Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-10-30

ceediBgs Of the National Board of Trade in
convention at Chicago. TIE interests Of
merchants are in many things identical
with those Of farmers. 1t may be, as many
think, that the mercantile class is over
crowded; it looks now as If the mechanic
arts in the Eastern States are overcrowdes;
and when We read of corn being burned for
fuel. one might think the farming profess
sion was overcro wded. To Illustrate a
commonality ofinterests between merchants
and farmers in some respects, no body has
discussed the question ofcheap transporta-
ton with more yehemeuce than this Ma
tionzl Board, of merchants having daily deal
ings with railroads while the farmer
tackles the iron horse only ouce or twice
a year. Aud commerce feels existing griev-
aDces, as well as husbandry, although the
merchant no doubt has the advantage of
shifting the load. There is one point we
would like to have seea sprung in the Ma
tionsl Board, j. e., the centralism of our
commerce at present, compared with ante
beIlum times. An oft quoted axiom is the
cheapness OF concentrated labor. Yet some
things practically cannot be cheapened by
this method, while other things won't be in
humsn nature. Theoretically, the Maxwell
House can furnish board and lodging cheap
or than any other hotel, because it concen-
trates more labor; but practically it never
can DO it. All the gas consumed in Nash
vile can be more cheaply manufactured by
one company than by two, three or ten, the
number of wards; but practically, SO far
as the people are concerned, it don't do
it cheaper and it won't do it. With the
blockade of Southern forts during the war,
the high prices of cotton induced its nipment
by rail to New York, inducing since the
war the establishment of q Cotton Bosrd,
whose quotations have ever since ruled the
American markets. The same blockade
forced all the tropical and other foreign
trade to Baltimore and Philadelphia, but
mainly to New York. Then comes tbs
Government with its financial system, max
ing New York the redeemiDg Cor rather
excSaDging) point for al the currencits-
constituting the Sub-treasury at that point
the real Treasury of the United States for
ali practical purposes-while its Assay Of
fee ATTRACTS European trade. The
National Bank Law is in a large
measure responsible for this c9ntraliza-
ton. It is very convenient, if you
have lots of money, to go to New York,
with the certainty that you can get Whist
ever you want at some price. But does not
this cantrsiism charge for its accommoda-
dations? On every hand We hear that COM
petition is the life Of trade, and some say
it will suffice to keep the railroads right.
But New York has no competition whatever!
It fixes the prices of groceries and drygoods
for every farmer aEd citizen in the land
The railroads centering there know it, and
30 they quadruple their rates when the sea-
son for restocking approaches. Suppose
there were another New York, or some
thing sufficiently like it to satisfy mo Ierate
psople-wouldn't that other New York and
its railroads be led by competition to offer
better inducements? Nashville is not with ut
experience in this matter. Once we had no
Northern or Western connection except
through Louisville; but since We have been
put in connection u it'll st. Louis, our me-
chants often find it chesper to go to The latter
place for Western products. For similar
reason We are verE anxious just now that
the Cincinnati Southern should strike this
point. One or two more emporiums ike
New York, with like facilities for transport
tstioD, will develop all the benefits that &C.
crue from competition in smaller crc'es.
President Garrett, of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad, is making noble efforts 10
elevate Baltimore to such an attitude toward
both Europe and the interior Of our country.
But the most feasible rival is an
old one now dismantled New Orleans,
with its wster tributaries from the terri
tory between the Alleghenies and the
Rocky Mountaius, while It's nearness to the
tropics and South America would soon
wean that trade from its Northern Compel
tor. But its sea entrances have been left
to this day enlarged with the obstruc-
ti0ns of the war, while her city and State
Government is turoed over to rspscilus
strangers. Why is this? Is there some
sectional jealousy at the bottom of it? Did
that little ring of rich New Workers, VITO
found it necessary to keep Grant in humor
with an occasional present, have anything
10 do with this smothering Of New
Orleans?