Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-07-17

with real estate transactions. From that
time until his death he devoted himself to the
real estate and loan agency business, being
one Of the largest dealers and certainly the
most continuous in the business of any one
who ever resided in St. Paul
THE COMMERCIALLEAGUE.
Important Address Of the Executive Commit
tee to the People Of the Northwest.
The executive committee appointed to
devise the way to establish commercial
league, met in st. Paul, July 9, and
adopted the following circular letter:
To the People Of the State of Minnesota:
On the 7th day of June, 1879, the follow
ing resolutions were introduced into the
St. Paul chamber of commerce
WHEREAS, The commercial interests of Min
nesota and the new Northwest, and the pros
perity and happiness of their people require
that they shall have some control of the nat
ural and artificial lines of transportation on
which the prices of all exports and imports de-
pend: and
WHEREAS, By the combination of wealthy
and powerful corporations, there is danger that
such control may be lost, and this State and
the condition of appendages and tributary
provinces of outside corporations and cities;
and
WHEREAS, The Mississippi river and the
lakes, which project lar into our territory, are
natural highways of commerce, which need
only to be improved and utilized to form the
basis of an Independent system of transporta-
tion, now, therefore, be it
Res0lved, By the chamber of commerce of
the city of St. Paul, that the suspicious be-
ginning already inaugurated by this chamber,
looking to the improvement of these great ar
teries of commerce. should be persstently fol-
lowed up from year to year until complete sue
cess shall crown our efforts.
Resoloed further, That the new Northwest has
the natural advantages, the wealth, the popu-
lation and the credit which make it both feas-
ible and desirable to inaugurate an independ-
ent system of transportation, the bases of
which shall be the Mississippi river and ada
cent lakes; and to bring about consumma.
tion SO vital to our interests We recommend
the formation of a commercial league consist
ing of the various cities of Minnesota
and Dakota, the cities of Buffalo, Detroit,
Montreal and Others East, together with the
cities of the Mississippi river from New
Orleans to Minneapolis, and such Transporter
ton companies as may be interested in the
purposes of the league.
Resolued, That in order TO carry out the or.
ganization of such league and perfect the
details of the most judieious ways and means
of accomplishing the ends in view, commit
tee of ten citizens of St. Paul shall be ap-
pointed by this chamber to confer with like
committees from other localities in the State
and the Northwest and that they meet in this
chamber at 10 o'clock on the-day of July
1879. for consultation and further action.
These resolutions were recommended fol
adoption by the committee on commerce or
the Both of June and the 7th of July ap.
pointed as the day for which the conference
called for.
Such conference was held on the 7th oil
July, IN which representatives from the lead.
ing cities of the State, from the st. Paul &
Sioux City railroad, and the St. Paul, Mime.
apolis & Manitoba railroad, were present.
After full interchange of sentiments, show
ing the dangers which threaten GU,
entire new Northwest, and the absolute ne
cessity for combination to meet combination
there was but one opinion as to our ability
to avert the threatened dangers if the entire
State and the people interested will arouse
to realizing sense of the situation and
stand shoulder to shoulder in defense oil
their independence. To bring about this
result, you were invited to meet at St. Paul
on the 22nd of July, by the adoption of the
following resolutions:
Resolved, That the commercial league con.
templated by this conference Is not for the
benefit of any city or locality in the State, bu,
for the protection of all the cities of the State
and the agricultural and commercial interests
of the people Of the State, which are threat.
ened by the combinations of powerful outside
| corporations which discriminate against oul
interests; and the press of the entire State are
respectfully requested to call the attention of
their readers to the Importance to every inter
est of the State of establishing an indepen.
dent sys em of transportation based upon the
Mississippi river and the adjacent lakes as out
let's, so that there may be competing lines and
q choice of markets for our products. Be il
further
RESOLVED. That at the adjourned meeting OF
! this conference. to be held on Tuesday, July
~. at IL o'clock, at the St. Paul chamber OF
| commerce rooms, a general invitation is hereby
| extended without further notice to every towr
and the boards of trade and chambers of com
MERGE in the State to send delegates, and tt
citizens of every county who feel an interest
to meet with us and participate in the confer
ence.
An executive committee consisting of j
w. McClung and w. L. Banning, of St.
Paul; Richard Chute, of Minneapolis; J. B
Culver, of Duluth; L. F. Hubbard, of II ed
Wing, and Gordon E. Cole, of Faribault
we're appointed to propose ways and means
for carrying out the objects of this confer
ence and to issue an address to the people O.
the State.
We're it not for the apathy which has here
tofore existed upon this subject which has
caused US to- sleep soundly while the comb
nation of railroad companies have already
wrested from US nearly every railroad line
which was built by the munlfcent land grants
of the general government and the loca
bounties for which our cities and counties
are mortgaged for taxation for years to come
it might not be necessary to add another
word to urge upon you the Importance OF
giving listening ear to this appeal.
The policy o; Chicago is that all roads
must lead to Rome. The policy of the rail
roads is consolidated to bring about this
end. The policy of both is that the splendid
empire that stretches from the head waters
Of the Mississippi and the lakes to the Paci.
f1c ocean, endowed with the natural capaci
ties to make it the granary of tie world
must be conquered and made to pay tribute
to Cesar. The edict that Carthage must b<
destroyed' was not q more settled policy
than this. We are to be compelled to carry
our exports and our imports by Chicago,
about 400 miles out of the direct way, at q
cost of over $40, 100000 annually, to bslev.
led upon our farmers first, and indirectly
upon every other interest, and wrung from
our hard earnings by the exaction of suct
rates of freight as a junta Of railroad officers
in an Eastern city may choose to dictate
The very fact that last summer wheat far on,
on the Red river frontier, and finding a mar
ket via Lake Superior, brought 10 cents &
bushel more than that which depended upo1
Chicago as an outlet, shows what We are t.
lose if the Lake Michigan system Of trans,
portation is to swallow up all our lines Of
transportation, shut us out. from. Lake Su
perior and the Mississippi river and deprive
us Of all competing lines. To say nothing
of the future, if the crop of Dakota and Min:
nesota should be 5O,OOO,OO0 bushels this
year, 10 cents difference in the price
amounts to So, O0O, 600. II the same per.
centage is added to the freight on our i'm
ports, several million dollars more must be
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 il the problem We have to meet now
in our infancy-to be increased from year t.
year as we grow and increase our produc.
tons. To show that this programme 81
snbjugation has been going on fol
years facts only need be recited. The first