The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-05-07
The Question Of Cheap Transportation.

WASHINGTON, April ~
In the Senate to-day MIR. Window pre.
sented report from the Committee on
Transportation, and stated that the com.
mittee have come to the conclusion that
no substantial reduction in the cost of
transportation is to be anticipated from
unregulated competition between exist
ing railways, nor is competition to be in
duced by authorizing the construction of
additional lines, If they are to be under
private management and control. As to
the power Of Congress under the Consti-
tuition to regulate inter State commerce,
the committee find:
1. That Congress, in its discretion and under its
ns essps :ss .ssn
into and s0otSss sss So s Sns
ernsd, whether such transportation is BY land or
4 That it may appropriate money for the con-
structton OF railways or canals where the
same shall be necessary for the regulation Of COM
3. That 1t may incorporate companies with au-
th0rtty to construct them.
4 That i may exercise the right Of eminent
construction of said railways or canals, etc.
s. It may, in the exercise Of the right Of emf.
nent domain, take for public use, paying just com
PSueoNOA tuC1ClV1s 3uy SAI9uuX railway or Canal
owned by private persons or corporations.
These propositions are discussed at
considerable length in the report of the
committee, and the decisions of the courts
from which they are deduced are there
cited. After most careful consideration
of the merits of the various proposed i'm
provements, taking into account the cost,
practicability and probable advantages of
each, the committee have come to the
unanimous conclusion that the following
are the most feasible and advantageous
channels of commerce to be created or i'm.
proved by the National Government
Congress shall act upon this subject,
namely:
!. The Mississippi River.
,. A continuous water Line Of adequate capacity
from the n ississi2pt River to the city Of New
3. route, adequate to the wants Of commerce,
through the central tier Of States. from the Mis-.
sissippi River, ysa the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers,
slack water or BY freight railway to iide-waser
4: route from the Mississippi River, via the
Ohio and Tennessee Rivers, to point in Alabama
water ~ eiehs railway the ocean,
The committee estimate the cost of the
improvement of the Mississippi River at
$16,OOO,OOO; of the northern route, in
Guiding the Fox & Wisconsin River
Canal and Hennepin Canal, and enlarge
ment of the New York canals, the cost is
estimated at 5000, 600; of the central
route, including the radical improvement
of the Ohio River to give six or seven
feet of navigation at low water, and of the
Kanawha River to give six feet of water,
$25, OOO, 900, and the connection by canal
or freight railway to tide-water in
Virginia, canal to cost 81, 000, 600,
or railroad $25, 600, 600. Of the south
ern route, the Improvement of the Ten
nessee River TO give three feet of navigation,
5000, 600, and the construction of canal
or freight railway to the Atlantic Ocean at
g cost respectively Of $a5. 0oo, 600 or $780,
600, 600. If canals be constructed the
total cost will be about $155, OOO,O 600. 1t
the railways be chosen, the total cost will
be about $4,000, 900. An actual ex.
penditure of from geo, O00, 600 to $25, OOO-
600 per annum will be required for six
years, when the whole work can be com.
pleted. The resulting benefits will for all
time annually repay more than the entire
cost.
But I am asked how the money is to be
raised for these improvements. I reply:
1. By system of rigid economy in all
expenditures not absolutely necessary, by
which nearly enough can be saved for this
purpose. Q. By the issue of public i'm
provement bonds; OF, 8. BY taxation. If
the latter policy be adopted I suggest
that restoration of the tax on tea and
coffee will produce about &c, 900 900 per
annum, which will be sufficient to com.
plete the entire work in six years. The
repeal of that tax has caused but little, if
anv ro6ncfion in tho noot If <ho.o AZ;
cles and it's restoration would not
materially increase it. At the end
of six years the tax could be repealed, and
these great public works would stand for
ever as monuments to the wisdom of the
Preaent Congress. do not believe, how.
ever, that it would be necessary either to
issue bonds or'to levy additional taxes.
The Inauguration Of the system of in
ternal Improvements indicated would SO
stimulate the business energies of the
country that we would find Il easier to
raise the additional revenue required than
1t now is to meet existing obligations.