Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-10

food supplies In the older states until they
ceased to be commercially profitable and
they almost abandoned the effort of COM
petition In the markets. The great grain-
growing areas are rapidly becoming smaller
by division among a larger land-holding
population. and are being kept up to nearly
the standard of their earlier productiveness
by the better farming Of smaller land
holders. In the meantime the wheat and
corn growers of the older states are again
producing crops at a profit for domestic
and foreign markets. and the value of their
crops is steadily increasing. Cheaper trans
portation has much to do with this return
ing prosperity.
Cutting Down Rates and Profits.
$50 1t is with the competition between
the railroads and the rivers. Great CAPT.
talists have been booming railroad invest
ments until they are beginning to find that
river transportation and transportation by
the sea is cutting down rates and profits.
They have had their day OF great pros
perity. and the people are beginning to
look for the Improvement of the lines of
competitive transporta ton that belong to
them. The tide is turning, and the water
courses are furnishing power to manufac-
ture much of the commerce that they
transport to distant markets.
If the empire state of Texas will hasten
the work upon the intercostal channel from
Brownsville to Donaldsonville, that her
people are SO earnestly engaged in opening;
and If Alabama, Mississippi and Florida
will extend that channel to Tampa bay
from the Mississippi river a steamboat that
can navigate Trinity river can visit interior
ports over a distance of 25.o00 miles, be-
ginning at Brownsville on the Rio Grande.
May Dispose Of Real Troubles.
IF such conditions existed land they are
in easy reach with less cost than the litiga-
ton we are incubating In this hot debate
about the mysterious forces of interlocutory
injunctions) the rights and interests of the
states in cooperation with Congress would
soon dispose of our real troubles with the
railroads.
I'm that happy day we will all forget that
we ever dreaded the competition of the
monopolistic power of interstate railroads,
and the stern advocates of all the alleged
rights of the people will cease to shudder
with fear that some court will enjoin a de-
cree of the national railroad commission,
until it's consttutionality can be determined
by final hearing. or until the supreme
Court can pass upon the question
Such water competition In transporta-
ton as the people of the Gulf and Atlantic
coasts are engaged In preparing to COM
will soon dispense with the necessity for
all the anguish we suffering about in
terlocutory injunctions.
Watershed of the Mississippi.
Within the watershed of the Mississippi
river the lines of transportation that be-
long to the people are worth millions as
permanent source of wealth and facii-
ties for transportation. where the railroad
lines are worth only thousands of dollars.
IF Congress will do its duty even in a
parsimonious way in the Improvement of
our water courses under scientific direction
and practical methods, and will place river
and harbor bills a footing with post
office bills and army and navy bills as
standing orders for the public service the
in the faces of the railroad monopolsts
to their control over their industries. and
Congress will be as reluctant to fix prices
on the carriage of commerce by rail and
water as it has been since the Constitution
was ordained to fix prices on transportation
by water and peaceful competition will
restore honesty and justice to their right
full authority.
IF the money that has been spent and
will be spent in the effort to control the
railroads by legislation, under powers that
are strenGously controverted and are at
least doubtful, had been and should be APP
piled or could be applied hereafter to the
of our navigation, the rail-
roads would cease to do evil and would
learn to do good.
Manipulators of Political Campaigns.
II freely and regretfully admit that evils
of great magnitude and of deplorable con-
exist in the monopolistic abuses
of the rights and duties of railroad corpora
tious that the states have created and have
failed TO properly control, and am anxious 1
to exercise all the powers of Congress in
controlling and Furnishing the malefactors