National Republican., 1874-06-04
HOW TO ENRICH THE WESTERN
FARMER. '.'.-

we udVe dlTeduy Cdlleu dLleuLlOn 70 Inc
declaration in the report of the Senate Com
mittee on Transportation Routes TO the Sea-
board, that the creation of the four great
wster-lines recommended by them would
effect reduction of twenty cents In the
transportation charges on each bushel of
wheat from the Mississippi to the Atlantic
ports; which on the grain alone sent from
the West would amount annually 10
$42, 600, 900. The friends of the central
water line through the middle tier of States
claim that over this route the reduction on
present charges will be thirty cents bushel.
There is another statement in the report
of the committee which Is too important to
be neglected. We are told that this saving
of twenty cents on the freight of bushel
of grain will increase the value of the farms
of the West to the amount of 81, 100. 000, 900.
This merely refers to the farms of the eight
Northwestern States-Indians, Illinois,
Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri,
Kansas and Nebraska; it does not include
the increased value of the farms In the
other States, or the increased value of the
unimproved lands in any of the States In
the eight States named the improved lands
amounted in 1870 to 55.s41, 900 acres. Es-
timating, say the committee, the produc-
tive capacity of these lands at an average
of only twenty bushels to the acre, (the
average Of corn, oats, &c, being much
greater, an addition of only ten cents per
bushel Zone half the estimated esrnings) to
the value Of the cereals those States are
capable of producing would give q net
profit Of 81 per acre, which is the equiva-
lent OF ten per cent interest on capital Of
$50, and hence equal to an increase of the
value Of the lands to that extent. Twenty
dollars per acre added to the value of the
lands In those States would ex-
ceed an aggregate of 81. 100, 600, 900.
All this is exclusive, as we have said, of
the increased value of the farms In the other
States, and of the increased value of the |
lands of the Union.
1t Is exclusive also of the saving to be |
effected to the consumer in the reduced cost |
of ransportation-equal on grain alone to |
some sci, ZOO, 900 per annum-representing |
a capital of $3.50, OO0 900. (We assume
the twenty cents saved to be divided be-
tween the producer and the consumer.)
The whole benefit therefore, from the items |
specified would be nearly 81, 500. .000 900.
The report is signed by some of the |
ablest men in the Senate and we presume |
they understand what they say.
The total cost of all the improvements,
involving the thorough improvement Of the |
and Ohio rivers, will not exceed |
$155, 600, 900, or, possibly, $120, 000,000.
But let us consider, in addition, the bene- |
fit that will accrue from the reduced cost of |
the movement of agricultural products |
other than grain; of the products of the
mine, such as coal and salt; of the products
of the foundry, such as iron; of the pro-
ducts of the factory and the workshop of
every description; of the products of the
forest; of the commodities and articles sent I
to the West from the cities of the seaboard; |
and we shall perceive that 81, 500, 000, 0O0j
falls greatly below the figures which are to
be placed to the credit side of these national
highways. 4
Even the s4s, 600. oOO representing the
saving that will accrue in the movement of,
the grain from the West to the East and
South, hardly exceeds one half of what
will be realized in few years. Instead of
moving 200, 900, 600 bushels from the West,
in few years, with the charges of trans
portation reduced fifty per cent, the export
from that region will amount to 400, 900, 900 |
bushels.
The session Is drawing to close, and no
action has been taken on this great question |
which concerns the whole country. Is it |
possible that Congress will allow a subject |
like this to lie over another sessionf
We should be pleased to hear Of some
thing else of greater importance to the |
masses of our people than this. Nor is it g
question which will remain in sbeysnce
any longer. It's friends have taken it up in |
deep earnest, and there is widespread |
feeling that measures of relief ought to be |
applied at once. s..-, .... 81 r.