The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-03-27
DBLAHARB'S CHANNEL.
Appropriation for Its Improve
ment Which Every Citizen
Should Approve.

The action of the Senate of Pennsyl-
wanna last week In appropriating $500, 600
for the Improvement of the channel of
the Delaware River between Philadel-
phia and the sea, is one that should
meet the hearty approval not only of
those citizens who have a commercial
interest in the matter. but of every citi-
zen of the Commonwealth who has any
pride of State in his heart.
1t is clearly the business of the State
to assist Philadelphia lin this undertake
irg, for the State owes it to herself n
to the vast enterprises of her people to
at once make this important port as ac-
cessable to the modern Steamships as are
now the ports of New York. Boston and
Baltimore. Until this is lone we must
submit to the increasing prosperity of
these cities and the States back of them,
and realize that much of it is at the ex-
pense of the business interests of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
A FOOLISH ARGUMENT.
The argument that this is solely Phila-
delphia's duty is a foolish one, without
depth of sense or basis of reason. The
City of Philadelphia has made for this
purpose a liberal appropr:ation-one in
proportion to the Increased prosperity
that would accrue to herseIf-and it is
not unreasonable to ask the State as a
whole to assist in proportion to the in
creased business that will result to her
at large. That the State will be bene-
fitted by an Improvement of the Della
ware cannot be questioned. for Philadel-
phia is the great commercial heart of
pennsylvania and any prosperity that
strengthens her quickens the pulse of
trade throughout the Commonwealth.
THE GATEWAY OF TRADE.
The port OF Philadelphia is the only
outlet the State has within its borders
for its surplus products. and It is the
gateway through which imports are
landed at the doors of our merchants
and manufacturers throughout the State,
consequently any action that will result
in bringing the vast industries of Pitts
burg and it's vicinity. the great output of
coal. ron and oil of the State, the to-
bacco crop of Lancaster County and the
general productions of the Common
wealth two days nearer the docks of
Liverpool and other foreign ports is a
matter of wide benefit and should be a
matter of deep interest in every locality
throughout the State. The removal of
the obstructions in the Delaware will do
one to two days to the largest steamers
in coming and departing from our port.
This gives the ports of New York, Balti-
more, Ma, and Boston. Mass, that
much vantage in point of time over Phil
adelph.a. To put ourselves two days
nearer European ports requires the re-
moVal of a few shoals where the water
is shallow to psrmit the passage of large
vessels. When this is done the State of
Pennsylvania will have an unrivaled
outlet to the sea
WAITING FOR MORE WATER.
We had & personal experience recently
in being detained at one of the shoals in
the Delaware waiting 'for more water"
Being a Pe1nsylvanian it was bumiliat-
ing to is to stand on the deck of such a
splendid modern steamer as the Ken
s:ngton, the seventh largest vessel that
ever came to our shores, and contemplate
the fact that a lack of self-interest and
public enterprise on the part of Phila-
delphia and Our own State made these
believe now that Pennsylvania should
discontinue the policy of compelling YES
sells to and from her ports to wait until
the tide comes in" she should show her
usual enterprise by bringing in the tide.
We believe IN the justice of the appro-
priation and we believe that the mem
bers of the Legislature VIII show COM
mendable public spirit and State pride
in granting IT.. and we have no doubt
that their action will be approved by
their constituents, for there are a thou
sand good reasons why this appropria-
tion should be made and not one of
weight against it.-GreencaStle Frank
lin Coucty) Echo-Piiot.