Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1872-12-26
Thc.lrrnc Remedy.

TheIeCrnc Remedy.
llon..'Wm. sG. Donnan, Of ;hi
State, has introduced bill into The
House to enable the Secretary o.
War 70 construct q caual between
Lakes Erie and Ontario, on tEt
American side, around niagara Falls
This bill is introduced in thr int. csl
of che~p transportation between the
West and the East. Tho control OF
The canal is TO be IN hands Of the
government, and to he forever free
TO all vessels, subject to such tolls
and charges as shall kee's the canal
aud locks in repair. The amount of
money 10 be appropriated to this OBJ
icrt il no: indicated, nor is it even
limited at, by the bill. This bill seems
10 be in substantial accord with the
rvcommenia,ion OF the. President
that the Congress take some action
10 rcdacc tho cost OF. transportation
Of western produce TO eastern mar
kcts.
This Niagara Ship Canal project
is not new one. 1t has been pressed
.,pon the attention of the public for
scores OF years. The pablo has he
come accustomed TO look upon 1t as
y "job' in the interest OF two or three
cities, aud that ii mao in il no sub
nant,sl merl, other than tho bene fits
these certain cities would derive from
it's construction. The Lake ports
IRE unanimous in its favor MS it is to
their pecuniary interest 1, he. The
immediate country tributary TO these
ports may he benefited ut the same
time. That the project promises any
general material ameliora,ion IT the
sn,r'ing hardshi-s that western
producers aud consumers bear, is
questionable.
Aside from other objections TO the
proposed scheme, this may be said :
There are undoubtedly Two Other
channels by which western pro ince
can reach cas.ern markets, that can
be opened at lcs.. expense than the
proposed canal roMe, at the same
time that they will aftor, all to larg
.r areas of country, and more people.
The first may be the least promising.
but it has its advocates. This IL,
water communication re the Nilsson.
ri, Mississippi and OHIO rivers, and
their tributaries, to Pitlshurg, and
thence to tide water by canal, rail-
road or river, or all three. The
practicability Of Til, route is unques.
TONED. Representative Negley, OF
Pennsylvania, has lately Introduced
4 bill for cana! from tide water on
tho James River 10 the Ohio river at
Pittsburg The second is, the route
ria the great rivers above named, 10y
way Of New Orleans. the guilt and
the ocean. The praclicability ofthis
route is being tested with marked
aucccss. Both these routes open up
70 their advantages three or four
lines the extent OF country the Nj
agara Canal will do. The gulf route
will cost less than the Niagara Canal.
Tho Plttsbnrg route may cost as
much as the Niagara route, still its
benefits will be immensely more.
There IS still another method by
which the Presidents suggestion can
he utilized, ra,aely, control the ra
paci,y OF the great railroad monopo
hes. The power OF Congress to do
this is clear, and its duty is trans
paren.ly SO. Hon. NJ. II. Wal,len's
resolution at the last session OF Con
grcss solves the difficulty if that
body will take affirmative action on
it. Senator Wright's resolution, in
,roluccd hit :: few weeks sincc, is
equally pointed in IL. SAME dircc
ton.
However admirable Mr. Uonan's
bill may be in many particulars, it
still does not strike at the root Of the
evil it seems to desire to remedy
Instead OF controlling the carrying
monopo',es, it simply aims to head
them off. This is futile task. An
early abandonment OF the attempt
will reflect credit upon the brilliant
Iowa Member OF tic lower House.
The troubles Of the Western farm.
er arc we'll known. All Admit their
magnitude The disagreement comes
~ providing s removal OF them
Too much corn End wheat, in pro.
portion to the amount consumed at
home, are grown. Tho true rene.
dies lie, not alone in securing cheaper
md quicker transporta tion tor tins
wheat and corn, but, in a more intel.
!igent distribution OF the articles
raised, which remedy is exclusively
IN the hauds OF tho farmers them.
selves; and IN bringing the CONSUMERS
nearer to the produce OF these pro.
DUCT; this remedy is for the practi.
cal statesman. Congress should do
whatever lie. in its power 10 ins,;rc
lin, all thu ~ anui,ntnr;ut> ,l,t .o,