Year: 1866




than the agriculturist, inasmuch as
we have for many years produced a
surplus Of breadstuffs which must be
exported in some form. The foreign
market for this surplus affects the
price of the product consumed at home.
Hence it is that the markets in Liver
pool control, to great extent, the
price of the wheat, the corn, the beef.
and pork at Chicago or upon the farms
of the West. Our farmers are thus
brought in competition with the wheat
growing countries of Russia, Egypt,
and Turkey, and whatever will cheap,
en- the cost of transportation of the
products of the farm will aid the farm.
er until the demand at home or abroad
exceeds the supply when the consumer
will be benefited. the States most di,
rectly interested in this subject are
the great prairie States of the West,
as they produce nearly if not all the
surplus cereals now produced in this
country, as will be readily seen by a
reference to the statistics upon this
subject.


In 1864 there was produced in Hi,
nois, Wisconsin, and Iowa, one fourth
of all the live stock produced in this
,ountry, amounting in value to $240,-
600 900, in round numbers of wheat,
more than one third, or $4,000, 600
bushels ; of corn, nearly one half, or
$50, ,OO0,O 900 bushels of cattle, 2,OO0,-
900, or one third of the whole product :;
and of hogs, 1000, 900, or nearly one
third of the whole product. This,
with a population of about three tenths
of the whole population of this coun-
try. The surplus of this enormous
product must find a market in New
England and other eastern States or
it must go abroad. but state the
truth when | say that our farmers are
now being ground to powder between
the upper and neither milestone of mo-
nopoly that requires for transportation
to New York one bushcl of wheat for
every bushcl transported from the Mis-
sissippi to New York. and two for eve
ry bushcl of corn thus transported !;
and for this reason they are looking
with intense interest upon our deliber-
ations here to give them some relief
whereby their toll may bc properly re-
warded. The measure now before the
House have no doubt will be of ma
terial service in the right direction
But it is not enough, and this Congress
will fail in the discharge of one of its
most important obligations to the
country if it adjourns without pass
ing an act to remove all instructions
now in the way of the safe and contin-
uous navigation of the great river
that threads itself midway between
the oceans that mark our eastern and
western boundary, running from the
British possessions to the Gulf of
Mexico. That is the natural highway
for the commerce of the Mississippi
valley, both to the eastern portions Of
our own country and to foreign mar
kets. And the West will not be con-
tent until the Instructions in way OF
successful navigation of this river are
removed, the most material of which
lie upon the borders of Iowa and Illi-
noiS.


We are told that we must find a
home market by building up in our
midst manufactures, and thus bring
the consumers of bread to the doors of
those who produce it. will say or
do nothing that would discourage the
growth of manufactures in the West
or elsewhere in our country, but by
proper and prudent Legislation encour-
age their growth, and to that end
would welcome eastern capital seeking
investment in that direction. Yet no
one who has beheld and travelled over
our boundless and fertile prairies can
fail to see that this region is destined
to become, if it is not now, the grana-
ry of the world, and with all the looms
and spindles of New England and the
forges and rolling-mlls of Pennsylva-
MIA transplanted there we would still
have surplus of agricultural products
that would be transported long dis
tance before market could be sccur-
ed. 1t is safe to assume that the in
crease of population, including immi-
grafton, will keep pace with produc-
ton of cereals and breadstuffs, and
the agriculturist will always seek the
cheapest and most productive soils
1t has been reasonably estimated that
of wheat alone there will be produced
at the beginning of the next century
annually five hundred million bushels,
and of corn at least three times that
number of bushels, one half of which
will be produced in the prairie States
west of Chicago, and chiefly consumed
at points east of Buffalo, and must in
some form be transported thither
This cannot be done except through
the improved natural channels which
nature has worked out by way OF
New Orleans and the great lakes. And
here | wish to correct an error in
which the gentleman from New York


Mr.. Hulburd in common with many
others has fallen, namely, that because
of the nature Of the Gulf stream and
the warm climate wheat and corn can
not be transported by way of New Or
leans. This difficulty does not now ex
list, as by means of elevators at con
venient points'on the river the wheat
and corn can reach New Orleans in {
perfect condition, from which it can bt
} easily and safely transported to any o
, the markets Of the world and tn,