The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1873-04-11
Marietta, Georgia. Friday Morning. April II. 1873
From the Boston Journal Of Commerce.
THE NATIONAL PERIL.

| OItuhtCu as We aASs wis eeo ONsNe'
sive circulation among farmers, /
large correspondence among tn
| growing sections Of the coun
try, and large exchange list of tn
principal journals published in tina
section, the railroad question readily
assumes its true Importance, and tb'
interest Of the East is vividly
brought before us. If the produce
of the West cannot come here at .
fair remuneration to the farmers, il
will go elsewhere. Less trade will
be done with the East The
West raises its own wool !; cotton
eau be sent there cheaper than to
New England; factories will spring
up and wrest our manufacturing SUI
premacy from us. There is nothing,
to prevent this unless the
East aid the West in the railroad
tariff war. The farmers must live,
and if their capital and labor do not
bring just return at produce rais-
ing, they will look around and settle
on manufacturing to give them liv
ing. Manufactured goods will then
food the channels of trade, seeking
a market. Sacrifices will be made
to dispose Of these goods; wages
will drop. whila- nEndsa-a--4 ALL --.-;-----r-
ara me whole nation will have to
suffer before necessity and despera
ton will seize upon the remedy Of
riot, hloodshcd and, perhaps, revo
luton.
The handwriting is even now up
on the wall. The Western States
are making but light demands upon
our merchants for supplies. Deal
ers will not buy in the face Of the
troubles of the farmers, who are
their largest and most reliable con-
sumers; and, without desiring to
prognosticate evil, wa assert that the
Strengthened circumstances Of the
Western farmers will produce mac
tiyity among the dealers at the East,
who are accustomed to receive large
orders from that section. But the
evil will not be felt now as at the
close Of the year. The farmers
having fully experienced their loss,
have only just commenced to fight
the railroad monarchs for their
rights and their re resources will
not BIO immediately exhausted |; but
they will not continue to raise pro
duce unless some reliable remunera-
ton can be obtained.
The railroads, on the other hand,
eyince no disposition to meet the de
mands Of the farmers. In some in-
stances these roads have brought
suits against the more bold Of the
oppressed, who have personally at
tackled their extortionate practices,
and have thus exhibited disposition
TO crush public opinion and resent
ment, which cannot be otherwise
subdued Associations Of railroad
managers and other railroad men
have been formed, and the railroads
have evidently made up their minds
MT to give up their power without a
a struggle.
The best solution of these threat
ening difficulties chat now presents
itself is that recently propounded by
Hon. josiah QUINCY, Of this city,
which is to the effect that the Uni
ted States government should own
the bed, track and depots Of one or
more through raiIroads--frome East
TO West and North to South : any
cirizenor body Of citizens to have
the right to use the same by paying
a certain toll, as in the case Of ca
mails. The rolling stock, such as en-
stock, such as engines, cars, &C.,
under the plan suggested, could, be-
supplied BY any and oil parties who
desired to mako use Of the road bed,
which would be entirely reserved
for freight purposes. An ordinary
rate Of speed on double track--ten
miles an hour---would provide quick
or transportation than by the pres
,ent facilities, which are slow and
imperfect, owing to The track
being used for passenger trains.
Ifsome such solution is not arrived
at some relief given to retain the
balance between the consuming and
producing power Of the nation, we.
can look IN the near futare for closed
workshops, turbulent and half-fam-
ishing operatives, neglected corn
fields, money panics, bread and rail-
road riots, and all the evils attending
an i'll directed internal policy. We
must have q policy that shall insure
the development Of the country. -
The railroads are barriers to-day -
The nation must be protected against
their extortions, ere they bring up
on MS every conceivable national
misery.
y-,za.4----4y-sas s.---s