The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1906-06-28
CONGRESS TO AID WATERWAYS
Dig Delegations Of Representatives
from Middle West 10 Attend
St. Louis Convention.

SENATORS and Representatives in
congress from the Middle Western
ana Southern states are In receipt OF
invitations from the Business Mems
League OF st Louis to attend a mon.
ster convention at which the subject
of waterway Improvement will be
discussed. The convention is to he
held In st Louis Nov; Is and IS, and
measures will DO taken towards sc.
curing Federal aid Ia the construc.
ton OF a ship canal connecting the
treat Lakes with the Gull OF Mexico,
Almost every Member of Congress
from the widespread district to be
benefited will be present, unless some
thing unforeseen happens to prevent.
The development of the great ship
canal. however, will be only one
among many topics considered.
The betterment Of the waterways of
the nation generally will he taken
up. and efforts will be made to I'm.
press on Congress the immediate
heed for appropriating more money
for this work. The great increase In
the Internal commerce OF the nation
will he put forward as a leading ar
gunient, and 1t will he shown that
the competition Of navigable water
ways will result In u far better AL
iustmelt OF transportation tolls
than ever could he undertaken by
the Interstate Commerce. Cummis
sion or aEy other body.
At present more than ~ per cent
of the total revenues ui the govern
ment are devoted to the pension list
anu to providing for the maintain
auce au,I letternient uf Lne arm!
anu Envy establishments. Mhiit
this percentage undoubtedly Ia ncces
sary, stiI tho friends of Waterway
Development point out TINT iC L.
strange that Cungress willingly
vulcs this every Year while quibnli.is
over an appropriation Of per cent
uf the total revenues for intern al I'm
provenients to- rivers and harbors
They declare the demands uf peace
ful comiuerce promise far better re.
turns than the dragging expense OF
war preparations. The one will re-
fund all expenditures In time, while
the other represents nothing but a
constant drain with no return.
The National Rivers and Harbors
Congress has been at work striving
to Impress the national lawmakers
with u sense Of the incongruity of
their position In this regard. With
he finest system Of great rivers aad
axes OF any country Ia the world
the wa aterways adv coates are striv'
Ing to spur on the government tt
make use OF these natural advan.
tages. For the last ten years Con-
gress has grudgingly authorized the
expenditure Of $50, ,OO0, 900 every three
years. The National Rivers and
Harbors people are seeking to have
this sum appropriated annually.
While there is not the slightest dis
position evident ou the part OF th'
rivers and harbors people To bellttIe
the Panama Canal project, they
point out that 1t Is neither econom.
ically, wise nor patriotic to consider
favorably the vast expenditure 70
the Isthmian work and permit th'
development OF internal waterways
o lie lille. La fact, It Is contended
that unless the national waterways
are developed the Panama Cana
will not be the blessing to American
commerce that Its friends have
prophesied. - ~. "
w. "A. CRAWFORD.