Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-10-27
BARRETT URGES
A DEEPER RIVER
Minister to Panama FaVors I'm.
proVement of Mis-.
sissippi
FOR ALL SEAGOING VESSELS
Destined for Southern Countries That
Are Loaded at Great Lake
Ports.

| John Barrett, United States minister
70 Panama. in an address at Chicago
last evening gave his voice in support
of the work that the Upper Mississippi
River Improvement association is
seeking TO have the government per
Iform-the deepening of the Father of
Waters so that it will accommodate all
lseagOing vessels that load at the great
lake ports cargoes destined for the
southern markets. Mr.. Barrett said:
Now have the pleasure of making
a suggestion which 1 have discussed
with an eminent Chicago engineer. now
II charge of the work at Panama
John Findlay Wallace-whose genius
and spirit find an inspiration for their
highest accomplishment in the con
struction of the canal If the United
States is TO spend $4,000 900 to build
this isthmian waterway; if Chicago has
already spent millions in digging the
drainage canal; if the government has
Ialready expended millions upon the
Mississippi; if New York can spend
800. GOO. 900 for widening and deepen
ing the Erie canal, why cannot the
federal government. or possibly Hi
nois and Chicago. eXpend enough to
deepen the drainage canal and to
iredge and keep open the Mississippi
50 that all classes of merchant vessels
loading at ports on the great lakes
can sail therefrOm and find their des-
tinatiOn via the Panama canal. at any
port in South America, Central Amer
lea, California, Australia, or China?
Comparative Cost Small.
Such improvement of the drainage
canal and the Mississippi is a far cas-
Ter project, both from an engineering
and a financial standpoint, than the
construction OF the Panama canal
itself 1t will be easier and cost less
10 make and keep open channel for
Iseagoing vessels of reasonable draft,
for the 1900 miles from Chicago to
New Orleans. than the 80 miles from
Colon 10 Panama"
| Sees Grent Benefit for Valley.
Mr.. Barrett began his speech by say
ling. The Panama canal means every
thing Of good to Chicago and the great
Mississippi valley" and continued:
The day that the Panama canal is
lopened every manufacturing town and
every agricultural district in the Mis-
sissippi valley Will respond TO the i'm
pulse of this new material opportunity.
There is not a labOTing man, an en-
lployer of labor. a manufacturer or a
citizen in the average walks of life
that will not. in one way or another.
Irealize the influences upon his life of
this gigantic enterprise, which will
change the commercial map of the
world
While we are constantly speaking
of it as unprecedented in scope, cost,
and results, the ordinary person still
has less conception of its real signifi-
Icance When the first merchant car
lrieTs steam through from the Atlantic
Ito the Pacific. then will be opened TO
This portion of the United States rich
land unexpected markets that now are
practically in the hands either of for
Ieign countries or of the Atlantic and
Pacific coasts of the United States
IalOne."
From Great Lakes Through Canal.
After outlining the advantages of
Having steamers proceed with I'M
broken cargoes at low freight rates
from the great lakes 10 Panama, Mr.
Barrett declared these vessels would
be able 10 continue to the entire west
IcoaSt of South America. Central Amer
lea or Mexico. TO the growing mar
lkets of China, Japan. and the Philip
Ipincs. or 10 United States Pacific coast
Estates. now reached only by railroads
with high freight rates
A population of 100000. 600" CON
Itinued Mr.. Barrett. will be made di-
rectly accessible 10 ships loaded with
products of the gulf and central west
a population now reached only by long
railway routes and costly transship-
ment TO steamers, or circuitousIy
around Cape Horn and through the
Suez canal and Indian ocean. The
foreign commerce of nations debOuch-
.ng on the Pacific. aside from the Uni
ed States. already exceeds $4,000. OOO.-
900, by the time the Panama canal is
| opened this Will have grown 10 s.
foo.ooo,0o0. and if It were not for the
I srHN