The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1882-05-16
National Water Ways.

The Florida Canal System is part of q larger
system of truly continental proportions As de-
scrioed by Governor Bloxham (our Dewitt
CTinton) in a recent interview, If opens the way
from the Mississippi to the Atlantic through the
land-locked waters of the Gulf, and across the
Peninsula, so that grain barges from the North
west may reach Fernandina, or some other At
lantic port, without breaking bulk Beneficial
as this would be to Florida, giving her second
New Orleans in her northeastern corner, it would
benefit Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, with
out harming the old New Orleans, which will
have more business on her hands than she will
know what to do with. 1t will also benefit
Georgia, by reclaiming the Okefenokee swamp.
1t would also benefit the whole grain producing
West and Northwest for the Mississippi Valley
Gncluding tributaries) furnishes SO per cent. of
the wheat crop, 70 per cent. of the rye crop, 65
per cent of the tobacco crop, and "a per cent of
the cotton crop of the entire Union; and her peo-
pie pay $60OO0,000 out of $113, ,OOO, 600, or two
thirds of the internal revenue of the republic
The Florida Canal System is, therefore, mani
testify national in its relations and is being more
and more recognized as such by practical men in
all parts of the country. Prof Turner, of Jack
sonvlle, ILL.,, in recent speeches and writings as
signs it the second place in the National Water
System, and afirms that the Florida Canal alone
would save the country at large more than
$1OOOOO,OOO annually, by facilitating the move
ment of grain and other heavy produce.
The good people of this country do not, for
they cannot, realize what enormous increase of
production is taking place. II we could have
seen with our own eyes every day for month
past two foreign regiments, well differed and
equipped with all war-lke munitions, marching
from New York City toward the West, until in
the month of April alone an army of 10000 had
passed before us, we should say, What means
this invasion What foreign power is allowed to
pour its armies into the very heart of our repub-
licY' But without parade, without banner or
sound of trumpet or deadly armament, that army
is actually marching 10000 month, from one
port alone, towards our mighty West-an army
of producers! Good substantial Germans, Hol
landers, Scandnavians. and other hardy nation
tionalitIes, most of them with money enough to
buy and stock a small farm. Let every man re-
feet on this movement, the like of which the
world never saw, and try TO figure TO himself the
effect it must have upon the production of grain
and other produce for years to come.
The poltlco-economc problem of this nation
now and for years to come is the movement of
this immense produce.
How shall the producer have access to the
worlds markets, and how shall the worlds hun
cry people be fed Selfishness is always dull
ness, but especially in reference to any such
great interest as this. 1t seems to be generally
taken for granted that railroads will fight canals,
duo IlIs.t i y r-- siOAlss. o. ~ ~ ;cta-
prise be on foot the railroad men will combine
to defeat it. That would be natural 10 dull men
who think themselves sharp; but it would not
be keen, bright, vivid self-interest. 1t would be
the quintessence of stupidity. The National
Water System Prof. Turner shows to be the bal
ance wheel of the mighty railroad system. Any
railroad man knows what sort of jerkety,jerk
motion his locomotive would get up if he should
take off the cOunterpoise from his driving-wheel.
Would it not be dullness personified which, in
vast factory. sheuld wish to abolish the balance
wheel?
Now our productien is, and is to be- so enor
nous that the railroads cannot handle it to their
own best profit, much less to the advantage of
producer and consumer
Mr. Atkinson journal of Agriculture for July
1891 estimates that we shall need to build 1900
miles more of railroads every year, at the cost of
$275, ,000,O 900 annually, for fifteen years to come
Even then the railroads will be overworked, es-
pecially in winter when The Northern lakes and
canals and rivers are frozen up. The railroads
will be unable TO handle the produce, and corn
will be again burned for fuel in the Northwest
And there will be the liability to railroad wars,
and constant fiuctuation of prices. Ought not
railroad men, then, instead of fighting the Ma
tional Canal System, to see in it their balance
wheeli Here" says railroad to canal, take
these heavy articles and give me the lighter ones
which require more speed. There is more than
enough for US both take right hold and help .
and as the people prosper we shall prosper"
Is not that good, solid sound. common sense
And is not the opposite of that the very incarna-
ton of dullness?
One of the grandest achievements of our age is
our railroad system. We admire it, notwith-
standing all that has been said against it, its mo-
nopolies, its political domination, its excessive
tariff these are the incidental evils which will
be outgrown, but the advantages are almost in
finite. Says Mr.. Turner: I'm the extent of its
commerce, the perfection of it's organization, the
skill of its handling and the might of its power,
it Is the wonder OF the world and of ages II
hourly flies with more than the speed of the
winds, over its hundred thousand miles of iron
track, and can concentrate the force of its thou
ands of millions of capital and its vast and COM
plex enginery of skill and power upon any de-
sired point, with The precision of rifeshot, and
the resistless force of cyclone"
We admire the system We believe In IT,
We are willing the people should, in the next
fifteen years, pay $4,l25. 100000 for its needed
extension las Mr.. Atkinson estimates it, Nay,
we go further than Mr. Atkinson We are will
ing that the nation should present this grand sys-
fem with brand new balance wheel (the canal
SYSTEM to cost not less than &50OO0,O00
ls there q railroad man In the country dull
enough to refuse such gifti
CHARLES BEKCRRR