The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-09-09
TRANSPORTATION.

Que of the first questions which ought to
occupy the attention of the next legisla-
ture of Vermont is that of the transporta-
ton of freight by railroads. AS we have
repeatedly said he question is full of diff
ficulties at there should he men enough
Of sufficient intelligence in that body to
meet and surmount all of these difficulties.
Any and all laws bearing upon the subject
must, of course, be uniform in their appli-
cation to al the railroads of the state alike.
The interests of the several railroads must
be guarded and protected in the same man
ner and to the same extent as are the inter-
ests OF the producers and forwarders
There ought to be no necessity of any
to~:-,-.:- $50 S""JvNt' iho ihtei-
ests of the railroads are our interests, and
our prosperity tends 10 their prosperity A
freight carrying road, and all railroads are
freight carrying, are directly interested in
having the section Of country through
which they pass, or which is tributary to
them, produce more than is necessary for
home use or home consumption. The
natural tendency Of building railroads is to
induce this increased production in the
adjoining country. 1t may take the form
of agricultural produce, Of stock, either
live or prepared for use, of manufactured
articles, machinery, marble, slate, iron in
its original ore or in fine various forms in
which it can be manufactured, furniture,
or in any of the other varied forms and
shapes which the nature and skill Of the
country may or can suggest Another re-
suit follows, villages spring up, as if by
magic, where even single dwelling house
was not thought of before other villages
grow and increase in size farming lands
rapidly appreciate in value quarries and
mines are developed and worked to their
utmost capacity, and new quarres OF
mines sought for. We have seen all this
take place in this county, and our readers
know that the picture is rather under than
overdrawn.
But the question comes home to lis, i
this always to remain so 1t is true tina
the natural tendency of the building of rail
roads is to develop the country in the man
ner in which we have stated, but whethe
that tendency shall be carried into effec
depends, in a great measure, on tie railroad
themselves. They can either give force I
or rcpress this tendency, and after I'll
growth and development has commenced
they can put a stop thereto Here is whel
the matter of transportation becomes in
portant. No community will produce mo
of given commodity than they can pr
duce at profit. If that required for hon
consumption and use is all that can
disposed of at profit, then the productiC
of greater amount will at once cease.
is, indeed, questionable whether ev'
enough tor home consumption would
produced. No farmer WILL of course, raj
grain, potatoes, etc, in larger quautitl
than he requires for his own family USE
the sale of the overplus is doubtful, or on
saleable at prices less than the cost of pl
duction. If he cannot transport the pl
duets of his farm at such rate Of frcg
as will afford him reasonable profit,
will naturally cease producing more thar
given quantity. Other farmers are in
same situation. Each is uncertain wheil
or not he can sell his surplus produce, q
the result is that now producers at no
are compelled to rely upon foreign mark
for their supplies From this illustrat
il will be seen that all classes are interes
in this question of transportation. The "
moment that railroad companies place til
rates of freight at such figure that
productions of the country cannot be S
AT their natural markets at profit, til
instead of being benefit to the commit
ty, they become positive dlsadvanias
save the convenience they afford TO ira
ers.
This want of production, also, less
the receipts of the railroads, because it
course, decreases the amount OF frei
carried by them. But they can never
made to see 1t in this light. They can
or will not see that the interests OF
country and their interests are one and
same. When, therefore, because