National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-01-20


made and that speedily; for the east must
look to the west for market aud, in the
present and prospective state OF our
shipping interest and the low price of labor
abroad. can look nowhere else. With our
higher priced labor and our lack OF ship
ping facilities we find ourselves unable
to compete In the markets of the
world with the manufactures OF other
countries, and there is no prospect
that we will be soon in better position I'm
that respect. Our statesmen seem unable
to devise any scheme that will change this
situation, and we must, therefore, look to
the west for such market, for there we
can find It, and greatly benefit both Sec
tions Of our own country by such improve
ment Of our western waterways as will
relieve the west of the enormous burdens
of freight charges now sapping its pros
perity.
The maintenance of our foreign com
merce likewise demands this improvement.
Our expectations have always been largely
made up Of the products Of agriculture
During the past ten years such products
have constituted from - to 50 per cent. Of
our exports, and Of the agricultural pro.
ducts exported from 03to 95percent comes
from the west. We find ourselves now at
great disadvantage in the expectation of
these products, especially with grain and
breadstufrs, which is the chief element of
such expectation. Since the suez canal
was opened the British people have
made great efforts to develop q
growth OF wheat IN India TO
take the place of supplies from the
United States, aud they have been re-
wardCd with great success. In 1879 they
obtained from that source but 100000
bushels but such had been the growth OF
the Indian wheat production that in 1888,
four years later, they were able to obtain
about 2l,00O,0OO. At the opening of the
Suez canal the export Of wheat from lndir
amounted TO almost nothing, but In 1888 II
exceeded 39,000,00O bushels. II has now
attained a magnitude which, in conjunction
with the supplies from other quarters, hal
greatly reduced the drafts upon this coun
try. In 1850 our expectation of breadstulr
amounted to $3.50, 900, 900, but in 1885 it hat
fallen to about $1,000 900, owing to tn
high cost of internal transportation adyanc
ing the price IN exporting markets beyont
the figures at which It could be PLACED
abroad.
Asa consequence of this decline, the bread
stuff producers of the west have suffered
We have nearly G0,OOO,OOO bushels of whea
sin sight" now, double the quantity o
visible supply at like date in any forme
year, and It cannot be sold, because no othe
people can afford to take 1t at the low prlc
at which we can afford to sell It.
The improvement of these western water
ways will remedy these evils by providing
cheaper transportation for the products o
the west. For many OF them, especial
grain and breadstufTs, 1t will provide ade
quate facilities in itself, and for Others I
viii do a like service by the regulativ
effect Of water rates upon rail routes. Raj
rates on grain from Chicago to the Atlantl
seaboard during the season Of navigation ar
controlled by lake rates. These rate
fell from "a cents per bushC
in 1875 to 10 In 1880 and 10 In 1885,
During the past season rates have average
about 10 cents per hundred pounds fror
| NulCuBO W NcW iOih, Dut slnCc tuc ClO'
ing of the lakes they have been advance
TO "A cents. Rates between Chicago an
points FIVE hundred miles northwes
are from 80 TO 40 per cent. lowe
than from Chicago to point
FIVE hundred miles southwest, b,
cause of the nearness of Duluth in the nortl
west, to rates west of the Mississippi
river are fully 25 per cent. higher than ca
of that stream, because of the effect of u
lakes In the other locality. Such facts ;
these show the regulative effect of watt
rates upon rail routes, aud show that b
such Improvement of western waterways,
are now being asked for, trNnsportatlo
would be greatly cheapened in the ives
which will restore our position in Il
worlds market, protect our export trad
and provide market for eastern manufa
lures in the west. Such benefits ought
be secured at the earliest practicable dat