The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-03-26
THE GREAT WATERWAY.
A Western and a Southern View OF
the Canal Project.--EditOriai
Comment.
WATER ROUTES.


The Omaha Bee of recent date con-
tains strong article on the Hennepin
canal project, and the weight of the en-.
dorsement is being recognized by the
press all over the western country The
article alluded to is headed Government
Development of Water Routes" and is as
follows:
The debate over the bill directing the
government to expend some $9.000,0OO
in the construction of the Hennepin canal
is bringing, rs usual. the railroad lobby at
Washington to the front. The Hennepin
canal scheme is denounced as a useless
waste of government funds in an under
taking which cannot be classed as nation
al In its character. Its projectors are
abused as visiona-ies, and the country is
informed that the opening of water
route from the Mississippi to the lakes is
an Improvement OF purely local interest,
which should be carried into effect, if at
all, by the taxpayers of Illinois. The
many and urgent reasons for the con-
struction of the Hennepin canal need not
be repeated in detail. IL is enough to
state that its construction would give
water transportation TO the products of
the west from the Mississippi valley to
the Atlantic coast Rates on produce
which are now from IL to IL cents to
Chicago, would drop by canal to 6
cents, and bushel of wheat could
readily be carried by water from Rock
Island to New York for the same sum
now charged for the transportation from
the same place 10 Chicago by rail The
Erie canal gives to New York the kew To
the railroad situation in that state The
| cost of water transportation from Chicago
to New York determines the rate of rail
| transportation, and the rate of rail trans
portation is made the base line upon which
through rates are determined and fixed
throughout the country. The Erie canal
as the great adjuster of railroad rates is OF
incalcuable benefit to the country The
extension of canal facilities TO the Missis,
sIppi would be a scarcely less additions
advantage. The certainty that a foster,
| ing of water routes would throw some OF
their staggering systems into involuntary
bankruptcy is the sole basis OF the united
| opposition which the great corporation,
are making to any government develop
ment OF our internal waterways. The
stagnation in canal construction during
| the last twenty years is not SO much due
TO a feeling that the country has OutgrOHT
this means OF transportation as it is 10 lh,
| adverse influences of the railroads. lr
Pennsylvania and other states they have
bought up The canals and abolished them
In the words OF Il recent witness on The
subject before the senate committee on in
ter state commerce, 'whene yer II river ant
harbor bill is pending in congress the rail
road representatives will vote millions TO
improvements which do not materially
affect them, but when it comes 10 an item
like the Hennepin canal, which promise
to be Of valne in extending our system Of
waterways the railroad representatives
whether democrats of republicans. art
found voting sOlidly against it, Ca,
there be any better Illustration of the
necessity for the people to insist upon tn
extension and improvement of our coun'
try's waterways2 France has Just entered
upon the construction of a comprehensiv,
system of canals designed to furnish waite
competition to the chief sections OF tina
country. In England, where the canal
have been largely bought up by the rail
ways and dwarfed or closed, as has beef
done to some extent in this country, tn
| n;o1
now advocating the establishment o
the canals, on an improved basis rs
check on railroad eXtortion Our canals
connecting the great lakes with tn
ocean. which are really national high
ways, ought to be as much a recipient o
the national bounty as the isolated trou
streams, bayous and petty harbors, TO
which liberal appropriations are provide,
each year in the river and harbor bill.
comprehensive system of improving on
principal waterways should be undertak
en- upon scale which will enable steam
the great motive power of the world, L
be advantageously used. and thus reduc
the cost of water transportation in tn
same proportion that the same motor ha
reduced the cost of transportation o.
land II France can expend So. 900. 90
in constructing a system of canals, hoy
much better can the United States aifor
to undertake the same work
SOUTHERN ENDORSEMENT.
| The above has attracted the attentio
OF Hon. F. W. Palmer. for many veal
editor of the Chicago Inter Oreda, and al
terward postmaster at Chicago VIII
prints it in full, and speaks out EDITORIAL
in his paper-the Knoxville Tenn
| ChrOhicle-as follows;
The question of making an appropria
ton for the Henhepin canal is now befor
congress, with fair prospect of its pass
age in the house. In another column wi
be found an excellent article from tn
Omaha (Neb.) Bee, not only advocalin
the necessity of this great improvement
in which the interests of go many STATE
are involved. but stating fairly what III
policy of the country is destined TO be
regard to water transportation. Ea
Tennessee is permeated with rivers an
! the time is coming when they will
made useful, A canal making compile
waterway to the Atlantic from knoxvill
is one of the things dreamed of bv tho
who have gone before us. and ere Ion
will have a contamination.
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