Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-05-28

FOR the construction. repair, and preservation
OF certain public works on rivers and harbOrs,
ahu Tor other purposes
Mr.. Chairman British East India's
competition in the wheat, cotton, and
sugar markets Of the world is enor-
mously increased by the rapid improve
ments of its water ways and construc-
ton Of its railroads under the patron
age of the Government of Great
Britain.
According to British Official Reports,
the export of the East India cotton
increased from 332, 255, 728 pounds in
the year 1879 to 691, 049 1916 pounds in
1888, an increase of over $685. 900
pounds, or more than 100 per cent. in
four years, or an average of upward
of % per cent. per year increase.
The export of British East India
wheat, according to the authority, in
creased from $4,000 bushels in 1874 to
something over 43, 900 bushels in
1885. The exports of 1884 and 1885
amounted to "a, 10000 bushels, re-
sulting in a loss to Jul farmers of over
$80,000,000 and of nearly 900
tons of freight to our water routes and
railways.
In 1888 we exported LOG, 1856, 900
bushels OF wheat at Slip per buShel.
In 1885 u export Of wheat was re-
duced by competition with British
East India wheat to "a, 5000 bushels
at 81 cents per bushel.
The shipment of wheat from San
Francisco for the six months ending
December 81, 1884, was l2,447 900
bushels; for the corresponding months
of 1885 only 5,850,000 bushels.
Our shipments of wheat to Great
Britain during the last five months of
the year 1884 were, stated in round
numbers, 100000 bushels; for the
corresponding months of 1885, 4,500,-
900; showing a decrease of 7,400,-
900. During the same months
the shipment of East India wheat
to Great Britain amounted to 6,833, 900
in 1884, and to 1857, 900 in 1855 f;
showing an increase of 1904, 900.
The exports of British East India
sugar was increased from Al, 900
pounds in 1879 to 200,000,000 in 1884,
the last year named being an increase
of 100000 900 pounds over the export
of 1879.
These enormous exports of cotton,
wheat and sugar from British East
Indian are only limited by lack of
transportation to the seaboard, an OBJ.
stacle that is rapidly disappearing by
the improvements in the river, canal
and rail transportation routes by the
British Government.
The British East Indian "ryot" OF
farm laDorer, the worst oppressed and
most degraded Of all human beings,
lives on rice and millit seed, goes
almost entirely without clothing all
the year round. and works for about
three "annas," or eight or nine cents
per day.
1t is estimated that there are 100000
square miles of undeveloped East
Indian sugar, wheat. cotton, and rice
lands yet to be put under cultivation.
Upward of $500, 600, 900 have been
expended in improving the water
routes and building railroads from the
cotton, wheat, rice, and sugar-produc-
ing regions of British East India to
the seabord since the year 1880. The
earnings of the same in 1888 and 1884
amounted to $62,441,280.
There are remedies for all evils.
The difficulties presented by British
competition in the markets of the
world will be removed when our pro.
ducing interests are properly guarded
by Congress. The chief cause of the
stagnation of our cotton, wheat, rice,
sugar, and other industries is the neg
lect OF our ter-transportation
routes. There is another cause, be.
You'd all question, that should he re-
moved, and l shall call the attention
OF the House to it at the proper time ;
but the Improvement Of water-trans-
portation routes to our seaboard de.
mands immediate attention.
Now, Mr.. Chairman, l have endeav-
ored to show the possibilities of the
Mississippi River as one of the streams
the Improvement of which is proposed
in this bill. 1t has been shown before
the Committee on Rivers and Harbors
and l hold in my hand the evidence
that the effect on freight by this river
on the products of the West in grain
alone results in a saving to the pro-
ducerS of more than twenty one mil.
lion dollars annually. The report, by
the gentleman from Illinois TMr.
Thomas of the select committee ap-
pointed Oy the Forty-seventh Congress
TO investigate the Improvements Of the
Mississippi River, shows that these
improvements al proposed by the COM
mission will cost not exceeding
$50,000,0 00.
The plans proposed by the commits
sion are Endorsed almost unanimously
by all the distinguished engineers who
have had them under consideration;
wherever they have been allowed any
thing like a fair trial they have proven
successful. This is admitted by all
who have examined the matter sufici-
emily to reach a correct conclusion. l
think in the above l have given to
every candid mind a satisfactory an
swer to the questions ~propounded by