The anti-monopolist., 1874-12-24
V, Lyon and Lincoln.
Wheat Yield, 1872.
1.763.9 9S8 bushels
1858 6,3Ol, ,768


at an average distance Of not to exceed
thirty miles from the waters Of the
Minnesota or the Mississippi rivers.
Now if we group together these two
tiers of counties, we will find that 264,-
1873 people, living in this triangle. or
more than one-hdlf of the tOtul popW.
latio7, of the State, dwells soithin an
Average distance Of t,oenty-one miles
from 7,drigabLe vdter, AND THAT TINY
RAISE THREE-FoTRTHs THE TOTAL WHEAT
CROP OF THE STATE.
And if we add to these, the popula.
ton of the other two trianglcs, we find
that FOUR.FIFTHs OF THE ENTIRE POPULA-
TIoN OF MINNESOTA DWELL WITHIN AN
AVERAGE DISTANCE OF FIFTEEN MILES OF
WATER COURSES NOW NAvIGABLE. OR THAT
CAN READILY BE MADE so.
Give these people canal to Lake
Superior, free Of all charge or expense,
and the Oranges of the State would or
ganize barge companies, and buy tug
boats, and from the head waters of the
Mississippi and Minnesota, from every
port on the river below US, fleets of
beats would gather to that canal.
Now our rivers are Of little use to us.
The railroads control the steamboat
lines. for the reason that the cargoes of
the boats must be transferred into the
railway cars at La Crosse or Praire du
Chen. and the railroads will only re-
ceive the wheat on their own terms.
But give us free rivers and free canal,
debouching at the head of Lake Supe-
rior give us then the necessary i'm
provement of the Sault Ste. Marie; and
the question of transportation is solved,
and the wheat fields of Minnesota are
practically laid along side the swarm
ing population Of the Old World; and
our people are assured Of an immense
prosperity in the immediate future, in
every part Of which you will share.
THE OBSTACLES.
The obstacles before US are evident !:
|. The Lake Michigan interests will
do their utmost to retain us as tribu-
taries. They will fight US in Congress.
Chicago, Milwaukee and Green Bay will
all battle with US at every step we take
toward commercial independence.
III. They will seek to divert us by
such absurd projects as this Fox and
Wisconsin canal.
III. The railroads which now carry
our crops to Lake Michigan will quietly
oppose us with all their powerful
secret influences.
w. The same sentiment Of contempt
for us as a community, which dictated
the speech Of j. Proctor Knott Of Ken
lucky, and which hailed that speech in
Congress with roars Of perpetual
laughter, will stand in the way of our
obtaining any relief.
would therefore respectfully sug-
gest that if you agree with me in the
views have expressed, that you would
not only call upon Congress to order
a survey Of the region in
question, but that You will Gemand that
our next Legislature here in Minnesota
shall order survey under the authori-
ty Of the State. We can save enough
from stationery and other petty steals
to pay the expense Of sending three or
! four competent engineers to explore
that whole country. We must have
all the facts touching the practicablity
Of the scheme. and then We must thun
der at the doors Of Congress until We
obtain the desired relief. We must not
take no for an answer.
I beg leave, in conclusion, to thank
you for the patient hearing you have
given me.