The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1875-08-21
Railroad Benefits.

Railroad Benefits.
We propose to have a long railroad
talk with our people to deal in 6g.
nres, and show to them a few Of thu
many benefits and great blessings
which will accrue to them upon thu
completion Of this New Orleans and
Pacific Railroad.
Some weeks since We spoke of the
onerous charges made by the Com
mission houses in New Orleans, il
the way Of Commissions for selling
cotton, purchasing merchandise, &C.,
also the high rates of insurance and
the want Of a good paying market fol
| snch other produce, which We ship to
them, than the staples, sugar, rice
and cotton.
1t is Admitted that tie charges as
Commissions in New Orleans, at pres
cnt, are more than in any other Com
mercial city of like importance.
Upon the completion of this pro.
posed railroad through to Marshall,
Texas, We at once enter into the line
Of competitive markets, and competi.
tive transportation. With New Or
leans on one side Of us, there will be
upon the other, the great western and
eastern markets, from which to choose
where we can sell for higher aud buy
at cheaper rates. A rivalry for the
trade Of the great State Of Texas and
the Red River valley will immedi-
ately spring up, and New Orleans to
save herself, must in consequence re
duce her charges aud Commissions to
such rates as it will give her, with
what natural advantages now pos
sessed, the great advantage in stri-
king ont to regain her lost trade. Let
as now deal III few mathemat,cs)
facts bearing upon the case at issue,
whether taking stock in the railroad
to the extent recommended by our
Executive Committee, would he a
measure of practical wisdom or not.
In the first place, it has been PROF.
en- by actua! demonstration that
while, the great monopoly roads of
the west, and when we :ay mono
poly, we mean those in which the
citizens along their lines held no con-
trolling or advisory interest in the
shape Of shares for bonds issued
these roads at the time of construc-
ton, hence the great railroad war,
on account of high freights charged,
which gave rise in the first instance
to the now great Grange Association.
In this, freights had been run up to
such high rates that the farmer of
the west had no profit from his grain
and other produce shipped east.
In Georgia this was not the case, land
also in other States) for there the
roa,ls were constructed upon the CO.
operative plan, the same as proposed
for this road; that is, the cities and
counties along the line rendered aid
10 the shape Of bonds and money, for
which they received stock shares from
tue Railroad Company, thus enabling
them III TIER vutes, upon sa'u SHARES,
in the election of Directors, to man.
age and control the tariff Of freiglts
to an even balance-sO that the road
paid, and ut the same time the far
mer could ship his produce at reason
able rates.
In this way, We on this line will
protect ourselves from au occurrence
Of the complaints made by the west.
ern farmer alluded to. This We give
as one substantial reason ,chy We
should subcriLe the amount named,
$l5O,OOO.
Suppose We look further into what
we first mentioned with regard to the
New Orleans charges. TAXING iu this
instance. First-tle q per cent now
being charged for the sale Of our cot
ton in New Orleans. Our crop for
this parish is 10000 bales, which have
averaged US the past season $50 per
bale; the commissions upon each
would he $3.50 or $40, 900 upon tie
entire crop. Do we not see that at
the legitimate II per cent, this would
save the people who plant and pay
the tares $4,000 per year alone.
Three thousand dollars more than the
interest we are to pay upon the bonds
Of our parish; and to put it more
plainly, this railroad puts into your
pockets $4,000 for this item, and
asks for it 81, 900, when you now en-.
Joy the sweet blessing. if it can be
called such, Of paying out the entire
$15, 600. Look at item number two i,
here We see the seeming small item
OF drayage, mending, &C., charged
upon your cotton sales each year, at
IS cents per bale, or In the aggregate
npon the entire crop, el5, 900 in round