Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-08-13

d. IAt hSpuOiiCdli Parry IN the tu-
tnre, as IN the past, will see to it that
the national credit suffers no detriment
and that the national honor is pre-
served.
INTERNAL COMMERCE.
Our internal commerce demands ad-
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 ad-
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 unlimited basins
that between the Allegheny and
Rocky Mountains and that between
the latter range and the Sierra Nevadas
require to be dipped out into the
ocean on either side Production 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 one hundred and fifty-seYen millions.
Of those ffty-nine millions were manu-
factured in Massachusetts,. Of course
the distribution Of these and the great
variety Of other commodities necessi-
taaes vast amount Of transportation.
Eleven States occupying the Mississippi
valley send to market annually sur
plus Of its cereal products equal to
300, ,000,000 bushels,
To cheaper the carriage Of that sin
gle commodity by the amount of only
ten cents per bushel in saving Of
thirty millions to the people.
Various expedIents have been sag
gested for lessening the cost of trans
portation. In some of the States it
has been proposed to place railway fares
and treights under the control of the
State. The objections to that expe-
dient are so serious that it should not
be embraced, if better one can be
found. This country is SO new, 50
raw, and so undeveloped, the demads
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 ag-
gregate 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 compa-
MES 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 probably
determined By the laws under which
the several companies are organized
bat which Of them can In fact fix it is
a 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 proba-
bic that either party to the transaction
would always hit upon the exact equiv
alent- The consequences Of a mistake
would probably be found most inju-
rious, if made BY the people IF the
company makes the mistake, and
charges too much, 10 one is obliged to
employ it. The producer does his own
carrying before the railway is built. |
He has the perfect right to do 50 after
it is built. So, every company IS COM
PEELED by the laws Of trade, even i'll
law is silent, to carry pro-
duets cheaper than the producer can
carry them, Or he viii not have them
TO carry. The company must also car
ry them at a profit to the producer, |
else the product will cease. The farm |
ers of Iowa will send no wheat to Chi |
eago, unless the roads will transport
it at prices which will yield a profit to
the producer.
The carrier must earn money for the |
producer as well as for himself. else he !
will soon have nothing to carry. 1t is
as absurd for the railways to demand !
more for transportation than the pro-
ducer can afford to pay as it was for
the man in the fable to endeavor to get
two golden eggs each day from his hen