Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-01-03
Farmers Efforts FOR Cheap Trans-
uOrtn.

AS tuc pISSSuIC VI uuIu liiitcS uC-
came more apparent in the rural
districts, to save themselves from
impending ruin, the farmers organ
lied themselves into Farmers Clubs
and Patrons of Husbandry, as tho
only hope of defence against rapid
ly growing monopolics.
We have no hope that all the OBJ
jccts which have suggested the i'm
portance of these organizations, will
be secured; yet if the farmers are
sufficiently in earnest TO take meas
ures to guard their industrial inter-
ests rs do other unions, they may
accomplish much. They must also
maintain the advantages they alrea-
dy possess.
One of the most important ques-
tons of the present time, to western
farmers, is some plan to cheaper
Fights to the Atlantic coast. We
hope the press and people will en-
ter into the work with the dctermin-
alton and spirit which it deserves,
and never let the work flag until it
is accomplished.
1t is within the power Of the gov
eminent to SO improve the great
chain of Northern lakes and rivers,
as to cheaper freights sufficiently to
save millions of dollars annually to
western farmers. The President,
in his annual message to Congress,
urges upon that body the import.
ance of this enterprise. This is the
initiative, and only needs demon
stration of the will Of the people, to
accomplish great results in this di-
rection.
TIE idea that railroads will carry
as cheaply as the free navigation
of lakes and rivers can afford to,
has become utopian-a thing which
no one believes. Railroads combine
to swallow up competing lines, and
will continue to do so until the gov
eminent, or individuals, own roads
to be used by companies who will
furnish rolling stock and carry
freights the cheapest.
Aside from the immense quauti-
ties of grain which have reached
markets East, through other chan
nels than by way of Chicago, the
report of the Inspector and Register
of grain at this point, shows the III
tercsting fact that there have been
inspected within the year ending
October 30th, 1872, l6O,34s cars,
and 1875 boat-ioads of grain, con-
tanning possesses bushels. Lcav
ing the live stock and other articles
requiring quick transit for the rail
roads, there have been during the
past summer 1000 vessels employed
upon the great lakes, principally
lakes Erie and Michigan, in the
carrying trade. The development
of western resources is continually
on the increase, and with this, an
increasing pressure upon the trans
portation facilities to the scaboard.
A more direct route afforded by
ship canal across the peninsula of
Michigan, and other obstacles re-
moved, making the navigation of
the rivers more satisfactory, be-
tween Chicago and the ocean, would
more than double the present price
of corn to the western farmer, and
yet leave fair margin for trans
portation. Another important adj
vantage to be gained by this i'm
provement is, that the shipping sea-
son would be prolonged about 4
month by cutting off several hun
dred miles of the northern route,
which is dangerous to navigators,
is closed early in the winter, and
remains blocked with ice in the
spring, very much behind the
season when grain ought to be
moved.
This is q work of national import
ance, and we hope to see it brought
before Congress at an early day
1t we'll deserves the generous aid of
the government, and those members
of Congress, from the west and
northwest, who desire to confer
lasting benefit upon the great agri-
cultural interests of these sections,
should not neglect subject which
gives such promise of widespread
good. Owing to the large crops OF
two or three years past, the tacili-
ties tor moving the products are en-
tirely deficient. The result Of this
is, the frcights from Chicago to
Buffalo reached a point nearly three
times higher than the average OF
other years.
Unless something is done to rem
edy this evil, the west viii continue
to find it more and more ruinous tc
be possessed of 4 full crop of the
cereals. To accomplish the cheap
ening of transports, the public will
must be felt, through the voice of
the farmers of the west, to their
Congressman at Washington. In
dividual efforts, however, can ac-
complish but little. The farmers
are strong enough now, through
their various organizations, to make
themselves felt, and while this is
being done, no means should be
spared to increase their power by
every legitimate means possible
Western Rurai.