The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-01-15
CHEAP TRANSPORTATION.
The National COnventi0n-Open
Proceedings To-day.

FrOeoeuHnEs I0-Oay.
The National Convention of the Amer
can Cheap Transportation Association mt
in Lyceum Hall, on street, at 10 o. cloc
this morning, with Hon. Josiah Quincy,
Boston, presiding.
The association met under call of tn
president, issued in according with reso
luton passed by the association at meet
ing held at the Aston House, in New York
last May, and has for its object the subiec
OF cheap transportation and the best mean
of procuring it.
The ASSOCIATION claims that merchants
manufacturers and producers, the laborinI
classes and other consumers are affected
by the cost of transportation, and are al
interested in this grand movement to OBJ
tain relief from an oppression that is fell
throughout the land. They propose to dis
cuss the abuses Of the present railroad
system, and will recommend such legisla
tien as may be necessary to remedy the
same, and will also propose and submi,
plans for the construction and manage
ment of railroads that may be built here
after in the country. They will also dis.
cuss the great water routes, especially the
value of the Mississippi river route, and
will adopt a form of petition and memo.
rial to be presented to Congress for the
purpose of securing the objects of the as.
ISOLATION.
AMONG THE DELEGATES
present this morning were Josiah Quincy,
of Boston, president of the association !;
X. IL. Ferguson, secretary, Troy, New
York; +. B. Thurber, treasurer, N. Y;
Stephen A. Moore, of Kankakee, ILL.,; B.
P. Baker, John F. Henry, W. S. Fair
field, A. w. Tenney, Theo. E. Lees, E.
r. Durhee, A. Armenian, John Fl.
Kemp, E. j. Martin, W. II. Wiley, 81.
mon Sterne, and Jas. s. Barron, of New
York city; W. G Flagg, Moro, ILL.,, pres
ident of the Illinois state farmers associa-
ton; M. D. WILDER. of Michigan. member
of the legislature w. NJ. Burwell, menu
Der of the New Orleans chamber of COM
merce; James M. Allen, ILL.,; s. M.
Smith, secretary of the Illinois farmers
association Judge r. w. Hughes, Va;
General E, L. Thomas, Ca; Colonel B.
W. Frobel, Ga; Chas. S. Darlington, of
the Richmond chamber of commerce; j.
s. Armstrong, member of the illinois leg
islature Lewis Ellsworth, member of the
state board of agriculture, Illinois; H. d.
Emery, do; John P. Reynolds, president
of Illinois state agricultural society P. j.
Marsh, VIM. Ii. Abel, w. H. Newman,
Buffalo board of trade Frank Gilbert, as
sociate editor of the Chicago Evening Jour-
nal; W. Maxwell, Knoxville, Tenn, mas
ter of the state grange, aud others. Among
the delegates are several senators and re-
representatives., who are appointed by the
governor of their respective states. Senator
Sherman is one of the delegates.
OPENING REMARKS OF THE pREsI-
DENT.
President Quincy thanked the associa-
ton for their attendance, and compared
the meeting to the meeting of twelve in
an upper room several centuries ago
which revolutionized the world. He |
said that in answer TO the summons of |
The American Cheap Transportation
association, we have met to consult |
upon what is properly called 1.-The |
Railroad Problem, +" to see how the powers
If these gigantic corporations can be linn |
ted, which already control to dangerous
extent the press and the legislatures of the
He then alluded to the
great importance Of the question
low much there was to be said |
IN both sides of the subject, and the |
oily of approaching it in the spirit of de-
lunciation and bitterness, and said it
would not do to forget that we, the people,
we're primarily responsible for the abuses
# railroad management. We have treated
ailroads as private property, and if any
me had suggested a few years ago that
tates should own one of these great iron
highways, he would have been looked upon
s one asking that the state provide cloth
ne and provisions. The principal cause
f the difficulty was "absence of compe-
ltion." The policy of state ownership
ad been adopted with success in Belgium,
There the doctrine exists that no private
ompany should have monopoly of
II the lines. The mail service
eceives great facilities, and the
overnment is enabled to reduce fares
yithout reference to immediate dividends.
was DESTROYS Of trying the
Experiment., where the laws gave greater
rejection to her citizens against monopo-
les than most states. He then alluded to
is experience in attempting to induce Mas
to purchase the Worcester and
Western railroads, which have since been
Consolidated into the Boston and Albany,
nd the aid which he did not receive from
lany Of the leading merchants and his de-
,at in the project.
SUBJECTS FOR CONSIDERATION.
He spoke of the following as some of the
Propositions that would be brought to their
office: A canal from Gergian Bay, in Lake
luron, to Lake Ontario, ship canal around
le Falls Of Niagara; canal connecting
he st. Lawrence with Lake Champlain and
10 Hudson; the enlarging of the Eric
anal /; the Atlantic and Great Western
anal from Gainesville, in Alabama, to-
avannah, Ga. the Kanawha canal, con-
Getting the Ohio with the james and Nor
,lk and the improvement of the Tennes-
BE, the Cumberland, the Mississippi and
vers connecting the lakes with the latter,
nd said it was evident none of those en-
,rprises could be carried out by individual
but must be done by the gem
raj government. A personiGeation of
lese monopolies would resemble the image
zen in the vision of the Oriental monarch,
its head was Of gold, its arms Of silver,
s belly of brass, its legs of iron, but its
et were of miry clay. A stone cut out
t the mountain smote it, and it was no
lore SEEM" When called upon for its
lterpretation the prophet told the mon
rch that the vision showed him how weak
ere the foundations Of the highest king !
oms if not sustained by justice and right. {
firmly believe that the united will of this
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