New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-01-06
DIR DIMINISHING GRliN TRADE.

New Ork has lOSt nearly onc-IOuTtn Oh lts
grain trade, while other Atlantic ports in this
country have gained. This is the startling fact
which the report of Mr.. Walker, statstician
of the Produce Exchange, sets forth with pain
full clearness. The receipts of -four ard grain
at Montreal, Boston, Portland, Philadelphia,
Baltimore, and New Orleans were 63,T71 500
bushels during the first nnc months of 1874,
and 3,445, O31 bushels during the first nine
months Of 1875, loss of only 32G,GG4 bush
els. But at Montreal there was a loss in re-
ceipts of grain of 656,373 bushels, so that at
the five American ports there was a small gam.
On the other hand, receipts ut Newly ork
during the first nine months of 1874 were
S4,1GG,049 bushels, and during the first nine
months of 1875 only 1921, POI bushels a
loss of 2O,931, SIS bushels, or nearly one
quarter. In grain, excluding flour, the loss at
New-York was 1911S,513 bushels during the
same period, or more than one-fourth, for re-
ccipts of grain in 1874 were 90, l00,279 bush
els, and in 1875 only 49.11s.513 bushels.
But during the same nine months receipts Of
grain alone at tho five American ports were
larger than during the corresponding period in
1874 by 4,0O0,369 bushels.
The report of the Exchange attributes this
loss to the fact that lghteragc and transfer
charges at this city are about four cents per
bushe, or about 81 33 per ton, while the
charges at Philadelphia, Baltimore, and BOs-
ton are rs cents per bushel, including ten days
storage. The difference, about 25s cents per
bushel, is virtually premium paid to the
Western shipper to send his grain to other
cities. The report observes, moreover, that
this Z" is only the beginning Of what must, in
d" the near future he expected and contended
" against, on larger, grander scale, when the
&" improved facilities of rival routes shall have
"been brought into practical operation" For
the enlargement of the st. Lawrence canals,
to be completed in 1879, viii give to Mon
| treal important advantages, and yet, without
those advantages, and in spite Of the reduction
of tolls on the Erie Canal, that city has nearly
maintained its aggregate receipts, and posi-
lively increased them in proportion to the
crops handled.
These facts are of importance not to the
produce dealers Of this city only. Men in all
branches of business should thank the Produce
! Exchange for striving 10 arouse the community
to a realization of its needs. For the general
commerce of the city depends, in very con-
siderable degree, upon the handling OF agrl-
cultural products When the crops are sold,
then, other things being equal, supplies for
the crop producers arc likely to be purchased.
/ Nothing has contributed more to the commercial
supremacy of this city than the fact that, thanks
| to the genius and enterprise Of the men of an
earlier day, it possessed for many years control
Of the chief outlet for Western products, and
| thus became the most ready and natural market
for the purchase of supplies for the West.
| 1t does not follow that, in losing the
grain trade, New-York would necessa-
rily lose the supremacy in the distribu-
ton OF goods imported from abroad or of pro-
| ducts of Eastern manufacture Channels of
commerce change slowly. Business having once
adjusted itself to the use of this city as its
chief distributing point, will continue here in
great degree even after the eastward traffic
which originally brought it hther may itself
have been diverted to other channels. But a
marked advantage in trade will pass to other
cities in proportion as they succeed i'll wrestling
from NewYorli the traffic in grain, and it is
therefore q matter of common interest with all
merchants and manufacturers of this city to
remove those obstacles which are diyerting the
grain traffic to other ports.
The recent report of the Cheap Transports
ton Association BOT forth very infinitely and
fully the nature and extent of these obstacles,
and suggested some excellent measures 10y
way of remedy. But something more than
excellent propositions ia needed. The business
men Of this city ought to be aroused to
earnest and united efiort-such effort as shall
command all the capital needful to provide
ample terminal facilities, and control traffic
enough to induce all transporters to yield to
reasonable demands. In this work they will
serve not themselves only but the people OF
the country, for every step toward economy in
transportation is step toward national pros
perity.
TIKI NATURE OF An OATH.