New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-12-31
THE RIVAL CITIES.
COMMERCIAL SUPREMACY AND THE GRAIN
TRADE.


vpIpARv OF The FARMER NOT AN KLEAKNT IN
- cuv.p TRANSFORMATION PRoBLEM-REAL
~oops oP RAILROAD DKvELoPMENT-TIIE LACK
.. Terminal FACILITIES At NETWORK TTiE
u.TN -COMPENsATING ADVANTAGES.
FoEAs Editor Of rae Tribune.
SIR. The press and merchants of the City OF
NovYork Rre lust now greatly agtated with the fear
AZ n loAs of their commercial supremacy. Last Spring
the eroanngs aud lamentations were over the inroads
which Clcaso, 81. ISuis. and Cincinnati had made In
thcir iobliug trade After u full discussion. they
,uety accep the situation. Now 1t is the fear Of
losing the control OF the expectation of the vast surplus
Of grain from the West
We road marvellous stories Of tho apprchcuded effect
Of the Saratoga conference raising the prices for
freight Of tho lUnnence the line from Baltimore
10 Chicago will have that trade and much is made
Of the absence Of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad from
the Saratoga compact. The absorption Of 90 large
proportion Of the coffee trade by the City OF Baltimore
IL referred TO without thought Of the natural cause,
which cOmprehended BY those in the trade. Com
pasous made Of the prOpOronate increase OF the
expectation Of grain from the cities OF Baltimore Phfa
delphia and NcwYork, which is construed as being ex-
eeedlngY unfavorable TO New-YOrk, We have discus
Bons and comparisons Of the capital and capabilities OF
the great lines. The report OF tho Commissioner
OF Agriculture is noted because 1t shows the many
avenues open for the transportation Of grain from
West to tho seabOard. This combination OF posi-
btes upsets the equilibrium of te stad merchants OF
the City York and they cry out for protection
from the impending to the great CONTROL OF tho
EewYork Central Railroad, though he lie Transporting
wheat from Buffalo NewYork at about eight cents per
bushel aud putting shpboard ut that, thereby losing
money on every hushe carried. Yet tho cry for
greater reduction 10 prices Of freight Unfortunately,
Mt this moment the friends of the Erie point TO the largo
amount Of produce passing the NewYork Central
road for more eaStern market and how much moro
profits of that llne depend It's local freight aud
o,.1 with Now EDpl1 mi
the trade aud travel directed to originating in the
City Of NewYOrk; and then they trumphantv point to
their huc as the only purely New-YOrk road working
exclusively IN the interest Of that citv.
But another element looms up. The spectators who
urging the Government their cheap ransporta-
ton making themselves heard by proclaim
Ing that the commercial safety OF the great city can
only preserved through their scheme The merchants
Of the City of Hew-York should take heart from this
revelation that they three Trustworthy guarantors
their commercial interests shall be protected, and
not be absorbed by the provincial towns Of baltimore
Philadelphia and Boston. My sympathies excited
for them this their hour of need think can adj
minister some crumbs Of comfort and help them to
dersand better their true position and the nature OF
their trouble But before doing this will take this op-
portunty call the attention of the Westernarmer to
To that in all this for cheap transportation
hs interests element in the problem. 1t is
pure sellshness the part OF tho cities Interested In
obtaining the handling OF the farmers grain by which
TO make money TIE great reduction In the rates for
carry grain by railway in the last ten years has
DOT benefited the farmer penny. He gets no better
propOronae price to-day for his produce than when
feighs 100 per cent higher and would practically
be of the railroads canals to transport
hrs grain ward free OF charge. This Will be EVIL
dent the farmer will follow his produce to its place of
resumption which will DO the Eastern aud Middle At
laDtc in foreign countries. Now cheap trans
pOrtaon ia q great boon TO the Eastern consumer 1t
enables him 80 remain at home aud manufacture what
the Western farmer and his family wear ana need.
farmer loses because he has TO pay the cost OF
the Of his grain eastward and the freight
on westward, whereas higher rates OF
freight would induce the manufacturers and their labor
ers to seek cheaper subsistence, and so enable the
farmer u purchase his goods The farmer also
loses the additional that increased population
would give TO his land and tho profits of truckage
which pay better than simple farming.
There can question that the cost OF transpor
taton TO Eastern shipping port decreases greater
ability ~ given place larger proportion OF our gram
European markets, and, as consequence we can
thereby dispose OF surplus production, which, II re-
tanned in this country would depress prices aud give
diminished returns u tho Western farmer But Two
considerations to affect the value of this to the
producer. Fac first direct eject Of low rates OF
Transportation is to increase the number of producers
New railroads are built, opening new sections OF
country and thus throw upon the markets still
larger surplus tending inevitably to reduction IN price
THIS continuous opening OF cheap Rrainproducng land
nreyents rise in the value land OF the older set
tE.nent and the farmer further injured by law or
transportation which must always rule that the longer
distance an article is carried the lower cost mile will
be charged For instance, the farmer living on the line
Of railroad 100 miles further from the market than
another IN an older settlements more favora0y situated
nv reason OF cheaper land and less prOporonde charge
fIr transportation. 81 the farmer VINO seIted on
Ryep.spot in the West finds in 1874 that his land
has value. it should have DONE by reason
of new and much cheaper land further West being
brought INFO cultivation, he not reahZnS the auVah-
tages tDat should from his relative nearness 10
market y the discrimination Of rates which distance
rcs against him. So that low of transportation
only increase the amount produced auo 70 max
tue surplus over our nome rrobe@ 70 solve and to nd
wherein the Western producer is penen'eu W eneap
Tne second consideration affects the ability Of other
portions Of world TO produce grain 10 supply tnose
Countries whose production Of grain not equal to the
cheney supplied. The large increase IN our eA
pTmitted that low rates Of have
boon an important element 40 increasing our Sy 80
eupply more consumers IN Europe. But now does tns
helm The farmers In the Of this increasing ex-
pOrtaton and the very low rates OF caSs
the 5%n tend TENDENCY Of prices for gram has been
Downward These prices are fixed BY the amount mount
and the ability Of the cheapest degraded labor
Europe and with the low price OF anG ana s9S
eomnc nations We must also take into TINS estlmaSe
the vast sections OF and YEARLY
continent being opened Dy m S SeG
adding to the amount of grain thrown on the
o. ter prees for the Western farmer continuous
and tworthy demand for his surplus 1he lneIeoe
s anu i affect III Western producer and
he should be deluded with the IDEA tnat ms
Hs nterests will lie best prof. ned by such measures
% will insure the consumption ~ sh me e'nhap
thst the exportaton Of each 6ushel Of gran depie-
ton OF part Of the nations wealth , conditions Of