Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-05-07
The Question OF Cheap Transportation.

WASHINGTON, April "a.
In the Senate to-day Mr.. Window pre-
sented report from the Committee on
TRANSPORTATION, and stated that the com.
mittee have come to the conclusion that
no substantial reduction in the cost of
transportation is to be anticipated from
unregulated competition between exist
ing railways, nor Is competition TO be in
duced by authorizing the construction of
additional lines, il they are TO be under
private management and control. As TO
the power of Congress under the Consti-
tuition to regulate interstate commerce,
the committee find:
l. That Congress. In its discretion and under its
responsibility TO the people, may first prescribe
rules by which instruments, vehicles and agents
STATE into and through another shall be gov
erned, whether such transportation Is by land or
water.
struetion Of railways or canals where the
shall be necessary for the regulation OF COM
merce.
8. That it raay incorporate companies with au-
4 That II may exercise the right Of eminent
domain within State in order TO provide for the
construction OF said railways or canals, etc.
5. II may. In the exercise OF the right OF emil
nent domain. take for public use, paying just com
pensation therefor, any existing railway or canal
owned by private persons or corporations.
These propositions are discussed at
considerable length in the report of the
committee, and the decisions of the courts
from which they are deduced are there
cited. After a most careful consideration
of the merits Of the various proposed i'm
provements, taking into account the cost
practicability and probable advantages of
each, the committee have come TO the
unanimous conclusion that the following
are the most feasible and advantageous
channels of commerce to be created or i'm
proved by the National Government,
Congress shall act upon this subject,
namely:
l. The Mississippi River.
2. A continuous water-line Of adequate capacity
from the iseisrippi River TO the city OF New
York, ria the northern lakes.
8. A route, adequate To the wants OF commerce,
through the central tier OF States, from the Mis-
si.sppi River yi1 the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers,
% POINT in West virginia, thence by canal and
slack water or by freight ilway TO Underwater
4. ronte from the Mississippi River, gtG the
Ohio and Tennessee Rivers, TO point in Alabama
or Tennessee, and thence by canal and slack
water or by o freight railway TO the ocean.
The committee estimate the cost of the
improvement of the Mississippi River at
$1G,000,000 of the northern route, in
GLIDING. the Fox s. Wisconsin River
Canal and Hennepin Canal, and enlarge
ment of the New York canals, the cost is
estimated at $4,000, 600; of the central
route, including the radical improvement
Of the Ohio River TO give six or seven
feet of navigation at low water, and of the
Kanawha River to give six feet of water,
1926 600, 900, and the connection by canal
or freight railway to tide-water in
Virginia, canal to cost $55,000,O00,
or railroad $25, 900, 600. OF the south
ern route, the improvement of the Ten
nessee River 10 give three feet of navigation,
So 600, 600, and the construction of canal
or freight railway to the Atlantic Ocean at
cost respectively of $35 ,000, 900 or $780,
100000. If canals be constructed the
total cost will be about $155, ZOO, 600. II
the railways be chosen, the total cost will
be about $120,000,0 900. An actual ex.
penditure of from $20,0O0,o0 to $25,
900 per annum will be required for six
years, when the whole work can be com.
pleted. The resulting benefits will for all
time annually repay more than the entire
cost.
But am asked how the money is TO be
raised for these improvements. / reply
1. BY system of rigid economy in all
expenditures not absolutely necessary, by
which nearly enough can be saved for this
purpose. 2. BY the issue Of public i'm
provement bonds; or, 3. BY taxation. If
the latter policy be adopted / suggest
that restoration of the tax on tea and
coffee will produce about $20,00O,OO0 per
annum, which will be sufficient to COM
plete the entire work in six years. The
repeal of that tax has caused but little, If
auv -pducfin., In the cost OT those arti
cles and its restoration would not
materially increase it. AT the end
of six years the tax could be repealed, and
these great public works would stand for
ever as monuments to the wisdom of the
present Congress. do not believe, how
ever that IL would be necessary either to
issue bonds or to levy additional taxes.
The Inauguration of the system of in
ternal improvements indicated would so
stimulate the business energies of the
country that we would find 1t easier to
raise the additional revenue required than
it now is to meet existing obligations.