Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-08-13

when one was IOunQ Ialtntul over
few things that was a good reason
for trusting him with more things.
Can you do better than be instruct
cd by such an example2 Especially
since you must employ either the
party which you say has fulfilled ev-
cry trust, or employ that only other
party which has betrayed every
trust.
The occasion for political effort
has not passed. American progress
is not ended Other labors lie be-
fore you. lighter perhaps, but not
light.
First. You have to see that what
ia done shall not be undone. Res
publicanism off RS you the best Sc
curity against retros ression.
Second. Won have 10 ace that the
work of reform goes forward. Three
great labors demand your present
consideration.
The fourteenth amundmen. to the
Constitution is not yet enforced by
"appro pirate legislation" Millions
of American citizens are denied even
the common law right Of locomotion
because they are black. If such
wrongs are 30 be redre ssed, the Re-
publican party alone can do it.
THE CURRENCY.
The currency is in an abnormal con-
dition, and must be reformed. 1t is
undoubtedly true that the Republican
party is not agreed how to effect that
reform. Neither is the Democratic
party. Neither party, as such, yet
sees clearly the right way. But there
are two reasons for believing that the
Republican party rather than its RI
val can best treat this great question
Of the finances:
/. AS the former has, hitherto,
found the true way through graver
difficulties, so we believe it is more apt
to find the true way through this.
2. You already have abundant as
surance that when Republicans dis.
cover the true way they will pursue it.
That assurance has not as yet been
given by the other party.
3. The Republican party in the fu-
ture, as in the past, will see to it that
the national credit suffers no detri-
ment and that the national honor is
preserved.
INTERNAL COMMERCE.
Our internal commerce demands adj
ditional and less expensive facilities. =
The volume Of that commerce has
grown in these lusty times to enormous
proportions.
Great as has been the increase of
transportation facilities since the adj
vent of the Republican party, they
have not kept pace with the demand
for them. Not only do immense bulks
seek movement, but they require to be
moved over vast distances. The sur
plus products Of those almost unlimit-
ed basins that between the Allegha-
ny and Rocky Mountains and that be-
tween the latter range and the Sierra
Nevadas to be dipped out
into the ocean on either side. Pro-
duction is not only SO vast in amount,
but it is so unequally distributed
OF the spring wheat grown in the
United States Wisconsin and Iowa
raise nearly one half OF the winter
wheat, Indiana and Ohio produce
nearly one,third. OF the corn raised,
Illinois alone grows one-sixth. OF the
tobacco, Kentucky raises nearly one
half Nine States raise nearly all the
cotton consumed in this country, and
much of that consumed in Europe.
The cotton fabrics manufactured in
the United States in 1870 were valued
at 100000. Of those $4,000, 900
were manufactured in Massachusetts.
Of course the distribution of these
and the great variety of other COM
modities necessitates vast amount of
transportation. Eleven States occu-
plying the Mississippi valley send 20
market annually surplus of its cereal
products equal to 30o,ooo,O 900 bushels.
To cheaper the carriage of that sim
gle commodity by the amount Of only
ten cents per bushel is saving of
thirty millions to the people.
Various expedients have been sug-
gested for lessening the cost OF trans
portation. In some Of the States it
has been proposed to place railway
fares and freights under the control Of
the State. The objections to that
expedient are 50 serious that it should
not be embraced, if better one can
be found. This country is so new,
SO raw, and SO undevcloped, the de-
mands for capital are SO many and so
urgent, that any policy which would
tend to drive capital from us should
be avoided if possible. The State is
but the aggregate Of the people in the
State.
The people are the purchasers Of
transportation.
The railway companies have trans
portation to sell.
The law also holds railroad COM
panies to be common carriers, and so
bound to carry for all when the price
is paid. 1t is now a mooted question
whether that price shall be named by
the companies or by the people-the
sellers or the purchasers OF the article.
Which of these two parties is legally
authorized to fix that price is probab-
ly determined by the laws under
which the several companies 70 or
gained but which of them an in
fact fix it is different question.
1t is manifest that if the company
be allowed to fix the price they may
demand too much. Vendors of all
commodities are very apt to want all
they can get. On the contrary, if the
people or their agents fix the price
they may set it too low. Purchasers
are very apt to want commodities as
cheap as they can be had. 1t is not
probable chat either party to the
transaction would always hit upon the
exact equivalent. The consequence
Of a mistake would probably be found
most injurious, if made by the people.
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