, 1873-01-15
THE FREIGHT QUESTION.
3omc Opi1AtOMs of tho Western Press
From The Decasur {Ii|.> Republican.

aonlc Opi1ltoMs Of tho Western Press.
From Tie Decatur {ll'.) Republican.
ny SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
Inc great problem Of tho day, y,-cheaper trans-
long, II thero ia my virtue in discussion, for It
is everywhere tho topic Of conversation. ROM
edios OF all kinds arc euggoHted, but Tow poople
Of tho fact that tho whole trouble ariaon frol,
tho disposition In human nnturo' to tnko
advantage Of tho necessities OF individuals or
communities. ",rho inoxorablo Inv Of supply
and demand governs railroad e froghts o. vol
tho season Of the year whom tho cropa OF tho
Wost aro to bo moved the great regulator Of
freight tariffs-wator transportaton-is cut of.
As the produce 9t tho grai,n
tho carrying capacity OF tho great through limos
Of railroad, aud fraightH advance. Wo may prate
u.s. wo please about tho grasping oxtortions Of
railroaa companies, but It is not in human
Grafton for any commodity OF soryico for which,
tho demand ia in exceHs Of the supply. With
all our railroad building in tho West
during, tho past ten yoars, wo have built no
confined our extensions to local lines which ect
~ foedora to tho main arteries built years ago.
Each ono Of these feeders ndds to tho vast
amount of surplus produce which must bo
ton, which ii stimulated by evory new railrond.
Tho result Of all this ia aoon III tho accunula-
ton Of freight at tic points whero tho feeders
empty their treasures OF corn aild wheat upon
the ovcrcrowded main lines, whore Thousands Of
loaded cars stand for days mud weeks, OH Ac-'
count OF tho Bhoer 1mpoBsibility Of Bonding
them forward as fast aa thoy arrive. Because
Of this glut, us railroad ofllcials claim, ratos
nro sometimes put mp for the very purpose
OF checking shipments, so as to allow tho roatls
time to get their freight moved forward. But
whether this claim is entitled to belief or not it
cannot DO thought strange that railroad compa-
uies should oxact high rates when tho demand
upon thoir carrying capacity is 10 great. Tho
snmo result is seen in Ill other departments Of
buginoss, when tho demand oxccotls tho supply.
There is no doubt that there arc many grioyous
abnse8 in tho management OF railroads-abusea
Which need correction, aud which may possibly
demand the strong arm Of tho law to remedy,
but when wo look at tho question Of trana-
portation in tho satlo light IN which
wo Wow MI other questions Of n
business character, We cannot avoid tho
conclusion Tint what NO most need Ia, more COM
petition in tho way Of trunk linea. II We lpd
moro routoa to tue sca1ohrd, tho queation Of
froghta would sooD settlo itself, and the poll
tieien or statesman who desires to mako for him
self lasting, reputation, PUBLIC beuefactor
needs only to devise means for tho accomplish
lnent Of this end Whethor tlii, il to bo accom-
plishod by building competing liues of railroad,
or by the establishment Of ayBtom Of water
communication between this groat valley mud
tklowator which will not bo frozen up during five
or six months Of the year, is Il question which
should Gull for tho moat careful examination by
those who are interesting thomselveB just now
with reforenco to this subject.