The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-09-01
Total
.36.649.bo2

Total .... ........... SO, GAS, 80.
To this must be added the tons taken from
the Mississippi Valley by the Virginia. Ken.
lucky, Tennessee and Carolina connections
with the East, and the movement on the
Mississippi river will not amount to one
twelfth Of the gross weight carried by
rival routes, not taking into account
the travel and values. 1t is not matera
10 state that the tons reaching New Or
leans do not exceed one million. It is suffi
cient to say that commerce has its magnetism
1T Is interest. IL has a polarity which acts
On the shortest line between production and
consumption. 1t makes "the tour of the
world In eighty days" No physical advan-
tages of course or position will control this
Inevitable law. 1t should be accepted and
employed. As we might fire back the projec-
tiles which had inflicted damage upon us.
New Orleans should herself apply this estab-
1ished principle to her own advantage. 1t
should afford her renewed confidence in her
commercial destiny. 1t has deprived her of
one current of trade. 1t may replace this by
One more valuable and more permanent. A
longitudinal line of trade drawn along the
meridian Of the Mississippi will traverse the
centres OF production in the western interior
OF the United States and Canada. Produced
through the Southern seas and across the 18TH
mus Of Central America, it will concentrate,
conduct and interchange the reciprocal COM
merce Of those great regions.
This chain Of inland seas, supplemented by
parallel railroads which connect them with
all the great commercial cities of the Union
will constitute line of inboard commerce
in direct competition with coastwise navi-
cation. 1t will furnish more direct and
eligible mode Of intercourse between the
Northern and Southern producers and con-
Enmers, just as the artificial tradeways be-
tween the East and West have tended to
supersede the navigation of the Mississippi
This meridian Is the chord of an arc. whose
periphery lies along the perilous track of the
cyclone and tornado, past the reefs and shoals
of our Atlantic coast, and over the heavy
mountain grades which lie between the
Atlantic ports and the interior. This Missis-
sippi meridional route knows no impeachment
of navigation, and no obstruction of grades,
tunnels or men. 1t must, upon the principle
cf natural advantages and artificial improve
ment, constitute the ultimate and permanent
way for the movement of this commerce, to
which we have adverted, and of which we
shall subsequently indicate the value.
The Federal government, in having failed
to adopt proper policy. and to provide ade-
Quate facilities for the development of this
continental trade, has permitted the greater
part to be wrested from its natural marts and
manufactures in the United States, and to be
borne to distant and transatlantic markets.
The States, in yielding to the Federal gov
eminent the exclusive right "to regulate
commerce with foreign nations" and to levy
and collect taxes, duties ''imposts and excuses"
have deprived themselves of the means of
cultiyating a foreign commerce by the ordin-
airy influence of reward or retaliation. The
invariable tariff upon foreign productions.
with the memorable opposition to conventions
of reciprocal trade with its neighbors, has
tended greatly to prevent the resale of Euro
pean imports or the expectation of American
products to the markets of this continent.
The policy of the continental States and Col
onies is equally injurious to our interests. 1t
consists id system of protection and revenue,
as retaliation upon the American tariff by
heavy duties on provisions. The American con-
sumner of manufactures is therefore required
to pay high price for the imported fabric of
Europe or the protected article at home, but
he Is excluded by this retaliatory policy from
The markets Of Spanish America. The West