running through your sea-shore towns.
Lands are now redeemed, and back taxes
are pouring into your treasury, and men OF
wealth are seeking investments along the
entire route.
Why will your people, and especially
your legislators, sleep over tie elements OF
| power that lie at your command! You
ought by all means to have your city on
1 the Gulf shore, and the harbor for shipping
cotton; only build your road and all the
rest will inevitably follow.
Perhaps we may write you again on this
subject.