St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-09-04


American people have made the least ad-
vances in improving the waterways. The
sum total so expended is far less than in
any other civilized country. The govern
ment furnished hundreds of millions of
dollars for railroads. the railroads are not
satisfied by the aid Of the government, but
they club together, and squeeze all they
possibly can from the people. What is the
remedy? Interstate commerce measures
have proved abortive. No good can be
expected from legislative action. Jay
| Gould, ''the tycoon OF magnates," volun-
| teered the statement that he had used the
money of the Erie road to buy congressman
of four states in the interests Of his road.
1t is easier for the railroads to control
legislation than for legislation to control
the railroads.
This convention is called to secure such a
sentiment that congress will not hesitate
to improve waterways and construct arti-
ficial ones when it sees they are the
only regulators of our railroads
The Northwest ought to have
and should have them. The speaker then
called attention to the Hennepin canal
| This will make connection from the lakes
to the river and will give the Northwest
connection by water with the seaboard
What relief will this give? What do the
lakes and the Erie canal do for the East?
The rates are often but IL cents per mile
for grain hauling by water eastward. They
are fully six by rail.
Can any one doubt that this canal will
reduce these rates? It will make reduction
enough to save millions On grain alone
| Coal is brought from Erie to
the Northwest by water for 60
cents per ton. 1t costs 50 per ton
by rail. Construct the Hennepin canal and
YOU will save S1.50 ton. The same is
true of nails, iron, salt and other heavy
goods. There is no doubt that congress
will
MAKE UP THE APPROPRIATION.
It's cost, estimated when labor was 25 per
cent higher, will be $1,000, 900. This, at
the saving above computed, would save
$40, 600, 900 in single year-more
than three times the cost This will be
saved to the farmer. Why should the
farmer receive this benefit? He is the chief
producer and furnishes four-ffths of our
exports. The speaker then dwelt on the
importance of securing and maintaining
the foreign market. Some action of this
nature is necessary to protect our wealth
from Russia in the Liverpool market Rus
sia is becoming a strong competitor; India,
too, has grown to such prominence that
she shipped "a, 600, 900 bushels of wheat to
Great Britain last -three-fourths as
much as did the United States.
Mr.. Murphy quoted Mr.. Seymour's letter
to the New York legislature touching on
the principles at issue
We are to have hard struggle to keep
up our reputation as the food producing
nation of the earth. 1t is not true that we
can claim this title. What if the United
States does produce 100, 900, 600 bushels of
wheat What does it avail if we
cannot reach market with our surplus?
To provide a market for surplus is
our greatest need. In comparison
with other nations we can
only hope to compete by having cheaper
transportation to the seab0ard 1t is such
Improvements as the Hennepin canal that
will do this. How to provide and main-
tain market is subject worthy the study
and eloquence of the greatest statesmen.
The demand for this canal is recognized
by the East and is backed by 10, 600, 600
dwellers in the country Immediately tribu-
tary.
THE HISTORY OF THE CANAL.
Mr.. Murphy then went into the history
of the canal from the first resolution favor
ing it, passed at the water convention over
! which 7. G. Caiiham presided in 1898,