The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1879-07-17

leo upon our farmers first, and int3ircct,v
| upon every other interest, and wrung from
our hard earnings by the exaction of snch
rates OF freight as junta of railroad officers
IN an Eastern city may choose to dictate.
! The very fact that last summer wheat far ont
| on the Red river frontier, and finding mar
ket via Lake Superior, brought 10 cents q
bushel more than that which depended upon
chicago as an outlet, shows what We are to
lose If the Lake Michigan system of trans
portatlon is to swallow up all our lines of
transportation. shut us out from Lake Su
per1or and the Mississ ippi river and deprive
US of all competing lines. To say nothing
of the future, if the crop of Dakota and Min
nesota should be 50.000,O00 bushels this
year, lO cents difference. in the price
amounts to $5,00O,0OO. If the same per-
centage is added to the freight on our i'm
ports, several million dollars more must ba
added to all We buy. Five millions of dol
lars to be taken from the price of our wheat
! and several millions more added to all We
| import ia the problem we have to meet now
IN our infancy-to be increased from year to
year as we grow and increase our prodrc-
tlons. 10 show that this programme of
| snoJuSatlon has been going on for
years facts only need be recited. The first
| steps were the securing of our land. grants
| and graded roads without cost Next the
consolidation of the roads leading out of
Chicago. Next the purchase of everv rail-
road IN Southern Minnesota-pooling their
earnings and refusing to carry bushel of
wheat northward, and giving rates to and
from Chicago denied to every Minnesota
city. Next when st. Paul proposed to build
railroad to Rochester to give the farmers
and merchants northern outlet and a
choice of markets, the building by them of
railroad from Rochester towards St. Paul
to prerent the farmers and merchants from
having northern outlet and
choice of markets. Next the purchase of the
North Wisconsln-preventing an outlet on
Lake Superior. And last as crowning
act to complete the sub jngation of all
Southern Minnesota, St. Paul. Minneapolis
and the central Minnesota valley, the ru-
mored purchase of the controlling stock of
the st. Paul g. Duluth railroad.
10 show how complete is the subjueation
OF one half the State to- day, We have onlv to
note as an index fact, that not a bushel Of
wheat is allowed to be carried from Farming
ton to St. Paul, twenty-six miles, except at as
high freight as is charged TO carry it 500
miles to Chicago. If the wheat was allowed
to go northward the farmer might chose his
route to market, and avail himself of COM
pet1Dg lines and competing purchasers.
What d" all these facts point to? Will the
gigantic monopoly stop short with only half
its victims swallowed. Is there anything to
prevent the consolidation of the Northern
Pacific, the St. Paul g. Pacific, the St. Paul
d Sioux City and thus complete the work in
hard, unless We resist. And when this is
done, we are no longer ablo to .sist. We
must take tho prices for our products they
dictate, and we must pay the prices
for all We buy which they dictate.
The remedy for all these threatened calam-
ltles is for us to devise and apply. The rom
edy Is to pool all the resources OF the North
west to meet the railroad pool, to oppose
combination to combination, and consolida-
ton to consolidation: to bring together all
the intelligence and sagacity of our leading
men, our railroad men, and their friends and
allies outside of the State; to raise the ban
ner of an inds pendent system of transporta-
ton and invite all the outside interests which,
like our own, are based upon the northern
water route to the Atlantic and the Missis-
slppi river outlet to the gulf, to stretch their
hands across the chasm which has heretofore
separated those whom God had joined to-
gether, and join in a new
commercial league which will give
to us choice of markets,
and to them the carrying trade and tho
commerce of an empire. The improvement
OF the Mississippi river soon to bring to our
doors vessels drawing FIVE feet of water. and
barges OF capacity to carry our grain in
bulk at lower rates than ever yet obtained, a
system which has saved millions of dollars
to Missouri, and reyolutionized the freight
tariffs of the east bound railroads, aud the
recent movement of our government to
open tue markets of South America and
adjacent countries to our breadstuffs, are
facts big with promise of relief, if We are
wise enough to step to the front, and avail
ourselves of the help which only needs to be
invited to be secured.
The works now being constructed and the
improvements made on Lake Superior WILL
with the Wolland canal, be completed within
a few years. This will let the largest class
of lake vessels to the head of Lake Superior,
reaching tour hundred miles further
into the interior of the cereal
producing, stock and mineral region
than does lake Michigan, and guarantees to
these products rate so much lower
than is possible to be given from Chicago or
Milwaukee. Wheat can then be shipped
to Liverpool from Duluth, the head of Lake
Superior, at eighteen cents per bushel, -four
at 81 per barrel, and other exports and i'm
ports can be carried at like low rates.
The policy of Chicago and Milwaukee is to
bny up, lease or control all the roads now
constructed leading to this northern route,
put up rates which shall be an embargo to
shipments in that direction, and subjugate
tho region of country belonging to these
routes and shorter railway lines, necessarily
changing rate fatal to the settlement, prog
ress and prosperity of the millions of people
that are now and are contemplating making
their homes in the section north and north
west of Lake Superior aud the Mississippi
river. And thus, with allies from Now Or
leans to Minnesota and from Montreal to
Minnesota, as wealthy, as able and as anx-
ious as Chicago to grasp the prizes of
our growing commerce; with the
Mississippi river as one column
and the great lakes as the othor column, the
will of a united Northwest is above wanting
to mould these grand resources into shape
and to inauCu ate an independent system of
transportation by which our commerce will
be emancipated, and we shall hold the reins
of our own destiny and be able to save to
million people the fruits of their industries.
The Issues to be met are narrowed down
and simpified SO that they are easily urder-
stood. TLis is purely matter of business,
and must be settlel by business men and
business principles.
The FIRST step is to meet in consultation,
consider thoroughly the questions involved,
and provide proper remedies for the admit
ted danger. You are respectfully invited to
attend the conference at the time and place
designated in the above resolutions, viz:
Julv 22d at the chamber of commerce IN St.
Paul. By order of the
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
A Palpable Hit.
Not long ago, IN a country town, lar
lal