The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1873-09-30

tceu years lTOn nV"' '"'"' N'N VIZ
be not only the vast population OF the
latter states, and their vastcr wealth,
but that of the other river states, need
ing in the same increased ratios over
present necessities, such cheap trans
portation facilities as the Ohio can be
made TO furnish.
Considering that il is at all times ms.
sumed that from eight to ten years will
be needed to complete any system of
improvement OF the Ohio productive of
navigation facilities demanded even
now, it would seem from the few stats
tics presented that no time is to be lost
in setting about the work if the ncccs-
sites of the people are to be met.
To-day, fifty per cent. of the popu-
lation Of the United States, forty per
cent. of all the states and territories, and
forty per cent. of the census return of
the real and personal property valua-
ton Of the nation, needs, aud asks,
that the Ohio be sufficiently improved
to meet not only the wants OF to-day,
bu, those that the statistics of the ma.
ton show will be Of such immense
magnitude in the years now so near u.
hand. In view of thi a very decided
and earnest interrogation comes sharp
| " into being Why should so nearly
preponderance Of political and com
! mercial power o.. the nation restcontent
with the expenditure ola few thousands
annually on this great highway, and
their representative vote quietly away
millions for defenses and improvements
Of the sea coast yearly? The axiom
Gin peace prepare for war may be a
very good one. Is there not, however,
as much wisdom in expanding equal
millions to meet the wants of the peo-
pie, from whom the sincws Of war
must come in time of need, in develop
ing the country aud preparing to win
the genial victories Of peace, which en-.
rich instead Of impoverish the nation.
IL it not time that one-half Of the
people instructed their representatives
in congress that il the Atlantic States
want millions for harbor improvements,
they of the interior of the great Ohio
valley must have as much for the i'm
provement Of their waters? Were that
the issue. would not the trouble about
the improvement for the Ohio, being
begun, on scale sufficient to accom-
plish desired results disappear, even il
thirty or forty millions should be need
ed in the course of eight or ten years
Especially, as during the period Of it
appropriation, the Ohio and Missis
sippi valley states would be yearl
augmenting their political as well as
commercial power? Directly or in
directly that expenditures comes from
the people; by them it is in some
shape paid, and if our Representatives
vote three or four millions for sea coast
harbor improvements and take one or
two hundred thousands for the Ohio, it
seems as if such legislation might well
be classcd as taxation without repre-
sentation.
But let us devote the balance Of this
letter to examining the further impor-
lance of these seven Ohio states. The
bituminous coal area Of the United
States is given at 1873, l32 square miles
in the geological surveys so far pub.
lished, while Great Britain, France and
Belgium contain but 24,09G square
miles, or a little over one.tenth. Oi
this 1873, 1872 square miles of bituminou-
coal deposit, the Ohio States contain
one hundred thousand. The relation
of fuel to manufactures is too we'll un
derstood to need comment to show
where the manufacturing population o
the United States will be. The value
of minerals and manufactures to thu
wealth of a nation has been too clearl,
demonstrated in the national life o
Great Britain to require argument L
show what one hundred thousan
square miles Of coal will be to tn
seven Ohio states, if only eleven thou
; sand has been of such incalculabl
value to Great Britain. What fooC
) what transportation, then, will not tn
r nations workshop need for its work
t ers?
n How fast this magnet of fuel is cor
d ccntrating in the Ohio states, the man,
: featuring interests of the nation, til
$ comparative statistics of the number {
:, manufacturing establishments an
5 their product, in the eighteen sea Goa,
= states and the seven Ohio states. i
0 1850 and in 1870, indicates. In 1875
n there were, according to the census,
= the eighteen sea coast states, 49,
o manufacturing establishments, produ'
= ing s639,77l ,l63. In 1860 there we
ID 66 $50, producing s,l2l 3OS.395.
lie he seven Ohio states in 1850 the
lie 1921 factories, yielding 1924 ,455
'e 696 in products. In 1850 there we
lie 1909 factories, yielding sjGs, Ia
ID M. In 1870 tue census gives lOl
as $50 manufactures in the sea Goa
states yielding s2,237 ,23G,305 pr
is ducts, aud in the seven Ohio states 81
l. SOS factories, yielding products to Il
" value of 81 ,40S, $4,000. From the
g census statistics it appears that the i
It, crease in the eighteen sea coast stat
he has in twenty years been 36,3O7 ia
to tories, and 81 ,59f, 465 l3S in produc
~ while in the seven Ohio states the
* crease was G3,29l factories, aud s
IT. l24,iS3, Sj4 in product. 1t is obvio
re- that the factories of the Ohio states
pS- inc nt mora racant ayigtapna ,rarn