The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-11-29
M0REFOR RIVERS
LESS FOR WAR
Coming Meeting of Rivers
and Harbors Congress
At Washington.

Washington, Nov. 2S.-When the
National Rivers and Harbors Congress
cOnVenes in Washington there will be
in session body only less in impor
lance to the whole people, to the right
full development of the magnificent
resources of the whole country and
to its future and permanent prosperity
than the Congress of the United
States, Moreover it's proceedings on
behalf of the adequate improvement
of the rivers and harbors of the Uni
ted States will be sustained and male
all the more influential by the I'M
doubted universally of public opinion
in the United States, among all classes
and conditions of trade and commerce,
that for too long have the natural
highways and gateways of trade and
commerce been neglected.
In other words, that with an an
nual expenditure of $2S0.000,O00 for
war and its rewards-or $3.50 for
every man, woman and child in the
country-as Congressman Ransdell
so forcefully put it before the Trans
Mississippi Congress, in session at
Kansas City, surely we can afford
to do better than twenty-five cents
per capita for our splendid commerce,
which makes us the greatest CONNER
cial nation in the world and pours
into our laps a trade balance in our
favor of $500,000,000 annually" Con
tinuing his remarks Congressman
Ransdell said-and the picture is per,
feet as to the conditions of which he
spoke:
1.-The cost of moving freight over
our wretched earth roads is fully 20
cents per ton per mile, as compared
with rs mills per ton per mile by
rail; and less than one mill by water.
In France and Germany the water
ways are so marvelously developed
that freight can be moved by water
without breaking bulk from practi,
cally every part of France and Ger
many to every other part, at rates
less than one-sixth as high as those
by rail. Let US emulate their wise
example"
Purpose of Organization.
1t is to enforce the emulation OF
the wise example of France and Ger,
many--of all European countries, in
fact-that the National Rivers and
Harbors Congress was organized and
its annual meeting called for Thurs
day and Friday, December 6 and z
The organization and the sessions OF
| the National Rivers and Harbors
Congress mark the beginning of the
end of neglect of the natural gate
ways and highways of trade and com
merce, and the beginning of a policy
on the part of the congress Of the
| United States which will secure TIC
the trade and commerce of the whole
country not only continuous naviga
ton on the inland waterways, but i'm
l.provement of the harbors Of the sea
coast and the Great Lakes to degree
commensurate with the enormous i'm
port and export traffic and the enor
nous constantly increasing traffic OF
the Great Lakes from the head OF
Lake Superior to the foot of Ontario
To the words of Congressman Rams
dell are to be added the prophetic ut
terances of Secretary Root, so re
Gently returned from South America
and so urgent in his advice to the
American merchant and manufactur
er to strip for the race for trade ant
commercial supremacy in Soutf
America, where Germany is now a
work with England and France ant
Italy with their agents in the Held.
Roots Prediction.
In his address before the CONNER
cial clubs of st. Louis, Kansas City
and Cincinnati, Secretary Root no
only predicted the completion or the
scheme for deep waterways from Chi
cago to the Gulf of Mexico, but M
emphasized the necessity for the i'm
provement of the rivers and harbor:
of the United States, as necessaril!
Icomplemental to the construction ant
the opening of the Panama Canal, al
links in the great chain of American
trade and commerce with the world.
To the coming session of the Ma
tionaI Rivers and Harbors Congress
at Washington next month, the trad
and commerce of the United State
iustlv looks with feelings of the deep
est interest. The awakening of put
lie sentiment is a fact recognized an
appreciated not alone by the trad
and commerce of the country, but b
: the most eminent men in public life
To-day all elements are pointing q