New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-05-07

| BpEBcd-REf6Rr oF sEalfo1 An1o1f
We have perused with care this docu
ment 90 important 70 chs cities and. citi
gems of the Mississippi valley, and shall
address some comments upon it.
Mr. Window has made an observation
which should commend itself to all prac
teal patriots. Speaking of the vast
values of informal commerce in annual
movement estimated at nearly five times
the national debt, he remarks that "per
haps the most extraordinary feature Of
our governmental policy touching this
vast internal commerce, is the apparent
indifference and neglect with which it has
been treated" and adds that this indiffer'
ence .may be partially accounted for by
the fact that great moral questions, ex.
citing political issues, and terrible
struggle for the maintenance of the ma
ional unity, have engrossed the public
mind"
1t is great mistake to suppose that all
wisdom perished with the eminent states
man of the ante-war era. The genius and
labor of our statesmen is now changing
its application from theory to action, from
the metaphysical to the physical. Colbert
follows Richelieu; Peel succeeds to Wal
pole. Under system of moral and ma
terial development there can be no limit
to the boundaries or duration of our ma
tional republic.
We acknowledge the public indebted
ness to Senator Window and the commit
tee for the able and elaborate statement of
facts and argument of policy which their
report contains. Nothing more profound
and enlarged in the scope of its states
manship has been before the American
people; nothing tending SO much to con-
solidate not the power of. the govern
ment but the ability of the people;
nothing better calculated to knit together
reciprocal sectional interests, and GER
tainly nothing which will better enable
our intelligent and industrious people to
bid defiance to the brides or battalions of
any usurper. 4
To prepare for the adoption of a do
nestle national policy, MIR. Window ar
CUES the power of the federal government
to regulate interstate commerce by build
ing ways and controlling rates. We will
not repeat this reasoning, which is in
nothing new, except in the authority
which now impresses it. He assumes:
First-That whatever elements of sover-
eighty existed at the date of Union re-
sided in the people. and were transferred
with the power to execute them to the
general government.
Second-The theory upon which the
people constructed the federal government
was: That the people themselves ''exer-
else the powers granted through their
special agents appointed for that pur-
pose"
Now those who realize that the late war
fixed this doctrine, know that the govern
ment will be administered in conformity |
with this decision. There may be those |
but the alacrity with which |
the leading people of the State rights
school rush to demand canals, railroads
and le-aes at national expense, proves
that the thought of the fesh-pots will ef-
face the inscriptions on the 'tables of |
stone" Whatever this government may
have been, it is now government ''of the
people and for the people," and this fact
must be respected accordingly"
The practical ability of the govern
ment to regulate the railroads having been
examined according to the ex-
perience of other countries and of this,
The report comes to the conclusion that
such regulation is impractcable, except
by endowing the government with an un-
due amount of power and patronage to
enable it to execute the duty. The only
made on the subject are, first,
% compel railway companies to receipt
ior and deliver weights and quantities;
second. to prohibit them from discrimina-
ion between persons or places. But
his disappointment leads to the applica-
ion of the power as stated. This consists
n a recommendation to build on public
'ccount double track freight roads between
he Mississippi and the ocean. Upon the
proposition that the water routes afford
he best competition and cheapest freights
be report recommends four national
Vater ways between the Mississippi valley
nd the East. Of these it argues most at
sngth that from the Mississippi river by
be Fox. Wisconsin and other lines into
he lakes, with the enlargement Of the st.
lawrence and New York canals to Ca
acity for vessel of 1000 tons. This is
allied the Northern route, and from its
is anticipated reduction of
reight on bushel of grain passing be- [
ween the Mississippi river and New [
'ork or New England from forty-three {
nd one-haf and fifty cents to twenty {
wo cents. Our friends will see that this 6
,ct commends itself strongly to the ,
,astern and Western vote. In the same {
pirit the improvement of the upper 3
is recommended, but from G
be stress laid upon the sup river rates t
f transportation, it would seem as if st. I
.ouis herself is expected to ship grain '
trough Chicago. The evident interest t
aken in ''the establishment of reciprocal s
rade relations with the Dominion of =