The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-06
CHEAP TRANSPORTATION.
EX-GOVERNOR sEYMoUR's VIEWS ON THE Ex-
TENSION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE WATER
ROUTES ENCOURAGE FOR SENATOR
HEADQUARTERS O. A. u.
From tho Chicago Inter. Ocean, Mayal

RoUTEs-ENcoURAGEMESr FOR SENATOR
WINDOW.
From tho Chicago Inter. Ocean, May3l
WASHINGTON, May 2 1873.
Senator Window has Just received a very interest.
ing aud valuable letter from the Hon. noratio Soy
mour IN regard to internal transportation 10 tho
West Tho letter is dated Utica, and is as follows-
DEAR SRI am glad to that you hold your
ground with regard TO water routes. In li,tc time
the public mind will be ith you. In this State there
has been great change in the views Of our people.
our canals TO point so low that most men thought
their days had COMO by, and that they would
pushed them hard TO get them out OF tho way In
1870 NO began tue fght Tor low tolls. After timo
they wcro cut down from SIX 10 three cents on
bushel Of wheat from Lake Eric 10 the HUDSON RIVER
This donc alter very hard work 10 bring II about.
They were then put down TO ono and Onc-haf cents;
thon TO one cont over tho whole length o! the Erie
Canal. No makes against these very
low tolls, and large party has grown up which asks
Grain can carried and givo the poate fair profit
for less than tho tolls paid tho Stated lev years ago.
SIX cents bushel Is enough 70 pay tho state, tho
rho whole country has been stirred up about tho
kina OF money we shall use However grave this may
be IL Is htc matter compared win the question OF
ability to soil to tho world what raise
lands. II We can do this no shall have all tho gold
and silver we want. II wo fail to do this shall DO
poor, cur credit win BIO low aud our money viii be
scarce and poor. we arc TO rasc moro grain than
tver have raised. The changes OF times arc driving
men from tho cities INTO Tho country. Those who
come from Europe arc mostly thosc who will TIL tho
soil. iiko stu,c OF things exists elsewhere. War
may for q time mako call TOR our grain, but
no. take place aud which In any event
viii soon DO over. Can thon sell our gram
IN Europe against those who raise grain IN Europc7
We can II u does not cost too much to get there, and
is not II II cost three cents to get u TO market how
much this viii tax tho States OF tho West bur, Will
Tho who Know tho most about this trade say that
nj most times u Will II three cents profit can DO
hands Of our farmers to boar down tho price OF that
which we uso In this country. II cost three cents
too much 90 carry grain wo shall lose many millions
Of dollars Ii lilo West docs not sell Its grain II can
not buy OF the East what the Fast has 10 SELL Tho
wnccis OF commerce. and industry VIII all be checked.
To show you what tho reduction OF onc.haii a cont
q bushcl viii do send you tho report OF the Comp
uoerA this State, which proves that. when about
year tho toll was changed from a and a hall
10 a cont por bushcI u brought back tho trade tho
Erie Canal wish you would note tho TACT that TINS
was not duo 20 the largo crops Of last yoar. Loss
1876 up TO the timo tho canals closed. What tho
canals gained last year tho railroads losf-nanoy,
ABOUT IL, 600, 600 bushels Of wheat.
We do not know that there will be n war between
Britain and Russia, but all must sec that we arc TO
have long fight with Russia Tor the markets OF
Euronc and upon this turns whole question Of the
trade aud prosperity OF our country.
Can our rniroads give us a victoryp
No one thinks Of thom moro highly than do; VIC
cannot do without thcm. They have uses OF their
nand without water routes they Will and do charge
more than they should Ihcy have cost too much
They cannot live unless they make pools with each
other In other words they say openly that ~ Is not
their policy TO carry Tor low price, and thus make
trade but 10 carry lees and charge more They can
not make pools with watsr routes, because each mnr
owns his own boat For this reason English rail-
roads have bought up English canals, 10 get them out
OF the way. They have dono this In other countries
In Europe. They have tried TO break down tho lake,
river ana canal routes IN ths country They Will Ial
as to tho great lakes and tho Erie Canal
send you a report made by NJ. Richmond, OF
Buffalo, which VIII give facts Of great vNuc as TO
tho great lakes.
/ do not know enough OF tho Mississippi River TO
speak about ~. hope its trade viii DO kept up IL
may turn somo from Now York, but II will 10 Tor tho
good u the whole country u keeps the railroads
check. There must DO q steamboat route from tue
Mississippi River TO the great lake,. IL Will only
carry much grain, bat II will do much good by
keeping down charges
once had an interest IN this question. havo
now. ! only caro- Tor tho good Of tue country am
too old TO take an active part In this matter.
hope YOU Will Keep Tho lead you have You
Know more than most men about H. IL deeply con.
Germs your state, ana your position rs such that you
can do more than any other man. You live at tho
point where tho greatest water routes OF the world
can be brought together, mud from which hey d.
vcrgcone to the Gull ot Mexico, and tho other tho
naroor OF New YORK. just now most men think that
water routes have lost thor vauc Tho truth they
grow In value as now railroads made. rho Ere
Canal was never worth much TO Now York as IL 10
to-day II carries At low rate md makes tho rail-
roads do tho Same. am very truIv yours, &C..
lfoRArIO SEYMOUR.
To the Hon. WILLIAM wISDos, Unned States senate.