Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-12

. i
these southern ports all the merchan-
disc that America sends thither. Cen
tlemen, / have never taken the position
that what goods we ship to South
America, do not ultimately reach those
ports. I have sometimes called atten-
ton, however. to the fact that the
quickest way to go to South America,
to ship freight to South America, ana
the most usual way, is to send first to
Europe and thence to the ports Of des-
tination. A large share Of our paltry
commerce with those countries does
actually go by way of Europe, rather
than In these old scows, owned by the
men who take the position that be-
cause there are ways in which goods
can be sent thence, therefore no occa-
sion exists for improving the means OF
communication.
Iowa was dotted with settlements
long before railroads tapped the terri
tory. In those days some grain was
grown, and the little that was grown
was hauled in wagons, frequently a
hundred miles and sometimes more.
A few cattle We're fattened, and they
were driven sometimes four hundred
miles to market. There were trails,
even then, and sometimes roads. Some
hogs were fattened. These were kill
+, ed their carcasses frozen and hauled
| to markell process which consumed
sometimes weeks and frequently en-
tailed an expense exceeding the value
of the freight carried. But in those
days Iowa did not contribute very
much either to interstate or to inter-
national commerce. Not until rail-
| roads, encouraged by governmental
aid, were built, did her commerce mu!-
tiply. and not until these became of
the best did she take rank and con-
tribute abundantly.
II am also aware. for my attention
| has been called thereto repeatedly by
letter, and more frequently still by
tive of the department of commerce
and labor, sent to South America for
! the purpose of investigating this sub
| ject, has reported that there are means
of communication between the United
States and South America have read
his reports, and I beg my critics par
don, for the distinguished college pro-
| fessor does not take the position as
sumed by the steamship companies
that existing means of communication
are satisfactory, or that they should
4 not be imr roved. Permit a few ex-
tracts from Prof. Hutchinson's re-
port:
from Europe is carried on by large ano
d
every way for freight, passenger anc
mail business, running on accurate
schedule time, and giving regular com
|munication between Brazil and Eu-
rope, in each direction, at least sia
times per month. while the steamer:
from the United States are small ane
slow, have only inferior accommoda'
ton for passengers, and, with the ex'
ception of single sailing each month
are more or less irregular as to time
of departure and arrival. It is thus
delivery of an order from England o.
Europe than from the United States
"After expressing the opinion tina
this inferiority Of American service
} does not seriously affect large whole
} sale dealers in standard grades ant
| sizes of goods, because the cables rul
} independently of the mails, he adds:
with smaller dealers and smalle
orders, as we'll as in all larger orders
where full and specific instruction
have to be given as to sizes shanes