The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1874-01-22
MANIT0WOC PILOT
(Gorernoys Nessags-Contiaued.)


otherwise directly reiaIiEs ~ tue
trade and commerce OF Wisconsin.
Practical and iudicious measures for
the continuous improvement Of this
national intercourse from the head Of nav
icatiou to the mouth CT the river, dsserve,
E and raust command The SUI port Of our rep
= ressntatives n congress and the approb4-
ton Of our PEOPLE. An important portion
Of our state is now dependent upon he
facilities afforded By this river for the OK
port Of It's its products aGd for its future
growth in population and wealth, and
much larger portion may justly anticipate
more important results from additional
facilities for transpOrtion By means OF Ills
river hereafter.
In this connection I would also call your
attention TO the importance Of = slack va
ter communication between the Mississippi
aud St. Crnix rivers. Such au improve
ment would hasten the rapid Development
? of our own state and would prove equalIy
beneficial to other northern states border
ing on the Mississippi memorial to
congress on this subject might serve to cal!
the attention of that body to the nature
and importance Of this rsuts.
Fox AND WISCONSIN RIVERS.
Intimately connected with the question
of cheap transportation is the cJmmendabls
undertaking Of congress to complete
practical and permanent water route be-
tween the MIssipp river and the great
lakes, by means Of the Fox and Wisconsin
rivers. For the first tine the national
government assumed the active and e&c!u-
siye responsibility Of this important ma 4
tional enterprise ia October, 1877. At
that time the work vas transferred from
the Green Bay and Mississippi Carla
Company to the United States Govern
meut and during the past year the IN
provenent has been effectively prosecuted
under the immediate direction Of assistant
United States En- 5ineer, Capt. John
Nader. Ia his Isoent report OF progress,
Col. Houston, in general charge OF this i'm
provment, states that there is 10 public
work more national IN its character than
this that BY this route the products Of
the southwest will find cheap transpOrta
ton to the seabear1, and tie iron Of the
northwest to the Mississippi Valley, aud
that "thore Is 40 other route which VIII
NEST the necessities Of SO large 2
Capt. Nader estimates that the whole
work may be Completed in accordance
with the plan carly III the year 1876, AMI
at an expense to the nation tiiing IN
comparison With the benefits anticipated.
CHEAP TRANSFORMERS BY LAND.
The permanent improvement 0: natural
water channels II Il national character.
doubtless furnishes partial ISOLATION of
the question Of cheap transportation. Bet
the problem Is one Of vita! significance la
ali its phases and also must be ftarlessv
aud nteligenly considered III relation 70
land carriage, with Il view 10 every posi-
BILE relief from existing evils Wisconsin
has a territorial area approx mating that II
all the New England States cDmbil-i an
isa soil abDunis with many sourc. = Of ncri
cultural anI mineral wealth, now Compare
lively vaueess, bccGuse Of he obstacles
to quick AMI cI@sp transit ot fire ght t.
distant murkc'a. Every reduction IN the
cost Of exchanges between the producer
and the consumer necessarily enhances the
value Of every acre Of olIr territory md
induces corresl onIiug luVesr.aent q cap
III and labor in the Iey".opmeE; oar .gl
tcraI prosperity. lne serious consideration
81 this mater can ua i1n-er b.. pruGeutly
pcstrpaed. The agricultural classes, upon
whom rest the heavier i.,.ri-ns vi g,geru
mrug, and Who are ar i!uus5iy tH- last b
claim or receive ,pec.4i protection AZ the
reasonable IN their demand TOR srclrity ia
shs future against the wrongs o. the pas,
and for such intervention on the part 81
their representatives " ~ shall SECURE tans
jn,t reward for intelligent labor ALREADY
generally assured to tie American pc
Iie il ueasiy all other departments
u labor and enterprise. We cannot
he hlnl u tae ssasrI tru'h. tia.
classes favored hy government, or
conspicuous IN tho mgurE'fr .sG of
rcrpora'e ute at. hare ,nn 90.
>,s-el oJ -saith lar Ia excess ~ human
want, or the natural fruits oi hpman ia
dlstry. while the average fatmer Of or
state scarcely rsl,lrs the or iiuiry wages
Of his hard and prutyacted daily labor, an
i compelled to rely upon the indirect it,
L Irhsce nt immigration, mostly from for.
ccn nations, for any visible Increase IL his
landed possessions. Cert I'm il Is, that
" lscnnsIn, with large ana constant aces
sions TO Ter private cipital and working
population, with = soi naturally pryuuc
tive fal beyond the average Of American
states, aud with an ameunt ofcxpOrts large
IN proportion t. her population, should
have reached AZ this tI,Hs a rank Ia the
scale 81 material progress much higher
than that shel occupies
doubt the propFely Of appeal. to the
feiers government for the relief from
abuses III the operation Of railways. Apart
from the question OF constitutional power,
Always worthy Of grave consideration in
connection with in :eEnal enterprises of this
kinI, il must be confessed that experience
has not gwen occasion for unlimited con
flonce in the ability. purity CT impsrtaiity
OIL Congress- Ia 'Is management o. enter
prises Of this class
Fortunately, NJ doubt can exist as 10 the
plenary power Of our own state over cor
pnrations Of its own creation. BY cOustit-
ttlonal provision all existing euactments
on the subject may be altered or repealed
rhe du5y Of the les stature ID exercise
this power to the .uii extent of preventing
or aboIshing the evils of monopoly ant ex-
turtion, is equally clear. \ corporation
winch consplres to p.un3er the people bY
hose consent it exists, betrays It's trust
and Justly forfeits IT. claim to eKistance.
II must be admitted, however, that rail
WAY companies are necessary 10 the pros
Perity and development Of the state, and
that in tbs discharge Of their honorable
Obligations to the public, they are entitled
to the gratitude aUd positive and uniform
protection Of legislative authority. Ia
this matter the people vii! make no peace
with enemies, bat they seek no war with
friends Whia lhey are willing to en-
courage to the fullest extent the develop
ment of the railway system Of our state
they cannot submit 70 manifest injustice,
nor permit the abuse of charted prI ilsges
The great problem the is, how shall
the state afford proper sprotection and en-
enlargement to all its varied industries,
and at the same time, nete out equal aud
exact Justice to all citizens.
The precise manner in which the state
car best exercise It's power for the protec-
ton ot the ps0ple against the abu,ss Of
railway corporations, i a question not now
presented for the first time. There is NJ
asIec, Of the subject which has not b-es.
the occasion Of rigid investigation BY the
wSest statesmen Of tAIs country ami
Europe, and there is no conceivable ex-
) .dedient of legislation which has pot been
restored to on both continents. for the at
tainment of the msst desirable results. In
matter 80 complicated aud important, It
cannot be expected ofIne to rtcammet q, or
che Legislature to adopt specific measures
Of relief, without much Research AMI
nurture elaboration. Permit NE n tristy
rur-asf hosarpr a far- neral r~eYlSfri. r-