St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-04
A GREAT SHIP CANAL.
One Is Urged by Secretary Thomp-
son of the Duluth Chamber
Of Commerce.
He Would Build 1t From the Great
Lakes via Hudson Bay to
the Sea.

Special I'd tuc 0iOOS.
DULUTH, Mimi, Dec. 3.-Secretary
Thompson, of the chamber or COM
merce, has issued circular letter 10
commercial bodies. asking them TO con-
slider the matter of a convention to con,
slider the matter OF great snip cahal
from the great lakes to the HUDSON
iver and thence to the sea. In TINS he
calls attention to the vast increase oI
the commerce passing through INC
Sault canal and the inadequacy OF pres
emf facilities. The letter follows:
Has not the time fully come when
every consideration of national pros
perify and national honor demands the
construction, by the national govern
ment, of ship canal through American
territory from the great lakes to the
Hudson river and thus to the sea?
Existing facilities are entirely made
uuate for the prompt and economical
transaction of the enormous and con-
stantly increasing volume of traffic pro-
duced by the unparalleled development
of our country. Last year there were
more than one hundred graln-laden yes
sells delayed at one time in the outer
harbor of Buffalo, and in danger OF
freezing up for the winter in an I'M
favorable position: >.
DurIuS IIlG ldlI JuoI PAoo
blockade existed. not quite so serious,
but one which resulted in more than
doubling the rates Oh grain from Buffalo
to New York.
An indication of the tremendous
growth of the traffic on the lakes is
found in the fact that the freight pass
ing through the Sault canal this year
will be over 100000 tons-2, 900, 600
tons more than in any previous year,
and lust about double the average ton
mage of the Suez canal for the past ten
years.
The saving in the cost of transporta-
tion-both directly on the tonnage car
ried OIL the lakes ana indirectly by the
effect of water competition OH railway
freight rateS-is probably not less than
$500, 100000 per year. Who dare at
tempt to determine the annual saving
to the people of the United States If the
great lakes were made practically part
of the ocean, and ocean steamers could
sail from any port on the lakes to any
port in the world?
But great as are the interests i'll
volved, and vast as are the savings in
the cost of transportation which would
be effected by the construction OF such
canal, commercial considerations sink
into insignificance in comparison with
the Importance of this waterway AS an
essential portion Of the national de-
lenses and safeguard to the national
honor.
When the attention of the Dominion
government was called to the violation
of treaty obligations involved in the dis
eliminating tolls imposed upon Amer
lean commerce using the Welland canal,
they first denied, and then delayed,
and finally, after congress had put
into the hands Of the president
the power to exact retaliatory
tolls on Canadian commerce at the Sault
canal, promised to remove the discrim-
ination next year. The retaliation act
was put in force by the president, and
for reply the Dominion government
gave bonus of s25O,000 to hasten the
completion of the Canadian canal at
the Sault, and the government organs
openly boast that when their canal at
the Sault is finished and they are thus
made independent of us at that point,
the passage OF American vessels through
the Welland canal will be absolutely
prohibited, and American commerce
will be cut off from communication
with the sea by the st. Lawrence route.
Inside of five years Canada will have
a waterway, ID feet deep, through her
Superior to the sea. Her vessels and
her commerce can then 60 unhindered
out from the heart of the continent over
all oceans to the markets of the world,
while there are more than $50 warShips
in the English navy which depth of
ID feet would suffice to bring into the
lakes from the sea. What is needed but
the simple statement of the case to stir
the American people to action? 1t is
uncomfortable that nation, which
achieved political independence of
Great Britain when scarce tenth of its
present size, should be content, now
that it has grown to have more than 65,-
600. 900 of people, to be commercially de-
pendent upon a dependency of that
power.
Has not the time fully come for &C
ton?
Should not an organization be formed
to forward this great work?
Do you favor the calling of a conven-
ton to perfect such an organiZatio On?
Is it not best that such convention,
if called, be held soon after the Christ
mas holidays, and held in Washington,
so that the attention of congress may
be directly and forcibly called to the
necessity for immediate action and the
needed legislation may be secured be-
fore the present congress expires by
limitation?
You are earnestly requested TO give
these matters the careful consideration
their Importance merits. and, as the
time Is so short, to send answers to the
inquiries above made 10 the undersigned
at your earliest convenience.