Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-10-14

lana and other southern states, who ign these
memorials as holders of the dishonest bonds
Who sells on credit to the South? Who buys
her cotton and tobacco? Who would gain by
her increase Of production aud wealth? Who
loses by her lnertness and distractions? Do
men wish TO IN ure or destroy their own in
vestments Whoever viii answer these uues-
tions will know that New York and her people,
from love OF self and love of gain, saving
nothing of other reasons, earnestly long that
the South may be peaceful and prosperous,
and able to pay her share of taxes and bear
her share Of public burdens. prolonged APP
plause.
From the wheat fields Of Minnesota to the
pastures OF Texas, there is not an acre whose
fertility does not benefit New York, nor could
she profit by the misfortunes or poverty of 8
hamlet IN sll our borders.
Il is not needed TO the argument al this
moment even to relate the causes Of the miidew
and sterility of the South, sunny, fertile, and
blessed by nature, she is. Were speaking
to Southern men, with hope that they would
listen, 1t would be well indeed to beg them to
retlect upon these causes. When the war was
over, had there been hearty. manly acceptance
or the most generous, magnammous terms the
world ever saw accorded by vlctors in any case
hot in any like case, because there is none
ike it Ia history; had politics and thirst for
power played less part, wasted less time, and
thrift and humanity ruled the hour; had there
been more mending aud building, aud planting
and sowing; had there been less ostracism and
hate 20 repel Northern capital and keep back
and drive back Northern men; had fair days
wages been paid for fair days work; had
there been no persecution or exodus OF labor;
had reputation been loathed and Stunned and
not embraced-how high in the armament Of
the Union would glitter the constellation of the
Soulful
THE MOTIVES, FITNESS AND STANDING OF THE
CLAIMANT.
But, as already sad, deal at this point with
consequences and results as they are, not with
causes. Depiorlng as we do, and we should,
whatever o. misfortune falls on any section,
wien that section comes forward as 8 claimant
OF control and management of our general &f-
fairs, ii is right TO looli-we are bound to look
INTO the scope and ground Of the claim. and
into the motives, method, fitness, sitJ1a ion and
standing OF the claimant. Light is thrown
upon these inquiries sy the facts already pre-
sented, but much light may be gained from
other facts of kindred import. One thing for
which we fought was the freedom of the
Mississippi river. As some one expressed il,
we were determined the Father of Waters
should go luliXed to the sea. The building
of jetties at the delta of this great stream to
deepen chanuel III which sea-going ships
might reach New Orleans, his also attracted
wide at ention and stimulated the belief that
New Orleans must be vast outlet TO the mar
kets of the world and port Of entry of COM
mandiDg Importance.
The river commerce of the Southern Miseis-
sippi ID regarded as great lie OF interest,
Steat safeguard and assurance against pnr-
poses sectional or inimical, and large f0un-
Ga ION for the claims set up for SouIhero in
tiuence IN M ional affairs. The canvass in
come portions Of the country already blossoms
with literature in this behalf This theory, as
far II ever WIS tue, belongs to the past. The
tread of man il. all ages has been on lines OF
latitude, not Oh lines of longitude. Rivers
and mountains on this continent run north
aud south; men bridge and tunnel them, and
move east and west. This is the ordinance Of
power higher than a South Carolina census
taker. The enterprise which in its youth and
hslplessness tiosted the way tie water ran. has
changed its course. Trade has veered from
oae point OF the compass TO another, and per-
m lnently altered its editions
The construction of railways has revolu-
uonlzed traffic and transportation. Fyur
trunk lines of steel roads, Of which the sea
ends Boston, New York, Philadelphia
and d Gilmore, now carry, each one of them,
more freight than ever moved on the Missis-
sippI rlyer. The great companion and COM
petltor TO this trans-contmental movement is
the lakes and the Erie canal. Besides hand
ling vast traffic this water route acts MS a
check on railway freights, keeping them down
by force OF competition. To this vast, COM
prehenslve modern current of business, tribu-
tary sire ms flow In by rail from the North,
South and West. The tonnage across the Mis-
sissippi on bridges above st. Louis ia twelve
fold the tonnage to that city by river. TWEEN
ty-hve years ago the c3mmercs of St LeulS
was all by river; last year. shown by the
records Of the Merchants Exchange, the rail-
way tonnsge was 94S, 1914, and the river ton.
mage was auly 1896 1l5
THE Riuol+. bridge at II Lori. baa a raJap-
ity for tenfold the trsffic hat ever tioated on
The MISSISSIPPI river. The actual commerce
crossing this one bridge is four times great
as that OF the river beneath. Traffic, south Of
the OHIO river and Of the State of Missouri, is
but tributary now to the east and west cur
rent. The st. Louis Merchants Exchange re-
ports that last year tie number Of tons moved
to AID from the East by rail was 2, $50, 1853; !
tons moved to aud from the South by river,
692 $40; tons moved to and from the South by
rail, / 952,0 93. Commerce takes the rail,
even with he river by It's side New Ofleans
is 2 NIL further from Liverpool than ST.
L Juis itself is. Baltimore Is go miles nearer
than ST. Louis to Liverpool, making differ
ence III favor OF baltimore q point of ship
piag 10 Europe Il 1,572 miles as against n "
Orleans, saying nothing OF the disadvantage
of carrying products through the tropical ex-
posures and Iisk the Gulf Of Mexico Phi}a-
deipha, New York and oston are still nearer
than B .ltimor5 to Liverpool.
NORTHERN CITIES CONTROL THE CARRYING
TRADE.
But this is not all The commerce. al forces
OF seven great cities have grasped the vast
carrying trade and hold, propel and direct it.
Boston, New York. Philadeiphia and Baltimore
at the East, and st. LOUIS Chicago and Gin
cinnah a. ths West, command the machinery
and tie outlet. and iuIets through which the
surplus products OF the United States reach /
the markets Of the world, aud through which /
the merchandise OF Europe is brought here 4
and distributed. Geographical and natural
advantages are favorable but alone they would
not be decisive; the vital fact IS the genius, /
energy, enterprise aBd capital Of merchants,
farmers. manufacturers and railway inana- /
gers, aided by wholesome adjustments OF
tariff and other laws III the interest Of AmerI- |
can labor. Could science deepen the mouths /
of the Mississippi TIL the Great Eastern could
load al the wharfs OF the Crescent City, the |
achievement would no more arrest or divert I
the movement OF commerce and population I
East aud West than it would control the tides
of the sea or change the courees Of the stars.
Southern commerce is simple, tardy and de-
pendent. Northern commerce IS complex, in
tensely active, highly organizes and indepen