The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1885-10-01

more roads certainly has effected very consider
able reduction Of rates This is proved by COM
pairing the rates now ruling IN this state with thoee
that prevailed say fifteen years ago In 1870 the
Winona and st. Peter branch oftae G. & N. w.
system ofroads was conspicuous throughout the
northwest for Its .exorbitant charges, but the
building Of the branch lines and feeders Ut the c.
n. & st. p. and the absorption by the company
owning the latter Of the Southern Minnesota and
Hastings and Dakota roads compelled the north
western to adopt more generous policy tow ards !
its patrons. Meanwhile the multiplied alton of its
branches and spur lines and the absorption by !
the G. b N. W. Co, Of the st. Paul & Sioux City
lines has had reciprocal influence on the C.: NJ.
+ st. Paul. They covenant with each other and
peol and arrange to keep their rates up, but de-
spite Of all the fact that they have compelled each
other to radical reductions Of freightaRd passen
gers tariffs is patent to all who study the subject.
One reason why the multiplication Of railroads
must tend to reductions of charges In a sparsely
settled country like this is that It divides the
business aud lessons the amounts obtained by in
dividual lines unless measures are taken to pre-
vent such result, and one method of preve nting
this is for the companies themselves to do all in
their power to attract additional settlers into the
contiguous territory. They certainly could not
accomplish this result by maintaining such un-
reasonable rates for carry ing away the surplus
products Of the farmers to leave the latter with
out any profit on their Investments and labor.
1t Is not the railroads alone that have made this
State what it is. Our facilities for water trans-
portation have been = far moro important actor.
Il slArgey % the possession Of these that we owe
EsAr nt1ailnaxa sysaeuasa and tho future
addftfens to our railway ysdepsnd In great meas
| ure on their Improvement. Through the lakes We
can reach seven of greatest and richest States
and much OF Canada and will Ultimately be able
to ship directly tn foreign countries without break
ing bulk. By the Mississippi river and its large
tributaries We eau communicate directly with q
territory of Immense extent and unsurpassed
ichHess, and with q signal transfer Of cargo cln
end our produce to all parts of the world, pee
tally to Central and South America and the
West India islands. We should allow no occa-
sion to influence the maintenance and improve
ment of these highways of commerce and travel
to pass by unimproved. They should have our
first and most earnest efforts. Next to them<the
Red River Of tho North might come in for large
share of our attention. It's improvement puts US
| In communication by lwatcr with the wealthy and
fast growing providence Of anitoba and. through
the lakes and rivers beyond, with the extensive
and productive northwest territory. If the pro
ject of an ocean route through Hudsons bay should
prove feasible, which is not at all likely, it would
| but open for as third avenue Of transportation
| by water to the Atlantic Ocean. But where we
| must mainly expect to be gamers from the i'm
provement of Red river will be in having the pro-
duce of the northern country brought to some river
portion our western border and shipped thence
across the State either to lake Superior the Mis-
| sissppi river. 1t is vain to suppose that Canada
con compel the bulk Of that produce to 60 by way
of Thunder bay, for it is alaw Of commerce that
traffic will seek the shortest quickest and cheap
est route, and legislation cannot permanently
divert it into unnatural channels. AS the country
on the upper Missouri river develops, the people of
this State will also be deeply interested in its i'm
provement for many of the products of that upper
region will find their best markets in the eastern
States, to which they can be msst quickly and
chesply sent by way of rail to Duluth and reship-
ment thence to their destination. But besides these
we have very important local water ways within
the State. The Minnesota and Upper Mississippi
rivers for instance, and even some of the smaller
streams and interior lakes. The improvement of
these will be required in futurej by local traffic
and that they will be improved have no doubt
WhatI would now urge yoa to do is to push the
claims OF the most lmportant-the mississippi and
great lakes rst Insist upon it that your represen
tative in Congress shall exert himself in their be-
half and that your members of the State Legislature
shall use all their influence in the same direction.
Meanwhile encourage new railroad enterprises and
the extension Of existing lines. You are not likely
to get too many Of them and they all will contr;-
butte to develop and enrich the State and facilitate
the increase of your own fortune.
<h.t how I'd IN ;u;p n
you to degree that VIII compensate for the time
you have spent in listening. most sincerely thank
you for the kind attention with which have been