New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-10-30

farmers were the gamers, but when thei
managers combined to put up the pric
the farmers had no alternative. The,
were forced to be heavy losers. Thus
says the writer in the Atlantic. three men
representing the trunk railways from tn,
Mississippi to New York, meet in tina
city and determine to raise the rate OF
grain between Chicago and New Xorl
! from forty-five to fifty cents. The in
crease seems trifing, but TO the farmers Of
| the Northwest it means that the will o.
those three men has taken more char
thirty millions Of dollars from The cash
value Of their crops for that year, and
five hundred millions from the actual
value OF their farms.
Now. the true remedy 70, this great,
overpowering evil to the farmers of the
West is the construction Of permanent
and efficient outlet to the Mississippi
river. This will undoubtedly give them
another way Of getting their grain to mar.
ket, way adequate for all purposes, and
one that will assuredly lead to the cheap.
est transportation possible. and with no
tiuctuating tendencies.
The rapid growth Of our Western coun-
try demands increased facilities for getting
its rapidly increasing products to mar
kes. They should not be confined to any
particular mode Of conveyance. They
should have the benefit OF river and rail-
road transportation, OF any other mode
that can be made more suitable,
Railroads have certainly been a grea.
advantage in settling and improving the
Western States. Without them that Dor.
ton o: our country could not have made
the rapid strides it has in population and
improved farms. In ten years-srom 1850
to 1850, when the competition between
the Erie canal and the New York Central
railway forced large reduction in the
rate OF treights-it is estimated it has
resulted in an equivalent 10 an increase in
value Of thirteen dollars per acre Of all
farming lands in the Northwestern
States, making All aggregate Of over
one billion Eve hundred million
dollars Our faith in railroads eemains
mistaken; but We do not desire to have
them forced upon The country as monopo-
lies Of transportation. As a means OF
rapidly settling new Territories and States
and increasing the value of lands they are
a great blessing. But when they com.
bine to make unjust demands in the way
Of remuneration for transportation they
prove otherwise. The farmers Of the
West complain of the high rate of freights
charged by the railroads, and are earnest
y seeking cheaper mode of transmitting
their produce to market. The improve
nent of the mouth of the Mississippi so |
hat the largest sized vessels can pass in
md out vii! supply this want The
armers then can have their choice of |
liver or railroad transportation. They !
will not be at the mercy Of either. There /
will then be competition, and the farmers
Will not be compelled 60 see the fruits of [
heir labor destroyed by the nigh prices !
harged for conveying their grain and I
'ther products to market.
And now we come TO that portion Of the
rticle in the atlantic which endeavors 70
how that the tariff ON iron is cause for
he necessity of high rates of trarsposta.
ion by rail. It is alleged that the cost of
ron used in roads built since 1856: has
zen at least two hundred and sixteen
aillions of dollars more than it would
ave been at the prices of 1860, so that
ne perpetual tax required to pay interest
n this increased cost is over fifteen mil
ons of dollars annually: and it is further
LEGGED that rails wear out much fLster
han they did ten years ago. owing to the
reat increase of travel; that the average
uratlon of a rail on roads with a heavy
is not more than three years,
nd tracks must be relaid at a largely in
reased cost, amounting to at least forty
liliions OF dollars a year. This is an
rgument in defense of the high rates of
Iliroad transportation and in condemna,
on OF our tariff system. Another reason
wen in defense Of the railroads is the
Ugh rate of wages, which we suppose he
ould also attribute to Republican rule.
ut we will not stop to discuss this now. =,
e simply desire to say that the great
'st OF iron, and its absolute necessity in
e construction of railroads. is some, /;
ing that is entirely avoided in river
There are no iron tracks
be laid there and relaid every three
airs at the cost Of many millions Of dol.
RS. For this reason We regard the arsu- ,
emf made in defense Of railroad interest
lating to iron as fatal to that interest ! q
hen compared with river transportation. +
1e '.grangers'' should not be compelled b
pay the high tate OF transportation n
arged by rail when the government has u
II its power to furnish them cheaper .
y by improving the mouth o. a river :
at pe:meates the ;nterioy of our coun.
7 thousands Of miles and is capable of !;
airing upon its bosom the commerce of q
g world. The government could I'm. .
rtake no more popular enterprise than
at OF furnishing cheap transportation to t
= fairness. G
OKING FOR PARTIES WHO ARE :.
WANTED. :.
The steamer Ozark, with small posse Il
State militia has recently been sent to y
G of the parishes Nhere tha local al :