Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1873-06-05
Getting to Market.

The farmers of the West are mass |
ing themselves with tremendous pow
er to secure cheaper transportation for
their produce. Now, it does not pay
(it is said) to raise corn, for the cost
of getting it to market IS so great that
all profit is swallowed up, and moth
ing is left for the producer. This is
nm evil for which. remedy must be
found, and the farmers Will be wise if
they find it. There is just ratio be
tween the cost of making and run ming
a railroad and the prices Of transpor
tation on it. And when that ratio is
disregarded by either the road or the
customer, one of the parties must suf
fer. There are mines of coal in some
parts of our country that would be Of
immense value, if a railroad would
caurY the coal to market free of cost,
or even.at moderate price But the
cost ofua railroad to tide water or a
market would be so great, that the
necessary charge for freight would
make the price of coal so much higher
than it costs from other mines, that
those inaccessible must lie unwOrked.
So it is with the grain crops. They
must pay the railroad q fair interest
and profit on the great Investments and
this tax must be added to the price Of
the grain when it comes to be sold.
1t is therefore a question of mutual
interest, and one that ought to be ad-
jnsted on principles of equity and JUS
tice between man and man. 1t is the
nature Of corporations, and especially
y 1or.1r ot thair nEzyn
interest only, and so they often make
a great blunder. For their own inter
est is always in the line of fair deal
ing, and in the long run it will be
found that this is the policy.
Why is it not possible for these con-
ficting parties to be brought to see
that neither party gains by expressing
the other? The producer should be
willing to pay fair rate for transpor-
tation; the carrier should be willing to
transport the produce at fair rate
Legislatures could require nothing
less nor more, and if the contest is
not finally adjusted on such basis as
this, it will show again that reason has
very little fdC DO With the regulation o.
Human afairss On one point the pro
OuCtL has otlOnS SiOuiN AOA NOAh
plant he says that through freight is
taken at lower rates than local freight
so that while the rates from st Louis
to New York may be reasonable, tht
rates on freight from any point withir
the State of Illinois, for example, arr
far higher in proportion. This is oh
viously a hardship that ought to b.
obviated. Rival lines between eXtrem
points compel a reduction of rates
and the railroad companies ought no
to take advantage of localities, wher
there is nOscompetition, to exact ex
orbitant rates
A Convention has been held at ST
Louis Of Governors and members o
Congress, to deliberate upon measure
to improve the navigation of Wester
rivers, and to expediate and cheape
transportation to New Orleans. Th
tendency Of trade is to the Eastwar
by rail, and this conference would at
tempt to make it more for the interes
the Western producer to send tn
other way. Here again the laws
trade will not be forced with success
But much can be done to facilitate tn
transit of produce, and such is tn
struggle now going on between mark
cts, that nothing that enterprise ca
attempt will fail to be tried to secur
the trade of the great Vest NeV
York Observer.