New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-02-07

the South; now there Is not city OF the
South that is not seeking to divert the
trade of the Mississippi to another out
let; and there is not Southern State that
does not seek to retain or attract to itself
the labor and capital which may prefer
the soil and climate of Louisiana.
Since this extraordinary perversion of
trade New Orleans will be compelled to
organize new trade lines and replace
commerce which she can not regain. How
shall that be effected? Clearly by radial
railroads, developing the commerce of
Texas and the interior of Mexico, as also
by improved commercial connections
with the countries to the south of Louisi-
ana. Let US examine the prospects for
success in this policy.
l. The railroads into and through
Texas. 1t is scarcely necessary to
repeat that the capitalists of
New Orleans are not disposed to invest in
the construction of western railroads
This fact has been abundantly demon
strated by the failure of every effort in
that direction for the past eight years. The
hopes of New Orleans rest on connecting
in Texas with some national road, pro-
jected and gagged for some eastern sea-
port city. To complete such road, Con-
gress must make large appropriation.
The REPUBLICAN has heretofore shown
that New York has already control of
the only way of communication with the
Pacific coast. All the roads Of the West
and Northwest tend to that city, and are
controlled by her capitalists. If New
York, or the railroad managers of that
city, need any more roads or branches,
they possess the means of building them.
New Orleans can not even build rival
connection with national aid. Will New
York then aid her? Will the Western
States, upon the lines of transportation
leading to New York, assist New Orleans
in regaining the trade and travel which
these lines have diverted from the Mis-
sissipp2 1t is not probable. When
the capital and currency questions in
volved in granting subsidies and creating
new issues shall be complicated with this
rivalry, we may anticipate inseparable
opposition to any such appropriation.
Mr.. Holman has recently said, in OPP
posing a modification of the Northern
Pacific grant, and aiding the Texas Pacific
road:
This whsle subject of subsidy by the
| Federal government in all of its forms, has
uniformly ended in fraud, not only upon
the government, but upon the people, and
| has been q most fruitful source of dis
honesty and of national humiliation, and
the sooner the whole system is put an end
i to the better it will be for the government
the public honor, and the people. Its con-
tinuanee will be ultimately fatal to the in.
tegrity on which our free institutions rest.
New Orleans need expect nothing from
the Federal government, save SO far as
the promotion of rival interests may in
cidentally advance her own. Perhaps in
this point of view the cotton spinnerf
and sugar refners of the North and West
may reconstruct the levees as a means o.
making their own raw material more
abundant and cheaper.
2. The development of the continental
commerce upon the meridian of the Mis-
sissippi.
We hope that if Mr.. Hayes shall bt
inaugurated as President, and Congress
pass under control of liberal commercial
policy, New Orleans may expect some
thing from a community of interest will
that of Cincinnati and other cities o
the West. Should the administration
policy pass into the hands of New York
New Orleans can expect nothing what
ever. All the Western trade with tn
continent will be drawn to New York a
OF present, and all communication witt
the American continent on the soutl
will be made through the merchants ant
vessels of that city.
We have regretted to see the whole pc
litical influence of New Orleans throw
into the scale Of New York We hay
been astonished that politicians, who go
no other result in national election thai
the award of few Federal offices, shoult
have so controlled the acts of New Or
leans as to sign commercial abdicatiol
and surrender to her great successful riva
and mistress the city of New York.