New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-08-17
HEAVY BLOW AT OUR GRAIN TRADE

can give an unfortunate example Of the
inju ries inflicted upon our city by the
political war against the federal govern
ment. The formidable strike Of the
Western farmers for lower freight rates
attracted the quick eye Of the politician.
A committee was appointed by the Senate
of the United States to inquire into these
alleged grievances ard their remedy. OBJ
viously gerrane to this object was the
inquiry into the capacity Of the Missis-
sippi river, improved at federal cost, to
relieve the corn farmers from the alleged
impositions Of the rail carriers. Senator
Window, chairman of this committee, has
addressed throughout the country series
of questions, and, among others, to Mr..
Lucius Fairchild, United States consul at
Liverpool, and to General Adam Badeau,
United States consul general at London.
We published yesterday the replies OF
these gentlemen.
1t is now our purpose to show that they
are not in acc ord with the interests OF the
farmers, and certainly do not do justice to
the claims of New Orleans. 1t is proper
to state that we know both these consuls.
They may have no intention to misrepre-
sent, but since New Orleans prefers to be
political city-since she devotes that
time and influence to politics which is
~ 30 Ix.o foroirry, 70
tives of her rights, and Of her resources,
they can not be blamed for accepting
erroneous statements and promulgating
them for official facts. The REPUBLICAN
having the ear of the government and of
Congress, will now proceed to explain to
Messrs. Fairc hid and Badeau the fragrant
injustice which they have, no doubt. un-
consciously done this political city:
/. Senator Window in his questions
assumes that wheat us injured by storage
at New Orleans and passage through the
Gulf"
2. He inquiries whether western wheat
transported via New Orleans rates lower
in the Liverpool market than Western
wheat shipped to Liverpool from New
York p
To this last in quiry Consul Fairchild
answers:
1t has very often happened that Western
wheat, coming via New Orleans, has ar
rived here in damaged condition Almost
Invariably l am informed when the wheat
has been put into the ships at New Orleans
in the least damp, and over it has been
slowed cotton, it has been injured to a
greater or less degree during the passage,
while Western wheat arriving from New
York has almost invariably reached here in
good condition. Wheat which has been
transported from New Orleans in steamers,
without being slowed under cotton or other
freight which would keep the air from it,
has arrived here in good condition. It has
also arrived in good condition in sailing
vessels when slowed in the same manner.
These statements indicate that sound
grain, shipped in New Orleans separate
from other freights, will arrive sound in
Liverpool; but this statement is qualified,
if not contradicted, by the following:
If to-day merchant here should offer for
IL
one coming from New Orleans and the other
coming from New York, both to be sold
without examination and at the risk of the
buyer, the cargo from New Orleans would
undoubtedly rate much lower in price per
bushel than that from New York, because
the past experience OF the merchants here
in the grain trade would compel them to
base an offer for the New Orleans cargo
upon the probability that it would prove to
ha in dana ua6 condition when unlOaIad
The probability" here set up would
be fatal to New Orleans as grain transit
port. If two sargoes equally sound, in
fact, should arrive in Liverpool from New
York and New Orleans respectively, the
New York cargo would sell on sample.
while the New Orleans cargo would have
to prove that It was not damaged. After
this injurious probability Of damage on
all wheat coming from New Orleans. Of
what value is this statement:
The testimony Of the merchants with
whom l have consulted is unanimous that
wheat arriring here ria Ne,c Orleans does
transported ria Ne,c York; Drocided it ar
rires here from both ports IN equally good
condition.
That is, two cargoes equally sound in
fact arrive in Liverpool. 1t does not inn
pair the value Of the wheat that it has
shipped from New Orleans. But the bur-
den of disproving the probability that it
is unsound is thrown upon the New Orleans
cargo. while the New York cargo is &C.
cepted a. market rates upon q mere sam
pie and manifest. As if for the purpose
of impressing this probability Of damage
more effectually, it is added:
I deem it not improper to add that, in
the opinion of the merchants here, in whose
judgment l have tho greatest confidence, to
insure the passage of Western wheat via
New Orleans to this port in fair condition,
when it arrives it must be put into the ship
in good, dry condition, kept dry and cool
while on board. the trip must not be unduly
long, and the grain ought not to be excluded
from the air while on shipboard.
All grain shipments via New Orleans
are put under conditions which are not
imposed on grain shipments via New
York. This confirms the very unjust i'm
putation that ours is an unsound route
unless with precautions not absolutely
necessary elsewhere.
For the purpose of showing that Consul
Fairchild has not given an answer speciti-
cally correct to the question, We proceed
to make statement verified by our COM
mercial records. The exports Of wheat
from the port Of New Orleans, foreign
and coastwise, have been. fox the years
DC follnuS.