Let Those Who Are Susceptible Of
Statistics Ponder That.
For them who are not I can only give this
advice:
Let them go to Buffalo next October, and look for
themselves.
In regarding the above figures, and the increase shown between the
years 1860 and 1861, it must of course be borne in mind that,
during the latter autumn, no corn or wheat was carried into the
Southern States, and that none was exported from New Orleans or the
mouth of the Mississippi. The States of Mississippi, Alabama, and
Louisiana have for some time past received much of their supplies
from the Northwestern lands; and the cutting off of this current of
consumption has tended to swell the amount of grain which has been
forced into the narrow channel of Buffalo. There has been no
Southern exit allowed, and the Southern appetite has been deprived
of its food. But taking this item for all that it is worth - or
taking it, as it generally will be taken, for much more than it can
be worth - the result left will be materially the same. The grand
markets to which the Western States look and have looked are those
of New England, New York, and Europe. Already corn and wheat are
not the common crops of New England. Boston, and Hartford, and
Lowell are fed from the great Western States. The State of New
York, which, thirty years ago, was famous chiefly for its cereal
produce, is now fed from these States. New York City would be
starved if it depended on its own State; and it will soon be as
true that England would be starved if it depended on itself. It
was but the other day that we were talking of free trade in corn as
a thing desirable, but as yet doubtful - but the other day that Lord
Derby, who may be Prime Minister to-morrow, and Mr. Disraeli, who
may be Chancellor of the Exchequer to-morrow, were stoutly of
opinion that the corn laws might be and should be maintained - but
the other day that the same opinion was held with confidence by Sir
Robert Peel, who, however, when the day for the change came, was
not ashamed to become the instrument used by the people for their
repeal. Events in these days march so quickly that they leave men
behind; and our dear old Protectionists at home will have grown
sleek upon American flour before they have realized the fact that
they are no longer fed from their own furrows.
I have given figures merely as regards the trade of Buffalo; but it
must not be presumed that Buffalo is the only outlet from the great
corn-lands of Northern America. In the first place, no grain of
the produce of Canada finds its way to Buffalo. Its exit is by the
St. Lawrence or by the Grand Trunk Railway as I have stated when
speaking of Canada. And then there is the passage for large
vessels from the upper lakes - Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, and Lake
Erie - through the Welland Canal, into Lake Ontario, and out by the
St. Lawrence.
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