The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-05-08
PORT CHARGES,

| A committee or commission was APP
pointed by the Legislature to investi-
gate the subject OF the port and wharf
charges on steamboats, and shipping
navigating the Mississippi river ana
coming into this port, with view OF
ascertaining what reduction can DE
effected in these very great burdens on
our commerce. It is useless to say that
loud and Just have been the complaints
against this great obstacle TO the extern
sion and relief of our commerce. Ihere
can be no exaggeration Of these COM
,laints, Our port charges, including
[ wharfage and tonnage, are beyond all
reason and in excess of those imposed
| in any other large port in the world ex-
cept Calcutta. They ought to be lighter,
| in order to attract hither the immense
trade which nature has made tributary
to New Orleans, but which is repealed
by our unwise laws and heavy port
charges.
Freed from these burdens, and with a
there would be little reason to appre-
bend that our port would not soon
justify confidence in its superior
claims to the command Of the whole
trade of the Mississippi Valley over any
other city on the continent. Make New
Orleans free, or as nearly as possible
free port, and who can doubt that the
great grain product Of the West, which
can be exported through this port and
landed at any foreign point at about
half the cost Of the freight and charges
incurred in Atlantic ports, would then
come to our city? This proposition Is
universally conceded. The difficulty Is
how to effect these reductions in our
port charges. The legislative commits
sion, we learn, will set to work to in
vestigate thoroughly and report upon
the various suggestions which have
been made to effect this object. They
will seek counsel and information from
our commercial and shipping classes,
from our Board of Trade and from State
and city officials, and from all others
conversant with the subject.
The questions to be investigated and
discussed are:
1. How the high rates of towage can
be reduced.
Q. Whether the license fees to theState
and city exacted from vessels engaged
in this business may not be reduced. on
condition of reduction in the rates OF
towage. Whether the towage. being a
private business, is beyond the reach
and control of the State and city au-
thorities, so that it cannot be subjected
to limitation and reductions as to the
rate Of It's charges.
8. Whether our various port officers,
harbor masters, port wardens, wharfin-
gers, etc., may not be consolidated so
as to assign their various duties to only
one Of these officials, and thereby great
ly reduce the cost and fees imposed on
shipping for their support.
| 4. Whether the rate Of wharfage
dues is not greatly in excess of that
which, under the decisions of the Su-
preme Court of the United States, can
be lawfully exacted.
BY these decisions the State and city
are prohibited from levying any duties
on tonnage, or for wharfage, beyond the
expense of keeping up the wharves.
Are not the letter and spirit Of these
decisions evaded and violated by the
present rates of wharfage and ship and
steamboat fees?
| These are the main questions to be
considered and discussed by the CON-
mission. Upon their satisfactory solu-
ton Of the same. so as to place our port
on level in respect to charges on
steamboats, and shipping with the other
great shipping ports Of the world, a
great deal Of the future prosperity and
increase Of our commerce depends. The
commission is a very intelligent and
industrious one, and we hope they will
at once enter upon their investigation
with zeal and an earnest conviction Of
the great necessity for some relief from
the expressions SO justly complained Of
by all persons interested in the progress
of our city and the advancement Of the
great commerce for which she was de-
signed by Nature, and which is SO easily
attainable by her under wise and en-
lightened system Of local government.