The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-11-19
GlreQntelIiqenrer


t9h1I IteC!ep IOr tnlS mUntu, pEeeenta
some facts and suggestions which bear on
this subject and are well worthy Of con-
siderstion. According to statistics which
he gives, tho total Of cereals in the United
States In 1879 was 1,656, ,lOs 100 bushels,
OF this amount sixty.two per cent was
produced in the States Of Michigan, In
diana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota,
Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and: Nebraska
Tho market for very largo portion ol
these cereals, Of course, Is in the eastern
part Of the United States and In European
countries. For instance the States above
named, that year raised 158, 8,22s, 900
bushels oil wheat, but consumed only 3d.
7lG5l2; thus leaving over seventy mil.
lions Of bushels 10 find sale outside oI
their limits.
These figures show 10 some extent tho
vastness Of the business Of transportation
connected with the shipping Of grain.
And yet grain constitutes only about halt
o! the freights carried between the West
and East and South, and in order to com
pete the view, we must also add nearly
an equal amount Ior commodities car.
rGd from the East TO the West.
We come next to the cost ot transpor.
t4lion. To remove q bushel of wheat by
rail from the Mississippi River to New
York, according TO Mr. eHELLABARGER,
involves an expense OF 60t cents on an
average. By rail and water combined It
Is 43 6 10 cents. From St. Paul to Liver
pool by way OF New York it is CIT cents.
The effect Of such expense is represent
ed to be disastrous TO the interests of.this
country, especially as they come into com.
petition with those Of other lands. For
instance, in the article Of wheat in the
British market, the United States has to
compete very largely with Russia. Now,
from 1860 to 1864, Great Britain received
from Russia only 47,S7G,sO9 bushels,
against 127,047,12G from the United
States. But from 1868 to 1872 the change
was SO rapid that Russia imported more
than did the United States into that mar
ket. The figures stand 117,9G7 ,022 bush
els for Russia, against 116 .462, $50 for this
country.
In the article OF cotton the revolution
has been even greater. In 1850 Great
Britain received l ,l15, 800 COS pounds from
the United States, and from oil other
countries Cnly 275,O4S,144 pounds. In
1879 the receipts from tho United States
were G25,GO00S0 pounds, and from other
countries 7S3237 ,392 pounds. 1t IS not
claimed that this result is SO largely at
tributAblc TO the Influence Of Transports
ton as in the case Of tho cereals Of the
West. Sill in a measure 1t is held to
have been affected by this cause.
Arcport Of Select Committee Of the
Senate OF the United States finds alter g
most careful investigation involving some
testimony, that il proper provisions were
made, the cost Of transportation could bG
reduced fully fifty per cent below tho av-
erage existing and fast rates ol ireigh
charge each way. II this was done tht
effect would be TO cause large amour
Of grain which now is some times ever
burned as fuel at the West to reach III,
Eastern and European markets. 1t woult
also stimulate production so that the sg
gregato would be vastly increased. l
would enable the United States success
fully to compete with Russia and othe
countries in the products which she ha
for sale in markets from which she threat
ems to be driven.
But the practical problem is how to a
tain go desirable an end. Mr.. sHRILA
DARGER thinks that the source OF the rem
edy is in national legislation upon the sui
ject. lie charges that in the past III
national government has been so engage
with other matters, that II has almost en-
tircly lost sight oi this duty which is on
Of the most vital OF ALL In this par
ticular, Congress ia uniavorably contraste
with the Parliament Of Great Britain
This latter body has given great atten
tIon 10 the subject as it affects their ma
ton.
The following Is an outline Of the legiE
lstion which one author suggests:
l. The Systematic and periodical col
lection, compilation, and discussion b
Fedora! official forces, Of the statistics {
labor, wages, production, prices, trans
portation, rates Of fare, and freight, stat
OF demand and supply Of transportatio
and the like. These TO bO presented I
Congress through the proper department
with tho results OF their consideration b
such department.
Q. Laws restraining unequal and e1
e!Ssive tax by the common.carrlers OF ii
t9E.Siate commerce, and who were nj
created under special Federal direction,
least to the extent Of compelling the pu1
llcation Of ratcs Of charge, Of prohibitir
the greater rates Of charge for the short
distance, and OF prohibiting increase III
DIR designated periods, Unpublished rstI
OF charge,
8. Provide by law Tor tho lmmedia
construction Of at least one line Of doub
track freight railway, and suitab
branches, from New York to the Mi
sissippi River, and thence West; this