New Orleans Republican., 1873-07-04
NEW ORLEANs ABROAD.


most enthusiastic advocates. They have
regarded il chiefly as An outlet for the
developed productions Of an unlimited
interior. This is but one Of its incidental
attributes. Most of that internal produc-
ton and consumption now evades the
New Orleans outlet and is carried direct
to the great eastern markets, domestic
and foreign-carried across rivers and
under mountains, carried across the MIS-
sissippi and the Missouri and the Ohio,
carried by artificial iron ways and aque-
ducts directly to the ocean. Yet this
city has exported more in value the
past year than ever before. But when we
see Europe decanting its capital and labor
into the empire above rs. how can any
correct estimate of the population and
production of that region be possible !?
The formation of thirteen new States has
already taken place from the territory OF
Louisiana alone. There is class OF
eleven territories now awaiting the form
of graduation as States. The material
yet untouched is capable Of making, by
creation and subdivision, as many more
States as already exist, besides the capa-
city to acquire as much coterminous terri
tory at each extreme Of the Union as may
be ever needed. All these States and set
Elements between the eastern veysants of
the Rocky mountains and the western
slopes of the Alleghanies must come here
for two principal commodities:
I. For thei. tropical and semi-.ropical
products.
Sooner OF later the great law Of modern
commerce, that trade will move on hight
lines, because il furnishes the chief basis
Of financial exchange, will establish New
Orleans as point for the conveyance
and radiation Of those lines, so far as they
relate to the longitudinal o, tropical
trade between the unnumbered millions
and uncounted States above us and
the golden tropics below. Besides
this mere reciprocal trade in commodi-
ties, New Orleans will be the port at
which the travel, mail and mercantile
intercourse Of Mexico and Central Amer
lea with Europe will be conducted. This
is an inevitable commerce. The law
which gives the chief trade Of our upper
West directly to the ways and cities
Of the East will deliver 70 New
Orleans the permanent. and even
enlarging exchange Of products along the
whole length of this continent. its coasts
and islands. For this commerce our
port can have no competitor. With our
1adial system of rail and river. assorted
cafgoes will be always cheaper of freight
and more expeditions Of delivery than by
any other coast entrepot-we mean as to
this grand continental commerce. We do
not qualify this claim by the intermediate
obstacles of river outlet. want OF recipro-
cal trade treaties, Of steam tonnage to
other countries, OF climate and sanitary
slanders. These facilities will all come.
and these objections disappear before the
coming generation of minds, always in
spired by the occasion. Were New
Orleans swept from the earth. as Chi
cago was two short years ago, the
commercial world would rebuild it
as it did Chicago. New Orleans is
not place to be pufed and advertised
into celebrity. She is q commercial neces-
sity for two continents.
2. There is one Western commodity
which New Orleans must command against
all competition-it is bulk grain. The fea-
sons for this are as follows: England is the
chief consumer of imported grain. She
protects her manufactures by granting
free trade in provisions and other ma
terials. The development of nanufac-
lures in other European countries has re-
stricted the market Of England. The
enhanced cost Of coal has impaired itself
to all fabrics produced by coal agency.
The pressure of want and the facilities OF
immigration are rapidly sending TO the
United States the skilled workmen OF Eng
land, who thus become the direct rivals
of those they leave at home. At the same
time, however, these artisans are accom-
panied by thousands who, as agricultural
laborers, increase the cereal productions
OF America, and so tend TO increase and
cheaper the supply Of food fof those they
leave behind them. These considerations
show the importance Of cheap food. NO"
when bushel Of American corn comes to
Liverpool charged with three times the
cost of its production, it is plain that the
English consumer cannot get the full
benefit of cheap grown food. Nor can
the cereal area of America be thrown back
much further before it passes the boun'
dary that separates profit from loss. No"
as the corn grower and consumer agree
that the chief part Of the enhanced cost
is composed of freight and other transit
charges-as one Of these partners N
interest is, fortunately, also a carrier or
the high seas, it is proposed to reduce the
price of American corn in England by
adopting the cheapest route. and thai
least expensive of transhipment for this
commerce.
British merchants and manufactures
are statesmen. They do not confine them
selves to jobbing special commodities, but
comprehend the great elements upor
which their commerce depends. New
~ 4o~oororilv crippled by