Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1875-12-24
The National Cheap Transportation
Convention.

The National Cheap Transportation Con-
vention, recently held in Chicago, was
largely attended, and the proceedings &C.
cupied three full days of time. The resO-
lutlons adopted read as follows:
Resoyued, That the great and pressing need of
this country is a system of transportation COM
mensurate with the requirements of the age in
in great measure the cause of the present unsatis-
factory state Of trade and commerce, the reason
why mills and manufactures are idle, why
our agricultural interests are unremuneratlye,
and why thousands of willing hands lack employ.
ment.
Res0EUed, That the presence of metallic cur
rency il the result Of commercial prosperity, and
not the of that prosperity; to restore this cir
culatiOn it is only necessary for us to supply the
means of exporting our grain, flour, bacon tobacco,
cotton, oil and other products at prices which will
enable us to sell those products to other countries;
this will give commercial prosperity and Its evil
dence viii be gold circulation; with the return Of
value of different kinds of currency will disappear
ReS0tred, That this consummation can be
reached by providing an adequate system OF trans
portation and that the only way such system can
be provided is by the cooperation of the people,
through the machinery OF Government; that the
boundaries of commerce have become so extended
through the agencies of steam and electricity that
new and more extensive class of transportation
facilities are needed; that the present system has
become not only inadequate to the necessities of
the times, but it is filled with defects and abuses
that it dwars production, STILES commerce and
prevents us from successfully competing in the
markets OF the world. ,i....
our transportation lines has become so organized,
consolidated and combined that it is now able to
dictate values to the producers, prices to the con-
sumers and profits to the manufactures and trades,
and to build up privileged class contrary to the
spirit of the Constitution of the United States.
Res0Ige0, That the further extension of this pow
er must be opposed by the mass of the people by
creating as fast as possible new system OF trans,
portati0n lines which will insure competition, and
thus protect the public interests:
LReS0JUed That as means to this end the Ma
tional Government should as speedily possible,
undertake the construction of lines OF trans
portation recommended by the United States SEN
ate Committee on Transportation Routes, or such
of them after survey produce the most favora-
BILE results ft.. n .o7,,
Rgsotved, That national railway, exclusively
for freight should be constructed from the grain
growing sections of the West TO the Atlantic sea
board to the end that this great territory with its
dense population, and the principal distributing
cities both of the East and the West, may not be
wholly at the mercy of existing railroads when
water routes are closed by ice.
ResoLUed That if it be deemed ineXpedient TO
have this road constructed and owned by the Ma
tionai Government, the object may be reached by
granting national aid to such road, and assuming
in consideration thereof such supervision and con-
troll as will insure reasonable rates of freight for
ever prevent combination and consolidation with
existing lines and the abuses in construction and
management which pervade our present railway
system, and so heavily tax the commercial and
consuming public at this time. l-L.@1 a
ReSoIUed, That whenever national aid is extend
ed to any project in the way OF internal lnpr0Ne-
ment, or whenever the construction OF any WORK
is undertaken by Government the work Shonld
be done by contract in small sections, to the low
est responsible bidder. 09@
Resol0ed, That committee consisting OF seven
persons familiar with and interested in water trans
portatiOn, and committee of equal number VINO
are dependent upon improved railway facilities for
cheap transportation be appointed to present copies
of these resolutions to the Congress of the United
States and to take such other steps to forward
the objects therein advocated as may be IN their
power
United States has not in the past received that con-
sideration at the hands of our National Govern
ment that its Importance merits; that, exceeding
In magnitude as ii does our foreign commerce IN
the ratio of more than ten to one, it is entitled to
the most careful consideration and fostering care.
Resot0ed, That, in pursuance of this policy. a
memorial to Congress from this convention be
prepared, asking that joint committee from both
houses of Congress be appointed to consider the
advlsahility of forming new department of our
National Government. to be called the Depart
ment OF Internal Commerce, said department to
be specially charged with the collection prescrva
ton and dissemination OF information bea ing up
on transportation, and with all other matters per
| tanning to internal commerce. The joint conn
mttee before mentioned to investigate the sub
| ject and report at the next session Of Congress
| ReS0tce0, That we recommend the several States
to enact the following laws for the regulation of
| railways chartered by them: .l9s
| /. law providing Il Board Of Railroad COM
missioners To obtain. preserve and circulate IN
formation bearing npoa transportation, with power
to prescribe u uniform system of Keeping railway
accounts. and will ntticr powers and duties SINH
lar To those possessed by tie Railway Et1lnlGlS-
sioncrs Of Massachusetts. snio4