practical papers—transportation, Etc. 361 
transportation from one state, to, or through another, and yet, 
when he had proved his proposition, he left the farmers of that 
county in no better condition than they were before, because, who 
in these days, have more confidence in the American congress 
than in the legislature of his own state. 
I have heard the complaint of the farmer and the answer of 
the railroad man, and have tried to give them a candid and unbi¬ 
ased consideration, and I doubt whether the through freights from 
the far west to the seaboard cities can be reduced so as to furnish 
any considerable relief, and at the same time furnish an adequate 
compensation to those engaged in the carrying trade. I have no 
doubt, however, that by some judicious legislation on the subject, 
the farmer would be benefited to some extent. The greatest 
cause of complaint, so far as I have been able to investigate the 
matter, is in those who are forced to ship at way stations be¬ 
ing compelled to make up to the companies what they loose in 
competing with other through freight lines. The great burden of 
the speakers and writers of the hour is u a through freight double 
track road from the Mississippi valley to the Atlantic seaboard, ,r 
and most of those who are agitating that scheme are in favor of a 
congressional job. For my part, I would say, from all congres¬ 
sional railroads “Good Lord deliver us.” 
In the very able speech by Mr. Carpenter, already referred to, 
he makes one objection to the congressional plan that would be 
sufficient to condemn it, that is, the necessity “of appointing a 
host of government officers to run it.” However, when private 
enterprise can see money in building the road, let congress grant 
a charter, with such proper restrictions, as will make the road 
when built a permanent advantage to the whole country. But 
whoever lives to see the building of such a road, will see a corre¬ 
sponding increase in the supplies of food. The resources of the 
northwest are hardly commenced to be developed as yet. The 
chief advantage that will accrue to the individual farmer, will be 
in the reduction of taxation consequent upon the large increase of 
taxable property in the country. 
My theory on the transportation question, is not to transport at 
all. Last summer when Farmer Smith, secretary of the State 
Agricultural Society of Illinois, was astonishing every body with 
