The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1883-08-02

which have competing lines Of rail-
ways. The regulation securing
cheap rates to points where there is
competition Ivy rail or water, practi-
cally gives every point on any Rail
road in Mississippi the advantages
of competitive rates rs paid
at the competing points, with only
the small! charges necessary to reach
them, added.
So [ think it is clear this regul1-
ton of internal. commerce, over
which our power is undisputed, will
not only give us cheap rats ON that
kind OF traffic, but also on the more
extensive and important traffic called
Interstate commerce. The regula-
ton would also increase largely our
internal commerce. As rates now
exist, there is practically no
commercial Intercourse between
one part Of the State and an
other. Corn is worth less to-day
in Monr e and Lowudcs and other
prairie counties than in st. Louis,
vet all the corn sold in west'and cen
lral Mississippi cones from the
Northwest. Local charges are SO
high that the abundance in one part
of the State can't he used to supply
want in another. Wagons. plows, fur
niture and other implements made in
Holly Springs, Water Valley, Merid-
ian, Jackson and other places can't
he distributed to consumers tn any
great extent. because the cheaper
rates allowed on those made in other
states give them the advantage. Tue
present system is a direct premium
10 manufacturers in other States as
against oar own, hence manufactur-
ers do not flourish but langulsh here
The effect would also he 10 increase
internal transportation by building
up our own towns and cities. At
present Railroads run By, not TO, our
cities. A bale of cotton destined for
exploration at New Orleans cant be
stopped when once put on the cars
at any city in Mississippi, because,
by the system of high local rates.
when it shall have been stopped at
any point on the line it would again
be subject to similar high charge
making the stopping double or
treble the cost of transportation. SO
Of all other goods, whether going ont
or coming into the State.
Commodities nee,icl in MissisSip-
pi are carried through the State by
rail to Mobile, Memphis or New Or
leans and then transported back to
the retailer or consumer in, Missis-
sippi. This results from the unjust
discrimination made in Railroad
charges against our own people The
commerce of our cities on the Mis-
>issippi river rarely extends further
than can be reached by wagon trans
portatiou. If rates were regulated
as have suggested, our cities and
towns would at least have the chance
to grow, and | believe would grow.
Some of our Mississippi river cities
should be as large as Memphis, and
and some of our interior cities as
large as Atlanta. Mississippi raises
$4O,Q00,000 worth OF cotton each
year-more than any other State
except Texas, yet not one-tenth OF
it is sold within he, borders, as the
final market to manufacturers or
exporters. All, or nearly all this
crop should be marketed in this
Stat, and the trade consequent to it
should belong to our own cities.
This is impossible, under the pres mt
system of Raj road rates. Our peo-
pie have no access with their pro
ducts to our cities except at rates
discriminating against them. Our
farmers have no home markets furn-
iShed by large cities in our midst
for the smaller crops and frui and
vegef ables. Fair local rates would
tend to erect all this. At all events,
am so selfish for Mississippi and
her people, that would claim for
her and them a fair chance in the
race of progress and improvement.
1t is not just that orr State should
be made to bear the burden Of ad-
vancing other localities, and that
from her merchants, farmers and
mechanics should be gathered the
necessary gains Ivy hign local rates
to enable the Railroad companies
to carry cheaply for others
With the provision, with the addi-
ton | have stated, equalizing per
mile local with through rates, |
would associate another; that there
should be no discrimination as to
freight usually shipped in packages
between large and small shippers,
nor in fact between any shippers
whatever. The evident justice of
snch a provision commends it with
out argument Every person using
Railroads should be entitled to equal
privileges and facilities. They are
public institutions in their use,
though private in their own ership.
They get their right TO exist, their
franchises and their privileges, from
the people of tho whole State, and it
is but simple justice that there should
be no determination in favor of 9th
ers against the people of the State as
body, and none, between iGdivid-
uals composing the great mass of
tho naonle The machinery nv