The Minneapolis journal., 1901-02-19
A CASE IN POINT

There has recently been organized in
New York freight traffic bureau having
the backing Of the mercantile interests
and oficered by men prominent in jobbing
and manufacturing circles. 1t has for it's
avowed object the securing of equitable
rates Of transportation. and the preven-
ton of railroad discrimination.
This is interesting, as indicating that
New York is becoming alive to the fact
that she has been losing ground COM
mercially in relative degree for sew
eral years. Many lines of interior trade
relationship have been loosened and
others have broken. The tendency has
been for exporters in the interior to seek
for an outlet through other channels, and
while New York has maintained her place
and even shown increases by yearly COM
parisons as to volume of trade, she has
shown no gain at all proportionate to the
general increase in the country's busi-
ness. Her export business does not grow.
Other ports have made material gains
while New York stood still. Primary
causes for this stagnation have been the
generally congested state of traffic in and
to effect clearances, and the fact, or, at
least, the belief, that New York has not
as good facilities for handling large ship
ments expeditiously as other ports.
Apparently safe in her overshadowing
position, New York has felt false sense
~ h
lowed great deal of export business to
be diverted, much of it, especially that
originating in the northwest, finding an
outlet through Baltimore, Philadelphia and
Newport News. In the matter of wheat
exports the port statistics show that
clearances from New York for the seven
months ending in January were 10, 1862, 1852
bushels, as compared with 1875, SOC bush
els during the same period Of time in the
previous year.
Another comparison, and perhaps a
fairer one, is found in the figures for
January, New York clearings Of wheat
running to 1773, ,797 bushels, as compared
with 1,442,771 bushels year ago. This is
favorable at first glance, but when 1t is
considered that our country exported dur
ing January 100000 bushels more wheat
than In January, 1900, and that of this
quantity New York secured only 3S1 900
bushels, the comparison becomes very un-
favorable. Commenting on the situation,
the New York Journal of Commerce says:
In the light Of these comparisons, New
York's showing is hardly satisfactory. TAX
ing the exports of all classes of breadstuffs,
in value, the month of January can hardly
be designated as a favorable one for this
port in that, out of total increase Of 81, ,00O :
900 in the value of exports, New York has
secured less than 100000.
The effect Of this, confined at first to
shipping circles, is now being felt in some
degree in business lines generally. While
other ports have had freight bureaus,
active and ever on the alert to capture
new business, New York has shown in
difference, and she now comes into line
late, hoping by this means to maintain
her prestige and hold the trade that is
fast slipping from her.
The above is interesting as to New
York, but it. becomes particularly sugges-
tive when the fact is noted that Mime
apolis has already begun to exhibit symp-
toms OF the same indifference which have
been so expensive in New York. New
York has felt secure in her position as
the metropolis of the country. Mime
apolis has felt secure in her position as
the metropolis of the northwest. But
Minneapolis is not more secure in her
position than was New York in her hold
upon commerce and trade of the country
at large. New York is now trying to re-
cover lost ground. Shall we wait in Min
neapolis until 1t becomes necessary to
recover lost ground, or shall we provide
now the agencies, organize the means and