The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-08-13


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We notice In our dispatches that Sen,
ator Jones. OF Florida, Ia already at
work with the purpose Of securing to
Pensacola .he advantages of the re-
commentator of the recent Postal
Convention. that d direct mail service
be established between Southern ports
and the South American States and
West Indies. It would be only be-
cause of q lack of interest In this very
important matter In this community, II
Senator Jones, even with the aid Of the
table Mr.. Brooks" should be able to
convince the Postal Commission and
postoffioe Department Of the advan-
tages of Pensacola over New Orleans as
the distributing Office OF either the
Southern or the Mexican and South
American mails. Still there is no dis
guising the fact that Pensacola has one
of the finest harbors In the world, from
which ships Of almost any tonnage
may be given at little expense free
access to the open. sea. It
is also more directly In the line Of
travel from the Eastern cities, and 1t
will not do for us to quietly ignore these
advantages, and by our own inhction
permit q current Of trade to be estab-
lished which IL will be hard indeed.
with all the advantages we possess as
the great metropolis OF the South, to
divert, after 1t has once been given a
direction. We are astonished that 80
long time, as the period since the ad-
ttettfHtffeHt eg the Postal Convention,
should have been allowed to elapse by
our merchants and trade organizations
without manifesting their interest In
and appreciation Of the opportunities,
now 90 happily presented, OF forward
ing, perhaps, the most important and
valuable mercantile enterprise that New
Orleans could possibly establish.
RI we would not again let fortune slip
by US. we must improve the opportunity
now offered, and take the current
when 1t serves, or lose our ventures"
To this end, then, we call upon our
leading merchants to interest them
selves in this matter, and to take steps
to arouse the public interest as well.
Measures should be Immediately inau-
gurated to obtain and compile informa-
ton and to make a proper showing Of
the advantages possessed by New Or
leans as the port through which oil Of
this valuable trade should pass, and,
from Its superior commercial facilities,
the one through which our postal CON-
munication with the rich tropics should
be established. 1t Is not long now until
Congress shall meet, and all this infor-
nation should be thoroughly digested
and placed in available form for use,
and our representatives In Congress
should have ample opportunity to ia
miliarize themselves with 1t.
The value of prompt action cannot be
Prior to the war the
trade with all these rich countries was
monopolized by New Orleans, but by
reason OF the war 1t all left here and
was secured by Baltimore, and simply
by one fortunate ireumstance--the fact
that there was found the principal staple
OF exchange, the Richmond wheat.
which furnished the outgoing cargoes.
Yet, with all our advantages. we know
to our sorrow how difficult it has proven
for us to regain even meagre proper
ton OF this commerce since 1t has be-
come established In another direction.
We urge these considerations upon our
commercial public, and we trust that
they will not be disregarded.
In this connection, perhaps. the sug-
gestion Of Mr.. Upper is the most prac-
ticable, that q postal convention be
called to meet here, at some time dur
ing the fall. for the discussion of these
great commercial questions, as we'll as
to make suggestions to the Postoffice
Department. The northern and west
ern portions Of Texas would be vitality
interested in the establishment Of di-
rect trade with the countries south OF
us, for the reason suggested by us the
other day-that Is, IL it be true that the
wheat of the red lands will bear trans
portation across the equator without
heating. This Immediately gives that
country market for wheat which. can
be made its chief and most valuable
product, and market that can never
be glutted. 1t is hardly necessary,
however. to set forth the great advan-
tages that direct communication
through New Orleans would afford to
the whole Mississippi Valley. But all
OF this must be made clear to Congress
that the necessary legislation may be
secured, and we have no time to lose in
getting the matter into a. comprehensive