New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-12-18

we SQOQlO Uu0 ~ 0t4oo6o
ond exporting city in the Union has no
first class shipping, and that al the
freights in this expectation 60 TO foreign
and domestic owners. This sum can not be
less than ten millions Of dollars annually,
and would prove very handsome addl-
ton to the receipts Of this city. u ~ouio
also furnish honorable occupation Tor
many Of our young men now unemployed
and also for many laborers who could with
little trouble be prepared Tor service as
sailors.
The explanation of this phenomenal
condition is this. New Orleans was
founded as point to which ali commerce
OF the Mississippi valley must come
Hence the only commercial industry
necessary was o 1actorage which should
SECURE the sale and shipment OF all
ocean and river commerce on the best
possible terms. Protected from all
Eastern competition by the mountain
chains which bound the whole Atlantic
coast. New Orieaas had the exclusive
supply of all merchandise in exchange for
the produce conveyed to and exported
from the city. The men who performed
th;; service were active. accurate and
responsible men entirely adequate to the
duty assigned them. and aspiring to no
more.
Artificial means Of transportation have
neutralized the exclusive advantage once
enjoyed by our city. Commerce is con-
Quoted between the producing interior
and their market, foreign and domestic.
without passing the mouth of the Missis-
sippi at all. It has been computed that
not one twentieth part Of this commerce.
either in weight or value. passes the Balize
on its way to market.
The same artificial lines have invaded
our local markets. and goods imported
into Atlantic ports are now conveyed by
| rail into the interior once supplied by New
Orleans. We have thus lost two principal
| resources Of prosperous commerce.
This competition SO unexpected and in
deed so unnatural hos imposed upon New
Orleans the duty Of exploring new fields
and adopting other agencies for restoring
the arrested progress of the city.
The merchant who no longer relies
| upon perfec ted commodities delivered by
| the producer. for the mere agency OF
sale, must take more comprehensive
! view of his duties. He must look at the
| whole commercial world and learn where
a commodity may be bought in one mar
Ike. and sold at profit in another. To do
this he should study the laws. languages
and usages of other countries. and under
stand the laws of trade and finance. There
should be also an organized shipping in
terest, because our merchants may no
longer rely upon foreign tonnage to con-
duct their trade.
There is this great advantage in the
geographical position Of New Orleans,
that in the inc vitable expansion Of Amer
lean trade to the tropical portion Of the
| continent, the lines of rail and river tend
to and terminate at this port. Here we
have. then, the best possible connection
with those countries, and here must soon
concentrate all the consignment and
transfer of this continental commerce.
This will be the c Sc. certainly, as to all
the trade Of the Mississippi and lake
States.
The city of New Orleans IS better pre-
pared to conduct this trade, winter and
summer, than any other city in the Union.
We have acclimated men for whom the
tropical diseases have no terror.
In view of these reasons, why should
not New Orleans establish al acclimated
commercial marine? Why should not the
federal government make at our city a
naval depot? There is practically great
difficulty in shipping seamen for tropical
service, and with the great and increasing
necessity for naval service at the tropical
ports, it becomes an object of the govern
ment to encourage the instruction of such
seamen as can conduct this service effect
ually.
Already we have seen that the Secretary
of the Navy has, under the law of the last
Congress, detailed school ships for the
ports of New York, Baltimore and other
cities. We have explained that New Or
leans was not included in the ports pro-
vided for by that law, and we hope our
Representatives will speedily remove the
obstacle to maritime institutions.
Should the merchants of New Orleans
engage in the enterprise of forming COM
mercial marine, and placing ships in the
trade with the tropics, we do not doubt
they may expect national cooperation. at
least to the extent indicated.
| CIVIL RIGHTS BILL AMENDED.
We find the position taken by the Re-
PUBLICAN corresponds with that reported
on the amendments of the civil rights bill.
The vote in the judiciary Committee sat-
;eoa re thot tho anhcommittea would