The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-02-21
1T is OUR RIVER.

from the sun
The old ship canal enterprise, to con
meet the Delaware and Chesapeake
bays, is revived i'll the House, at Wash
ington, by an amendment to the River
and Harbor bill providing for II survey
of a canal route across this State. The
amendment provides for aSccrtaining the
cost of widening and deepening the Del
aware and Chesapeake canal running
across this county. The movement is
II Maryland suggestion and is intended
to give Baltimore a direct route to the
Atlantic Ocean That means that the
commerce of Baltimore is to go past our
doors-that the great outlet for this COM
mercc is to be at Delaware City, and
that the Delaware river and bay is to
be its ihoroughfare-a project that Ger
tainy augmcnts the importance of our
great waterway.
There seems to be in this an additional
l'hH'l W ny W illIlllsibll SlVlll Stl 10
the Delaware river front. lr the ship
ping from Baltimore is important enough
to suggest the necessity Of such a great
enterprise. there must he Il suggestion
i'll that for very large increase of the
shipping coming in and going out of the
Delaware. and also suggestion of con-
Stantly needed supplies and repairs.
This demand will surely command sup
ply. Where and by whom shall il he
supplied? 1t appears reasonable that if
this city offers this supply under rca-
Sonable conditions the demand will come
here. If that is not done drpots of
supplies, and facilities for repairs will
eventually be founded ut Delaware CRY
or somc point other and nearer than this
city.
This is only ON" Of the indications
tending to show that the immediate and
remote future Of this city is involved in
the problem Of securing deep water
shipping front ON the Delaware, with
docks, piers, warehouses; ship yards for
building and repair of ships, and coal
whnvcs for th" supply of fuel both for
consumption and transport. This thing
* coming. I'll" streets Of the city must
20, TO the Delaware. IN forwarding
these projects We will have Il Republican
representation at WASHINGTON. Delaware
is now a Republican State and must
take her place in the van for the pro-
motion of commerce AID trade. The
Delaware river and bay belongs 10 the
stat" of Delaware. That has been de
"id"d by III" courts. and will b. decided
again in the case to which Governor
Hum has recently called the attcn-
ton Of the General Assembly. Under
these circumstances all the commerce.
of the DcIawnr" river should not be al
lowed to 90 by Drlaware's commercial
metropolis without paying tribute not
lAA-but the tribute of trade. to a cap
able and cntcrprsing people. This com
mcrce has been going by this city. and
will coutnHc to do 50 unless the pco.
pie awake-will continue to 90 by in
increasing volume. That is what the
great project for deepening the channel
from Philadelphia to the capcs means
II viii succeed unless III" facilities living
right at The doors Of this ciry's people
ar' used 10 intercept and share it.
The tr-, 'LDg 70 be done in that di-
'"r'iou j. The ending Of the political
controversy now on, by the election Of
Mr. AddIct, and some orhrr capable
E'puhlI"an 70 r"pr"sen, the state in the
United States Senate.