Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-03-11
CORN FOR THE SOUTH-THE
FREIGHT QUESTION.

Some days ago we printed a memo
rial from the Tennessee State Grange
to the present Legislature, which was
referred to a committee, and which,
among other things, alleged that corn
raised in Illinois could be shipped
from Jacksonville, on the Tennessee
river, rs miles west Of Nashville, for z
cents per hundred pounds less than
Tennessee raised corn could beshipped
from Nashville to Atlanta, Georgia.
The fact is that all shipments of grain
from Johnsonville to Atlanta must be
by rail, and the route by Nashville is
the shortest. The point in the matter
is, why should corn be transported by
rail to Atlanta for cents per 100
pounds less than is charged from
Nashville to Atlanta, which is seventy
five miles nearer TO Atlanta than John
sonville?
We printed, yesterday, extracts from
a letter from Col E. W. Cole, p1esi-
dent of the Nashville, Chattanooga
and st. Louis railway, over which this
corn moves, to Senator Mosely, who is
one of the Executive Committee of
the State Grange, and who, we believe,
presented the memorial IN question to
the Senate. Col. Cole states that he
charges 81 cents freight from Johnson
vile to Atlanta, and that it costs the
producer in Illinois % cents to get his
corn to Johnsonville, making the cost
of transportation of corn from the
point Of production in Illinois
to Atlanta, Ca, So cents. He
also charges, from Johnsonville
to Nashville, cents per 100 pounds,
and from Nashville to Atlanta, 80
cents per 100 pounds, making the cost
of transportation IS cents per 100
pounds IN favor of the producer in the
neighborhood of Johnsonville, and 2S
cents per 100 pounds in favor of the
producer around Nashville. We viii
leave the question OF the z cents al
legation of the Grange and the 81 cents
statement of Col. Cole, to be worked
out by them and the committee. We
viii also leave to those Immediately
concerned, for explanation, the point
why 80 cents should be charged 10
Atlanta from Nashville and only 81
cents from JohnsonTille.
Our present object IN calling this
special attention Of our readers, those
Of Tennessee particularly, to the chief
fact developed, which is that the Hi
nois producer Of corn for the market at
Atlanta, Ga, csn raise It and pay from
IS to % cents more per 100 pounds
freight, and still successfully compete
with the producer of corn in Tennes-
see. In other words, corn can be pro.
duced IN Illinois forfrom IS to 28cents
per loo pounds less than IN this State.
Why is this so? Tennessee has always
been a leading State in the pro-
duetion Of corn, and the quality
is superior for most purposes to that of
any State north Of the Ohio. Does
this,vast discrepancy IN the cost ofpro-
duction between Illinois and Tennnes-
see result from difference IN price Of
lands: We imagine the average value
Of lands IN Illinois Is quite as great as
it is in Tennessee. Is It due to the diff
ference in the system Of labor in
the two States? In the manner
Of the preparation and cultiva-
ton of the soil? In the wakefulness
and watchfulEess Of producers in the
care and industry which they bestow
on their farms (? Such questions
might be multiplied indefinitely.
1t seems to US that no corn should
20 to Atlanta, or any of that portion
Of the South, from Illinois, or any other
State north Of the Ohio river. If the
people of that portion Of the South can
find a more profitable industry than
raising corn for themselves, they have
nearer neighbors who can supply their
wants with ease and remuneratively.
There Is no need for either Georgia,
or Alabama, or South Caro-
lima TO send TO Egypt" for
corn. When Tennessee itself sends
abroad for corn; when Tennessee her
self sends abroad for hay; when Ten
nessee herself sends abroad for pota-
toes, cabbages, celery, etc; when Ten
nessee herself sends abroad for nearly
q half Of ali 1t eats and wears. it Is
time for Tennessee to study somewhat
It's twelve hundred pages Of printed
Resources, " and try to find If there
Is not an outcome N that direction.