New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-09-03
our COMMERCIAL POSITION.

We have awaited with interest and Pc
rused with care the various reports OF the
commerce ofNew Orleans during the past
year. The bookkeeping of receipts, con-
sumption and exports is, no doubt, well
and mechanically kept. They show re-
covery ofgreat part of the cotton marketed
here in 1901, and an increase in to-
bacco receipts Bulk corn, the great
staple of which so much has been said and
written, has fallen off in its receipts, While
its exportto Europe has declined few
thousand bushels The receipts OF flour
have diminished since 1o6S-69, and Is
now limited chiefly to domestic demand.
The export to Atlantic coast ports was
but 1865 barrels, to transatlantic ports
9I16 barrels. Pork products show a
similar decline in exports. Such Is
Summary Of the foreign export trade
It's value is slO2, 600 900. The value OF
the foreign import trade Is about
$50, 900, 900.
When we regard the immense growth OF
almost every other part and seaport OF
the United States, a duestlo1Garlses as to
the cause of this stagnation in our trade.
One of these reviews is pretaced with
homiIv on the value of these statistics to
the merchant. The public, however, is
put on its guard against all the 'imprac-
teal and visionary views, is warned that
'sthe mere theorist, with his imagination
excited, etc, may mislead somebody
about something, and that, therefore, the
public had better trust the established
market authorities, whose daily business
it is to earwig the produce dealer and ex-
change broker, and jot down the result at
night, to be summarized in an annual
review.
At the risk of offending some Scion Of
the situation, the REPUBLICAN will give
the true theory of the decline Of New
Orleans. The introduction Of superior
means of intelligence and transportation
has destroyed the advantage Of the natural
and cheapest ways to the sea, as 1t has
also done with regard to the cheapest
ways on the sea. Commodities which rep
resent values, and especially values whose
price huctuates in market, prefer direct
and positive consummation by steam de-
livery Does the reader require proof
of this? It is found in the fact that
Western produce crosses the Mississippi
and its tributaries. 1t is demonstrated by
the transfer of almost the entire -four
trade between Albany and New York from
the cheaper canal to the more costly
railroad. The force of this fact is
shown in our own port, where there is
both sail and steam, and yet more than
half the tonnage, American and foreign,
clearing foreign from the port of New
Orleans last year was steam, and this
while steam freights might be quoted as
always higher than sail. Is there further
proof wanted Of the power of this prin-
ciple? 1t may be found in the statement
that the whole -four and grain products Of
the vast valley of the Mississippi, ex-
ported by this route were: Coastwise 1865
barrels, and to Europe 96l2 barrels. We
notice rather congratulation on the part
of one Of our writer's that the whole
Western crop taken here is for domestic
consumption, with the gratifying refec-
ton that this domestic trade benefits the
drayman and the home grocer SO that the
foreign trade is not matter of much mo-
ment. Let US see, however, whether this
Western provision export trade is worth
seeking?
We take few examples, through every
Atlantic port, from Brunswick, Georgia,
to Portland, Maine, draws its share Of
Western and Southern products directly
from the farm on which they are grown.
The port of Norfolk in Virginia is now
the third cotton port in the Union. Nor
folk conquered with the rest Of the South,
living under the same laws and govern
ment; Norfolk which before the war ex-
ported no cotton at all, now stands thus