New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-09-07
RIHER IND HARBOR WIND.

RIVER IND HARBOR WIND.
The River Improvement Convention, now In
sossion at ST. Paul. was pronounced by one of
the earlier speakers "an organized RAID on inc
Treasury of the United States" lie seems to
have told little more of the truth than he IN
tended. These conventions have been heiu
almost every year for a generation or more, anu
have undoubtedly recommended many most
useful improvements some of which nave Deeh
effected and result in great benefit to the
people of the country. On the other hand,
they have recommended about as many worth
less Jobs and wild and impractcable schemes.
Lacking the sense of personal responsibility Tor
their recommendations, the members OF sucn
conventions are in the humor to recommend
ANYTHING that is called improvement Ihey
are sent, rs the conventions themselves are
organized, to create a supposed puollc opinion
ia favor of more or less doubtful jobs, Tor the
really meritorious and needful improvements
do not require to be propelled by convention
wind. The jobbers pay the expenses and IN
cite the delegates to get together, ana they
contrjve to select as rule delegates whose desire
to make flaming speeches is considerably more
pressing than their sense OF responsibility as 10
the recommendations they may make. Accord
ingly the delegates spout furiously,and the con-
vention resolves miscellaneousy, and the job
beers 90 to Washington with formal RESOLUTIONS
of representative men from all the Western
and Southern States,' in which their pet JOBS
however shameless, are linked with great pubic
improvements however necessary.
Such being the genesis of river and harbor
conventions, it is not q matter OF surprise that
IA Ia. Inf lifflp weight
with iudicious people, who have learned no"
these organizations come to pass ana now
they arc conducted. Nevertheless 1t must be
said in their favor that they have gwen dlrcc-
ton and f0rcible expression to the desire OF tne
great majority of the people in the Western ana
Southern States, inasmuch as 1t Is now ana
ever has been prevailing notion that the I'M
provement of the waterways is the only means
of permanently securing cheap transportation
for products Thus it is believed that ship
canal. or 1T all events a canal capable OF taking
boats of large tonnage at low cost, between
the Mississippi River and Lake Michigan would
work a permanent reduction in the rates
charged for freight on roads running into
Chicago from the West and Northwest. IN Is
believed that the more extensive and ehcctllai
Improvement of the Mississippi River, so far
that fleets of barges can be moved with the least
cost from st. Paul to New-Orleans, would per-
manently regulate the cost of transportation
from the Mississippi To the seaboard.
Ii is hardly worth while at this time 70 COM
bat these opinions, or to show how far they are
mistaken. For the fact is that we are iivlng
in an era OF transition. to speak, as respects
the modes of transportation. The conditions
which have always prevailed until within a
very few years seem to have passed away never
to return. Changes that seem likely to be per-
manent, changes 50 extraordinary That they
were deemed utterly impossible ten OF iifteen
years ago. have already been effected IN the cost
of transportation by rail, and not in the cost OF
transportation Ouly, but III the ordinary
charges These changes, and others stu IN
progresg, render it doubtful whether even the
very best of the artificial waterways Will be
able hereafter to exercise any restraining
power as 10 the charges for transportation by
lail This at least is certain that the charges
between Chicago and the scabOard have Tor
some years past been reduced, not on the rail
roads by reason of lake and canal cOmpc;l-
ton. but on the lake and canal by reason of the
competition of railroads. The question to-day,
as to that route, is not whether transportation
by rail shall hereafter be cheaper OF dcarcr than
it is in consequence of any improvement Of the
water WAYS, but whether transportation by the
waterways shall continue at all, or be aban-
doned because Of their growing inability to
compete with the railway syst' H. Under these
circumstances it is needless to discuss in detail
the recommendation of the latest river conven-
ton. These seem to embrace, "a usual, some
merito1ious plans as well as some ineAcusable
Jobs Just at present the Treasury OF the
United States has not a great amount of money
to expend in this or in any other direction.