Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-01-22
THE HERALD !.
Governors Message.
Continued from First Page.

20 call the attention OF that body to
the nature and Importance OF this
route.
FOX AND WISCONSIN, RIVERS.
Intimately connected with the
question of cheap transportation, ls
the comm .ndable undertaking OF
Congress TO complete practical and
permanent water route between the
Mississippi river and the great lakes,
by means of the Fox and Wisconsin
rivers. For the irst time, the nation
al government assumed the active
and exclusive responsibility of this
important national enterprise in DC.
tober, 1872. At that time the work
was transferred from the Green Bay
and Mississippi Canal Company to
the United States government. and
during the past year the improve
ment has been effectively prosecuted
under the immediate direction OF as
sistan' United S ates Engineer, Capt
John Nader. In his recent report
Of progress, Col. Houston, in general
charge of this improvement, states
that there is no public work more
national in it's character than the !;
that by this route the products of the
southwest will fnd cheap transporta-
nor 70 the sea board, aud the lum Der
and iron Of tie northwest to the Mis-
sissippi Valley. and that "there is no
other route which will meet the ne
cessities of so large a section of the
United States at SO small an expense
Capt. Nader estimates that he wi ole
work may be completed in accord
ance with the plan early in the year
1876. and at an expense to the nation
trlfling in comparison with the bene-
tits anticipated.
CHEAP TRANSPORTATION BY LAND.
The permanent improvement of
natural water channels of q national
character, doubtless furnishes par
tlal solution of the question of cheap
transportation. But the problem is
one of vital significance in all its
phases and also must be fearlessly
and intelIigently considered in rela-
tion to land carriage, with view TO
every possible relief from existing
evils. Wisconsin has territorial
area approximating that all the New
England States combinded, and its
soil abOunds with many sources of
agricultural and mineral wealth, now
comparatively valueless, because of
he obstacles to q quick and cheap
transit Of freight to distant markets.
Every reduction in the cost Of ex-
changes between the producf + and
the consumer necessarily enhances
the value Of every acre of our terrific.
ry, aud induces a corresponding in.
vestmsnt of capital and LABOR in the
development of our national prospect
tY. Tue serious consideration of this
matter can no longer be prudentlv
postponed. The agricultural classes,
upon whom rests the heavier burdens
OF government. and who are ordinari-
" the last to claim or receive special
protection at the hands of the legie-
lative power, are but reasonable in
their demand for security in the fu-
ture against the wrongs of the past,
aud for such Intervention on the part
Of their representatives "a shall secure
that just reward for intelligent labor
already generally assured to the
American people in nearly all other
departments of labor aud enterprise.
We cannot be blind to the general
ruth, that classes favored by govern.
meut, or conspicuous in the manager
mont of corporate interests, have be-
come possessed of wealth far in excess
of human Industry, while the average
farmer of cur State scarcely realizes
the ordinary wages of his hard and
protracted daily lshor, and is COM
PEELED to rely upon the indirect in
fuonces of immigration. mostly from
foreign nations, for any visible in
crease 10 his landed possessions. Ger
tain It is, that Wisconsin, with large
aud constant accession to her private
capital and working population, with
soil naturally productive far beyond
me average of American States, and
With an amount of exports large in
proportion to her population, should
nave reached at this limo a rank ia
the scale of material progress much
higher than she now occupies.
doubt the propriety of appeals to
the federal government for relief from
abuses 10 the operation of railways.
Apart from the question Of constitu-
tional power, always worthy of grave
consideration in connection with in
ternal enterprises of this kind it must
DO confessed that experience has not
given occasion for unlimited conf
denoe IN tho ability, purity or impair
TALLY of Congress, in the manage
ment of enterprises of this class,
Fortunately, no doubt can exist as
10 the plenary power of our own
State, over corporations OF its own
creation. BY constitutional pro7is
ION all existing enactments on the
subject may be altered or repealed.
The duty of he legislature to ex-
ercise this power TO the full extent of
preventing or abolishing the evils of
monopoly and extortion, is equally
clear. A corporation which conspires
to plumber the people, by whose con-
sent it exists, betrays its trust and
justly forfeits its claim to existence.
1t must be admitted, however, that
railway companies are necessary TO
the prosperity and developement of
the State, and that in the discherOe
of their honorable obligations to the
public, they are entitled to the graft
tude and positive and uniform pro-
lection of legislative authority. In
this matter the people will make no
peace with enemies, but they seek no
war with friends. While they are
willing to encourage to the fullest
extent the development of the rail-
way system of our State, they cannot
submit TO manifest INJUSTICE, nor per.
NIT the abuse of chartered privileges