The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-23

can merchant marine, especially in
view of the necessity of fostering COM
merce and REORGANIZATION with
Central and South America. We adj
wise the two parties in congress to con-
slider the creation of an American mer-
chant marine as a nonpartisan Issue.
We again earnestly urge such
thorough organization of our consular
system as to secure the most efficient
service to our business interests and
we believe that this can be best ac-
complished by having appointments
based upon experience, ability and
character unbiased by any political
consid Grafton thus insuring that eff
hciency which is only attained by ex-
perience. We request the congress OF
the United States to enact into law the
executive order on this subject.
We favor the construction Of an in
tercontinental railway between North
and South America.
Canals, Rivers and Harbors.
We emphatically approve and en-
dorse the earnest effort now being
made to obtain necessary aid and sup
port from the national government for
the various branches of this project
which holds in store so much of value
and benefit to the whole Transmissis-
sippi empire. We commend to our
members the movement represented
by the national rivers and harbOrs
congress, and adopt as ours its slogan
An annual appropriation of at least
$50, 900, 600 to be expended in the
furtherance of this highly important
work We trust there may be large
and representative attendance of our
members at the sessions of that con-
gress to be held in Washington, d. c.,
December and z. 1906.
We heartily endorse the report and
recommendations unanimously adopt
ed by the Mississippi Valley Lakes-to-
the-Gulf Deepwater way convention
held in st. Louis. November IS. 1905.
We also favor the improvement and
development of the principal rivers of
the Transmississippi region SO that
such natural channels of trade as the
Missouri, Arkansas, Red, Colum bia,
Snake, Sacramento, San Joaquin,
Trinity. Brazos and other great rivers
may be made adequate and economical
channels of transportation for the pro-
ducts of the people. These objects are
of such vast and far reaching import
to the people we represent that we
earnestly urge upon the congress Of
the United States early and favora BILE
consideration OF this vital question, to
the end that the Transmississippi
country may be prepared to reap the
full benefits that may come to us in
the new commercial era to be ushered
in by the opening of the Panama
canal.
Panama Canal
We favor liberal appropriations I'M
der continuing contracts by the fed
eral government for the Improvement
of the harbors of the Gulf Of Mexico
and the Pacific coast so that they may
speedily have uniform depth of not
less than IS feet of water at mean
lew tide, with a width and extension
commensurate with their rapidly
growing Importance
We heartily endorse the proposed
intercoastal canal, nine feet in depth
and about 500 miles in length, from
the Mississippi river to the Rio
tTrande, as one of the most beneficial
waterway improvements In the union
and we request the members of this
congress to urge the senators and rep
resentatives of the Transmississippi
section to induce the congress of the
United States to adopt the project for
this canal and make provision In the
next rivers and harbors bill for its
speedy com letion.
We further recommend that the
congress make available at once the
appropriation heretofore made by the
national congress for the construction
/ of the government canal between the
Sabine and Neches river to form a
e.n