The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-11-19

in Vermont as in Boston, that manufacture
ers can work here The reasons why cot
ton mills are not as plenteous in Vermont
as in Massachusetts, are chiefly that with all
our natural advantages, breadstuffs are
not as cheap here as at the scaboard, and
that freights arc against the Vermont man
ufacturer Does any one suppose that the
unoccupied water power on Otter Creek
would remain long unoccupied if the labor
ers in manufactures could procure their
food more chcaply here than in Boston,
and the manufacturer could bring his cot
ton to Vermont, and ship his cotton to mar
ket rs cheaply? The truth is, that il the
Central Vermont would say to the manu-
facturers, 1--WE will put you on par with
those of Massachusetts, in the matter of
freight of your raw and manufactured ma
tcrial," but few years would elapse before
all our water powers would hum with ma
chincry and every farmer would find a
ready market for all his present products
at his own door Not only so, but the
wants of this added population would
create Il demand for many new pro-
ducts of the soil now not possible because
of their perishablc nature and the cost of
carriage to the present markets. This lat
ter result would transcend our wild
est speculation. Massachusetts, Rhode
Island and Connecticut lands show
no such results as would accrue to the Y err
mont farmer. For the soil of these states
yield grudgingy to culture, while the soil
of Vermont is vastly richer, better, strong
or, and to-day, pays fourfold for ameliora-
ton, above that of the barren sand soils
and leachy gravels of those states For
Vermont to be manufacturing state is for
her farmers to get five cents a quart for
milk at their doors, one dollar per bushel
for turnips and potatoes, two cents an ear
for corn. as well as to grow at paying
prices, all sorts of garden truck and
fruits. OF not one of these pocs does Con-
necticut, Rhode Island or Massachusetts
produce enough for their own use, outside
of the cities. 1t is in this way that we in
Vermont are concerned in cheap freights,
cheap freights to Vermont and from Yer
mont.
Now what can we do to cheaper freights !?
In the first place we have no canals, nor is
it at all probable that we ever can have
any. In the second place, we have few
railroads, and this because of the topo-
frra,NliDol ,.l,n ,,r ..,ta W.
never expect any roads to be built parallel
to those now holding our great valleys. 1t
remains for us, then to sustain with hearty
good will our present roads in their en-
with the New Yor! Central ana other
roads
So far as local rates are concerned we are
prepared to show, that with all her heavy
grades and scarce local business, the Cen
trail Vermont now carries her freight be-
tween stations at a less price than the New
York Central, and many other double
track lines, and that without her through
business the road could not be run at all :;
or, in other words, we are prepared with
the tables necessary to show to the least
thoughtful man that the very existence of
railroads in Vermont depend upon the abili-
tY of these roads TO exc out their income by
the tariff of freights, and to dcvolope
manufactures along the whole length OF
their roal-bels.
We take it that the Rutland and Yer
mont Central railroads, starting in Vermont
and ending in Vermont, moving local
freights and taking only such through
freights as other roads might offer, are not
worth their iron and rolling stock, and that
they would not be run n single year except
for the hope that something would turn up
in the future Even rs the Central now
stands, no one supposes that il pays, or
thatit is run now except at very considera-
bic loss, nor could it continue to be run ex-
cept that its managers hope, in time, to add
largely to its through and local business
Now, upon what does the increase of its
local business depend? Plainly these
reasonable freights, the development of new
industries, and the increase of present in
dustries. viii the road help these? Most
certainly it will, and that simply because
it must. 1t must make such tariff upon
marble that the marble men will make
more money or else there will be no marble
to carry. 1t must make such a tariff on
charcoal that the farmer can make money
or there will be no charcoal to carry. 1t
must make such rate on coal that coal is
cheaper fuel than wood or there will be no
coal to carry. 1t must make such rate on
milk that milk will bring more by sending
| it to market than to convert it into cheese
| and butter, or there will be no milk 10
carry And so all the way through, these
same considerations rule, and will rule, be-
| cause they must, not because the railroad
is public spirited in the matter, but simply
because the carrier and producer are inter-
dependent. To make tariffs, leaving this
interdepcndence out of view, is to
kill the goose that lays the golden egg, y
and railroads, whatever close they are, are
not fools, at least for a long time.
More than this, that the increase of
freight is brought about by the develop
ment of new industries; that it is and can
he DONE is shown in the example of the
charcoal business now springing up along
the line of the Harlem Extension railroad.
Before this road made such rate for char
coal as would render it u profitable bust
ness TO the land ownerand charcoal burner,
thousands Of acres of woodland, along the
line Of this road, were hardly worth the
taxes, for the purpose of holding or fol-
any industry then applicable to them.
Now, and by reason of the present tariff,
the lands, before not worth over ten dol
lars per acre at the utmost, are worth and
paying to the owners at least fifty dollars
| nor acre. and thp traffic thuc frnotnJ boe