Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-12-24
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.

The Waterways Convention at Kansas City
nent Organization.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-. Dec. 1.-THE Ms
souri, river improvement convention
yesterday resolved itself into perma-
nent organization with an executive
committee consisting of two members
from each of the states of Montana,
North Dakota, South Dakota, Mimic
sofa, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Colora-
do, Missouri Illinois, Kentucky, Ten
nessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Lou
iSiana.
First-Inasmuch as the constitution con-
fides 10 the general government the reguia-
ton of commerce with foreign nations
among the several states, an essential means
to which is adequate and economical trans
portation facilities; gives il exclusive juris-
dictiOn over the navIgable waters or the
United Stat IS, AMI enjoins upon it the pro-
motion of the public welfare, no exercise of
its power is more legitimate. no expenditure
of public money more fully authorized, and
no duty more imperative than such i'm
provement of waterways of national iCa
portance as will secure the most adequate
and economical transportation Tor the prod
ucts of the people.
Second-The records of the government
show that OF the commodities entering into
the export trade of the United States 90 per
cent of agricultural production. OF
VIII CHI SO per cent is produced in the valleys
of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, which
fact demonstrates the national IMPORTANCE
in foreign trade of the chief industry Of
these great valleys. 1t Is universally recog
n Zed that the manufacturing, mining and
forestry industries of the country find the
principal consumers OF their products in the
farmers and planters residing in these great
valleys, upon whose prosperity theirs is
therefore dependent. In view OF these facts
the promotion of the agricultural industry
of the Missouri and Mississippi valleys is OF
to- fr,fr
depends alike our foreign commerce and the
prosperity of all other great productive In
dustries.
Third-A2riculture in these great valleys
has become depressed, and in turn retards
other industries, by commercial changes
which make it necessary to provide cheaper
transportation for its great staple products
than has yet been afforded or can be at
forded by railroad facilities alone Trans
portatiou Is non productive industry, and
It's cost is a tax upon production, which the
public welfare demands should be so adj
jus ed by such wise provision OF facilities
as will secure the minimum charge
consistent with the equitable profit
of those engaged therein Experience
in both this and other countries mas
shown that the average cost of water trans
pr rtation for the products of agriculture as
well as of mining and forestry and the
cheaper commodities OF manufactures. does
not exceed one fifth that of railroads where
water lines ars absent: while with CO. exist
ing water and rail facilities the water lines
take such cheap commodities at such lower
rates as indicated. and effect a reduction of
fully one-half in the average in the cost of
all transportation. thus securing the pro-
ducers correspondingly extends d markets
and increased rewards for their labor,
and promoting all productive in
dustries and the general welfare of the peo-
Pile Experience ha. likewise demonstrated
that where water lines exist to carry the
cheap products of agriculture and other
heap commodities. the increased prosper :
ity of the people and the development of
correlated industries resulting the refrOm,
provide for the railroads greater tonnage
and larger net earnings than accrue to roads
not so situated. Therefore while the pro-
vision of water transportation for such
cheap commodities in these great valleys
promotes all productive industry, it is no
less in the interest of the railroads than in
the interest of the people.
Fourth-The surveys of the Mis- lr and
Mississippi rivers bv the officers OF the gov
eminent have shown them to possess an
abundant volume of water for the trans
portaton demanded, if properly improved
and controlled Therefore, in view of the
facts herein recited the speedy and COM
plete Improvement of these streams. so as
to fully utilize their value as channels Of
commerce, is of national Significance, de-
manded alike by our foreign trade. by all
productive industries by the interest of
railways and by the general welfare of the
entire country.
of the Improvement of these waterways We
refer with peculiar qualification to the dec
laration of President Harrison that ''it is a
better policy when a work has once been
determined to be of national significance
that the appropriation should be sufficient
to bring it speedily and without loss to a
conclusion and commend with the highest
approval the enuncatiOn of such policy on
the part of the n tIonal executive We com
mend to congress a policy of adequate and
continuous appropriations. to be placed at
the disposal of the officers of the gov. m
ment, for such application as in their scien-
tifc judgment will most surely, speedily and
permanently open these great waterways to
the commerce of the country.
Sxth-The general system adop ed for the
Improvement of the Mis- 4 Sippi and Mis-
to be adequate and effective. and is ap-
proved, not only Y the highest pr ncfpIes
o: engin ering science. but by experience in
other countries and our own. 1t IS th-re-
fore entitled to the unqualified approval of
this cow ention and of congress. ami in
view of the magnitude of the national inter-
SITS dependent upon its application this
system should be continued and its greater
perfection made possible by liberal and con.
tinuous appropriations.
Seventh-The appropriations for the i'm
provement OF the Missouri and Mississippi
rivers should be separated from the riv- r
and harbor bill, the magnitude of the inter-
ests dependent thereon being such as to en-
title them to national recognition anu the
ment.
Eixhth-We urgently represent that the
necessities of the situation demand the an
nual appropriation by congress of the sums
of IS OO0 900 for the Missouri river and of 81.
O0,O0J for the Mississippi river. and that
such appropriations should be contiGu ned
until those rivers are mad safely navigable
from the head waters of the Missouri to its
mouth and from the mouth of the Missouri
to the gulf.
NInth-The efforts for the Improvement
of the Mississippi river in the past ten years
having proven that the control of the flood
waters of that stream by means of levees,
whereby its waters are kept within the chan
mel and the present locat on of the river
Maintained, are essential TO the improve
ment of the river for navigation, no less
than for the protection of the lower valley
from the enormous damage resulting from
inundation. such levees should be reco =
nized by congress as part Of the necessary
improvement of that stream and be ade-
gu ,fely provided for N appropriations
The resolutions further request the
people along the Mississippi to organize
to aid in improving their districts and
favor appropriations for the Hennepin
canal
Fine French Paintings Seized
MINNEAPOLIS, Mimi, Dec 17.-United
States treasury officials made another