actories, all find a
market in the Northwest.

What, then, is the proper and sufficient outlet of this commerce? The
Canadians, although their share of it is only one quarter as large as
our own, have shown us the way. They have constructed canals connecting
Lakes Erie and Ontario, and others around the rapids of the St.
Lawrence. Let us do the same on the American side, so that vessels may
load in Chicago or Milwaukee, and deliver their cargoes in New York,
Boston, or Liverpool, without breaking bulk. To Europe this is the
shorter route, as the figures will show:--

Distance from Chicago to New York
by lakes, canal, and river 1,500 miles
Distance from New York to Liverpool 2,980 "
-----
4,480 "

Distance from Chicago to Montreal by
Welland Canal 1,348 miles
Distance from Montreal to Liverpool 2,740 "
-----
4,088 "

The St. Lawrence River is the natural outlet of the Lakes, and, if
rendered accessible to us by canals, must be the cheapest outlet. It is
well known that a few years ago corn was worth on the prairies of
Illinois only ten cents per bushel, when the same article was selling in
New York at seventy cents, six sevenths of the price being consumed in
transportation. The consequence was, that many farmers found it more for
their interest to use their surplus corn for fuel than to sell it for
ten cents. The great disturbance in values caused by the war, and the
vast demand for grain and forage for the army, have reduced this
disproportion in prices very much for the time, but it may be looked for
again on the return of peace.

Now it would seem that one of the most important questions to be
settled in this country is how to cheapen food. If, by the construction
of these canals to give access to the St. Lawrence, grain can be laid
down in New York ten cents a bushel cheaper than it now is done, the
saving on the present shipments of breadstuffs from the Lakes would be
ten millions of dollars annually. It is probable, however, that the
saving in freight would be much greater than this, if the canals were
built of sufficient capacity to admit the largest class of Lake vessels.
This direct trade between the Upper Lakes and Europe was commenced a few
years before the breaking out of the Rebellion, and wa