The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-07-03

the world through want Of transportation,
Wise rulers and well administered govern
ments have ever made 1t an object Of special
solicitude to devise. promote and foster ways
and means Of INSTRUMENTATION through
their territory. whether those means be natural
or artificial; and those nations and cities have
prospered the most, and grown the most
wealthy and powerful. which have bestowed the
most care and energy on the development of
these agencies. Regions the most favored in
other respects by nature but inaccessible by
absence of either natural or artificial routes.
are valueless In commercial SENSE hoWsoever
fertile may be the soil. or however inviting
may be their climate. The continent OF Asia,
with its countless millions OF population, with
capacity OF cotton production equal to the
worlds supply by reason of area, abundance
and cheapness of labor. is shut out from agri
cultural com petition with other sections Of the
globe only by an almost total want OF transpor
tation facilities. Did rivers like the Mississippi
or the Ohio. or even like the Red and Arkansas,
flow by Bombay and Calcutta the tables
might possibly be turned and the capital Of King
Cotton might be disputed with New Orleans by
those far Eastern cities. We need not go SO far
to illustrate the importance and benefits OF
transportation. Only few years ago our neigh
Dor Texas. now looming up to the proportions
of an empire In population. wealth and enter
prise, held. as to these conditions. but an hum
BILE position among her sister States. Sparsely
inhabited. and that only on the Gulf borders.
her vast interior domain. now rapidly filling up
with thriving and energetic population Of agrf-
culturfsts. was comparatively an UNI
known region to the most OF US. Now
what a change! What has transformed
this unknown region from will
derness into land OF plenty and abundance
where the arts and pursuits OF civilization have
suppianted the barbarisms Of the Comanohe7
Transportation has done 1t; transportation is
the magician which has wrought the change.
Texas had no rfvers-at least no navigable
rivers. Transportation Of heavy staples
over hundreds of miles was difficult.
costly and impractfeable: hence settlements in
the interior were long delayed. At last how
ever, artificial transportation was inaugurated,
and railroads by degrees were built, and year
after year were pushed In every direction
north, east, south and west-and to-day we be-
hold Texas as a hive to which population. like
bees, Is clustering from every quarter. What
mighty STATED What would 1t have been had
Texas been favored like Louisiana.
Interested by great and deep
| rivers, by lakes. bayous and other water
courses, all Of them navigable the greatest por-
ton Of the year2 To what vast proportions
might she not have developed had she sea-
ports like New Orleans. benefited by thirty feet
of deep water at the mouth OF the great river
which floats down to her the wealth and pro-
ducts Of fifteen furnishing States. containing
over twenty millions of population2 The con-
temptation OF these thoughts and OF the vast
advantages enjoyed by Louisiana and New
Orleans force from US the inquiry: Has
Louisiana. has New Orleans. the one through
Its State government. the other through Its
municipal administration. ever justly and cor.
recty appreciated the advantages they possess; ;
and II so, have they always by wise policy, by
fostering and liberal legislation. endeavored to
secure the full measure Of benefit to which they
are entitled from the bounties OF nature? Have
they encouraged and protected river naviga-
ton as they should have done? Have they
given to steamboat companies and steamboat
owners the same rights. privileges and exemp-
lions which they have bestowed upon railway
and other enterprises2 The steamboat lines.
have never asked, do not ask, State. parish or
municipal financial assistance. Not dollar does
this State or this city owe for their account; not
| bond has ever been Issued by either for their
benz flt, and they themselves have no outstand-
| ing bonds like railroads due to strangers. to
whom are to 20 their earnings and profits,
Their boats are built with their own capital
and whatever be their earnings and profits
they are spent here; all their vast ex-
penditures are all disbursed at our doors and
among us. They have built up the commerce
OF New Orleans In the past and will continue to
do so In the future. Not an employe in their
service. from the man In the pilot-hcuse down
| to the roustabout on the lower deck. who is not
a beneficiary of their ltberality. and who Is not
Al. ikvr ~ MI
city. Boats like the hite. the Lee. the Natchez.
disburse weekly through our city for stores,
wages, supplies, etc, sums ranging from five
to seven thousand dollars. while those of anoth-
or class and in other trades disburse in equal
proportion throughout their running season. All
these boats. plying In the Lower Mississippi. In
Red and Ouachita rivers, disburse annually In
repairs, according to size. class and trade, sums
VARYING from seven to fifteen thousand dollars.
Remember that they sustain our foundries, our
machine and boiler works, and our dry docks.
besides giving employment and support to an
army Of mechanics OF all classes. to ship car
i penters, cau'kers. painters. engineers and to
the countless longshoremen OF our levee. Is
there any interest-can we cite any railroad
or other nterest-Which will supply parallel
Il exhibit? These are only some Of the credits to
which our steamboat owners lay claim. They
are Justly entitled to many others; they can
claim the construction Of the wharves, az
they have actually paid for them: and il
is In their power to claim that large portion
OF New Orleans-its entire front. from Canal tc
Julia street. and from Peters to the river-is
largely Of their making. What reward. wha
return have they for oil these benefits? What
} do they expect: what do they ask They
only ask not to be forced by un
wise, unjust and unconstitutional imposi
lions to seek domicils in other States, where
their steamers would be registered to escape
taxation: where. from the necessities o
the case all their repairs would be made as vel
as ali their heavy disbursements
Let us hope that the State Convention
now in session. will not close is labors withou
. giving thought to this important subject; ant
that 1t will settle at once and forever this caus