Year: 1871

The Baton Rouge Gazette and Comet con
tains we'll written editorial Astounding il
truths plainly spoken. For the information


OF our readers generally and commercial


men especially We reproduce the article re-


ferred to:


1t may be a matter of some import TO the


people of the country to know exactly what


their great commercial city is losing. solely


because there is a lack Of enterprise and


gO-aheadativeness with its solid men. Mat.


tiers OF business have taken long stride on


the grand progressive load, and the great


misfortune is the business men of New Or.


leans have not kept up, they have fallen be-


hind all her competitors at least ten wears.


and have lost what they can not again re.


claim in twenty years.


In fact, New Orleans should properly con-


troll very great portion of the trade Of the


Mississippi valley. large share of which


che has already lost. and each year of her


inactive existence only adds nice percent


age to the disaster. The cause Of this is


very plain; it is SO plain that St. Louis and


other cities OF the West are competing with


her for the products Of her old customers


along the Mississippi valley, and sending


them all their Western produce direct


Having partially succeeded in this through


the medium Of cheap river TRANSPORTATION.


long lines of railway branches are being


run into the interior, and ere long the trade


that once blocked up the Crescent mart
from Texas to Louisiana will be whizzinc
along at merry speed toward those jolly


Western fellows, who know exactly how TO
hold the cat for him to make decent leap.


Already We witness new enterprise in
vogue to start line of steamers, Of which
the Francis Wright will I've the pioneer
steamer. direct from New York to the Texas
ports. This is done because there is lack
OF railroad communication between New
Orleans and the different cities Of Texas.
ana on account OF the extOrtiOnate charges
OF the line OF steamers running between
New Orleans and the Texas ports, which
make it more advantageous to the mer-
chants OF the Texas sea coast cities to send
direct to New York for their stocks. When
this new line is started we NAV reasonably
anticipate a large falling off of Texas trade.
and Which will 60 direct to New York in.
stead Of passing through the hands of our
Crescent city fogies. Besides this. as com.
petition is the life of trade, we may look for
trade for their friends in the East.
and will damage us really more than we can
at present fOresee.


Not only this. but look at the trade of
Northwest Louisiana as it glides ont upon
the upward bound steamers. that 90 and
come regularly with full cargoes from and
tor the merchants and planters of that Sec
ton Of country. New Orleans gets some
trade from Western Louisiana. but it is a
mere plcayune business to what she should
have were the facilities procured 20 bring
her the trade. All this has been brought
about by the palpable neglect of the busi.
less community of New Orleans to foster
md encourage the valuable home enter.
1rises that would certainly afford her every
AGILITY to compete with any citv in the |
Union; sheer lack of energy which is not |
upon any grounds.


Why is the New Orleans, Mobile and |
Texas railroad cried down and MONOPOLY |
'uffed that is about to run the Texas trade
rom that city When will a connect;on
With Shreveport and other cities and towns
a western Louisiana be made by rail
Nil the people of Texas ever have anv
ther Inducements than the present to trade
With New Orleans, and will they be allowed
0 cut their trade off without a STRUGGLE to
etan their good fellowship viii the
heap transportation movement ever
mount to anything more tangible than the
lngle adoption OF those resolutions by the |
,hamoer OF Commerce some time during
be summer?


1t appears to casual readers and thinkers
the country that New Orleans, as
hole, is badly demOralized. The animus
I the daily press shows it. Where are the
did commercial writer's of the past-men
Tho could string three sentences together
any other subject than politics Where
re the sturdy merchants Of the past? Have
hey sunk their money bags, and repaired
the shades Of retirement! Where are all
ne moneyed men9 Have they staked their
ottom dollars on legislative and other
tate warrants just to help the poor fellows
long! And lastly, but not the least, do all
lese men we inquire after, intend that their
ty, State and themselves shall 20 to the
evil boOtless!
We have spoken freely and plainly upon
,is subject, because we feel a pride in our
oble Pelican State and every worthy thing
'nnected with it's history, but not because
e mean disparagement to our Crescent
ity friends; to the contrary, nothing would
ford us more pleasure than to see millions
dollars turned into its Golfers and hack
ON the cities of distant States that gov
ned the southern market before the war :
nd got the use of slave-earned money.
ith which they can well afford to live In !
lxury and lend aid and comfort to 2 dan
erous element-0ne that has now nearly
'slaved US with an overwhelming debt ,
lat will probably run for ages to come.