The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-10-17
THE COTTON MOVEMENT.

New Orleans IS ana always mas been the
greatest cotton market In the world. Her
| location has made her SO, and there Is no
good reason why she should not maintain
| the supremacy she has 80 long enjoyed, pro-
vided our merchants are active and promptly
meet the new developments Of trade grow
| Ing out Of the construction Of lines Of rail-
road through the cotton belt and tho cheap
ening OF transportation to the Eastern sea-
ports. The tendency Of cotton to
| move Eastward over long lines Of rail
road, when 1t con reach nearer
and better market In much less time,
| Is almost phenomenal and furnishes prob
lem which 1t devolves upon New Orleans and
her railroad interests to solve, IL this IN
natural but rapidly increasing movement is
| to be checked. AS an evidence OF the growth
Of this trade we may cite the following facts:
| st. Louis received 25,2i3 bales OF cotton
| In September, 1875 as against 1898
bales In September. 1878. Chicago re-
ccived 1888 bales, as against 3345, and
| for that one month the amount of cotton
| shipped Eastward exceeded by 1886 bales
the amount shipped over the same routes in
| September, 1878 The difference In favor or
the year 1879, over 1877 49, in the Eastern
movement, Is 1902 bales.
| This Is startling exhibition and we'll col
cuIated to excite the closest inquiry on the
part OF our merchants as to the causes which
have led to this abnormal condition Of things,
and should impel them to make every pos
sible effort to bring about a healthful reaction
which shall rebound to the benefit Of New
| Orleans, which Is the natural outlet ofalmost
every bale OF cotton now seeking the seaboard
over thousands Of miles of railway, Instead of
coming over short lines to this market. 1t Is
a most extraordinary fact that cotton from
Galveston Is hauled over the Missouri Kansas
and Texas Railroad to Hannibal, Mo-,
thence to Chicago over the Chicago, Burllng-
ton and Quincy Railroad, and thence by vari-
GUS routes to the Eastern markets, for less
money than 1t is hauled from Sherman or
Dennison to Galveston. The same Is true
also Of the cotton which seeks the seaboard,
via st. Louis. This is not only an astonish-
Ing but shameful exhibit, for the Texas rail-
roads, upon which this gross outrage Is per-
petrated, were built mostly by Texas money
and Texas lands, and yet the capitalists who
now control them discriminate ruinously
against Texas people. The New York Daily
Commercial Bulletin, of a recent date, con-
tanned an excellent article on this subject,
from which we extract the following, as CIV
ing clear idea Of the sharp practices by
which the railroads have managed to divert
!, SO much cotton to the East which belonged
naturally to Galveston and New Orleans:
Cotton Is now being shipped from Galveston
to New York tall raiI) at 70 cents per hundred,
or about 50 80 Der bale: rates to Galveston from
} SHERMAN. Dallas, etc. 81 80: rates to Galveston
from Houston, I5 cents per bale: rates from
Sherman. Dallas. etc. to New York (all rail-.
8 3 per 100 pounds. This calculation is based
upon actual distances. Now. on the basis Of
81 "a per hundred pounds TO New York (the rates
\ from Houston to. Galveston being rs cents per
bale). the cost at the same ratio would be about
s22 60 per bale; CT, at the rate Of 81 50 per bale
from Sherman. Dallas. etc. to Galveston at the
same ratio Of rates. would make the cost to
transport one bale to New York about SIS. The
question is, does 1t cost 10 transport bale of
cotton, across Texas four times as much as it
does through Texas to New York?
Is It any wonder that Galveston Is getting no
} cotton. from Northern Texas. when rates Of
freight are proportionately four times tie
through rates from points III Northern Texas
TO New York? With such glazing and oppressive