Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-05-14

them in debt.
Gov. WOOdsOn.
Gov. Wcodson wes then introduced He
denied In toto that the convention had any
political Significance, saying, the strongest
desire and highest ambition Of the people Of
this city and State is to see al parts of this
great country united in fraternal bonds,
bound by common interest, and sectional
3lings and animosities put eside forever.
He then entered into some interesting sta
tistics regarding the agriculture and mining
wealth of Missouri.
The Governor touched upon the railroad
system of the country, and spoke rather Sc
verely regarding the present plan of man
aging. He was not opposed to railroads;
on the contrary, desired them increased
but wanted them to be the servants not the
masters of the people. He dwelt quite
strongly upon the evil of high salaries paid
to railroad officials, saying that the money
expanded in this manner for services would
go far towards remedying the evil of higt
rates. He also referred to the necessity fol
cheap watar routes TO the seaboard, anC
urged members of Congress to give the mat
ter their serious consideration.
Henry II. Blow.
Hon. Henry T. Blow then delivered al
address. He begged the Congressman t
believe that we are national in all our feel
ings and aims and would scorntO receive a
vour hands a single favor that would burdeI
uniastly any part of the country. W.
therefore sddre you as representatives. o
the whole county, as statesmen bound by
no narrow lines, rs honest men regsrdin.
it as your highest duty as well as youl
supreme plea :ure to investigate the condi
ton and claims of the feeble and strOn!
alike, and to mete out equal and exact jns
tice to all. The speaker then referred Il
the necessity of a return to specie payment
and urged Congress to effect this at IS earl
a day as practicable. Referring to the re
ouirements of agriculture, mining and man
ufactures, he said cheap transportation wa
the great thing needed. The country i
threaded with railroads over which pas
censers and freight can bt
transr orted in all directions. But feelin
had gIown up in this valley as well as il
other parts of the country that there are eS
istirg and extending combinations on th
part IF these corp Eorstions sgaiDst The intere:
of the producing classes. He then paid
glowing tribute tO the railroad system of th
country as the proudest monument, Of Pre-
gress ever reared by moral hands az
to-day is the glory of the republic enthrone
in the midst of its created wealth. II
urged a generous treatment Of these grea
represent atives of capital, labor and enter
prise, and said be who would unduly in
rade their progress will soon learn that th
march of American enterprise cannot oe al
rested by prejudice or ignorance, and ths
our plighted faith can never be disturbe
by senseless Reputation or the schemes
narrow demsgogues.
AS a remedy for these real or suppose
combinations he proposes competition, an
asked Congress to give the country ns
tional water system equal to our railroa
system, the result of which, he sait, woul
be the admiration of the world. He the
referred to the products and resources {
the Mississippi Valley and said St. Lou
was destined to become the centre OF tn
iron trade of the word, and that with
twenty years, Texas would produce moi
cotton annually than is now exported froI
the whole country.
Interesting Expose from COngressmS
| StannRrd.
Hon. E. o. StaDard, member elect frol
the First District, spoke on behalf OF u
| Merchants Exchange, and the commerci
| interests of the Mississippi Valley. {
said the central plain of this continent HI
a greater capacity for cereal production
than sny equal area on the globe. SeVent
five to eighty thousand miles ofrailr Dad a
now employed moving the productions al
commerce of the country; yet there is
great and pressing necessity for increas'
facilities and cheaper transportation. NJ
lions of tons of breadstuffs are wasted
Western fields or consumed for fuel, viii
multitudes in Eastern cities and foreis
lands suffer for wood. The Western farm
obtains but about fifteen cents per bush
for corn, while the consumer in the Ea
has to pay sixty-five cents for it. L
former is not reimbursed the actual &C
of production, while the cost of living
the consumer is excessive and burdensom
All the profits of production, and mol
too, are demanded for transportation. T
producer is impoverished, commerce Ia
guisbes and bankruptcy threatens {
entire country, and must ensue, unle
relief is afforded from the eXactlons OF
rsnnical monopolies. A system of cant
south of the freezing line would afford gre
relief both in continuity of transit al
cheapness, and would hold the railroads
a uniform and lower rate Of charges. T
James river and Kanawha, Atlantic al
Great Western and Fort st. Phillips can;
should G completed without delay. b
! Notwithstanding their completion wou
be almost equivalent TO duplication oft
present Tonnage capacity Of all the trul
rail lways, still the necessities of the cou
try's rapidly increasing commerce wou
not be met, and the demand for more a
. cheaper facilities would be increasing.
showed from statistics that by far the gre
est increase in population, agricultural a
manufactured products during the past
cade occurred in the West, and that
present and future demand for ircreas
transportation facilities is and would be
the Mississippi Valley.
A Return 10 Nature.
He then entered into comparison Of t
cost of railroad, canal, sea, lake and riV
TRANSFORMATION, and showed that the TiV
! transit is 100 per cent cheaper th
canal and nearly 500 per CEN. cheaper th
railroad. and asked, Does not this (:
suggest the solution of the question unC
discussion? The value OF grain to the p
f ducer is the price paid in Liverpool, less
cost of transit. He then showed that gr.
can be laid down in Liverpool via the Mi
issippi river and New Orleans 16 ceI
cheaper per bushel than via New York, a
that il the advantages of river transit col
be fully used, the exports from the Alissi
ippi Valley would soon turn the balance
. trade in our favor, and gold would flow FRI
the old to the new rather than as now fri