The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-11-25
PLAN TO MAKE OUR
RIVERS SUPREME
Fifty Millions TO Be Asked 0
the Government
ROOSEVELT FAV0RS PLAN
The United States Is Doing Little In
Comparison With other Countries
to Cheaper Transportation
BY Water.
ROOSEVELT FAVORS PLAN

In a comparatively few years the Ohlteu
States will have the finest waterway sys-
tenn in the world If Congress, when II re-
sumes its session next month, should
vote its approval of the movement which,
supported by President Roosevelt and
many influential congressman, looks Tor
an annual appropriation of Soo'Vooooo lor
waterway Improvement.
The United States has within its bound
aries exclusive of seaboard, more than
1900 miles of waters which with proper
attention would be navigable. On these
She has spent up TO date S47OWoOoO. On
the other hand, the tiny Kingdom of Hol-
land. with only 1000 miles of navigable
waterways, has already spent on them
more than 81, 10000, 600. France, with 1000
miles, has spent S1,120000000, while Bel
GUM. with less than 1900 miles, has since
1875 spent In excess of sSO0OO,0OO. These
large expenditures abroad have made
rates there very low whereby shippers
in general have benefited.
The average appropriation in this coun-
try for each of the last ten years for all
the rivers and harbors has been about
$19.000,000. Germany, it is pointed out,
has spent about four times this sum
the harbor of Hamburg alone. On the
harbor at Liverpool, England, $20O.0O00O0
has been spent. In fact, many a harbor
in foreign lands has been improved and
made more useful to both producer and
shipper at a cost exceeding the whole an
nual appropriation Of the United States.
Cost of Shipping Ton Mile.
The average cost OF shipping one ton of
goods one mile by rail in the United
States is 7.79 cents. On the other hand,
the average ton mile cost in the Great
Lakes is only 92 of a cent; on the lower
Mississippi, one mill; on the Ohio river
to Cincinnati. one-third of one mill, and
on the Erie canal as estimated for its
12-foot depth when completed. about half
a mill.
President Roosevelt, speaking at the
convention of the national rivers and har-
bors congress at Washington last year,
said that 1.-The development of our COM
merce depends in a large part on the in
teligent treatment of the rivers and mar
bors of the United States"
Encouraged by this speech, the advo-
Gates of cheaper transportation purpose
to ask for no less than $50,oO0,0O0 year
for the improvement of rivers and mar
bors The national rivers and harbors
congress, the organization which has
been working for this end for more than
two years, is to convene in Washington
on the 9Th and 18th of December, when the
needs of the country's waterways will
be urged before Congress and again be-
fore the President This organization is
really a congress within a congress, since
ii numbers among it's active supporters
in addition to commercial bodies in all
parts of the country. many of the most
prominent senators and representatives.
too .af hat hn
done If the appropriation is granted the
case of the improvements of Boston har-
Dor is cited, which, through the better
facilities for loading and handling grain,
has produced saving of several million
dollars every year for the farmers in the
west. Last year the shippers depended
largely upon President Roosevelts sup
port of the rate BILL but in this years
phase of the transportation question they
have the practically unanimous backing
of Congress. In this respect the situation
is the most remarkable one in years.
List of Supporters Long.
The list of those senators and repre-
sentatives who want to sufficient an
nual appropriations made to provide
transportation is Il long one. Represent
alive Burton, chairman of the house COM
mittee on rivers and harbors, where the
necessary appropriations will originate,
has made public statement in which
he strongly advocates such appropria-
tions. So has Senator Frye, chairman of
the Senate committee on rivers and har-
bors So has Senator Morgan, the grand
old man of the SOUTH" who sees IN wa
ter transportation not only tremendous
saving to the shipper, but the best regu-
lator of rates-"better than a dozen rate
bills" Senator Brandagee of Connecti-
cut, Senator Perkins of California. Sena-
H,Is, 90, - nd tnr
Nelson of Minnesota-these are but a few
of the members of the upper house from
the four ends of the country who have
accepted the opportunity to dwell on the
inheritance of general waterway improve
ments and to praise the work of the ma
tional rivers and harbors congress. Hun
dreds of representatives have fallen in
line John Wesley Gaines sees in such
work wonderful development for the
already fast developing south. Repre-
sentative Rainey is equally as enthusl-
astic over the chance offered to the west.
Congressman after congressman has
shown his enthusiasm for the improve
ment of the country's waterways.
Past Attempts Failed.
In the past similar attempts have failed
for lack of leadership and united action.
1t has been felt in Washington for years
that the people wanted cheap water
transportation. but the explanation of the
lack of action is that each congressman
seemed to expect some one else to do it,
on the ground that what is everybody S
business is nobodys business. A num-
Der of public-spirited men, however, see
ing the co'Etry's need, decided some two
years ago That 1t was time to make the
getting of the necessary appropriations
their business. These men originated the
national rivers and harbors congress, a
non-partisan and also non-sectional body,
for the purpose of uniting the ineffective
sentiment in favor of waterways i'm
provements into such an expression as
will afford Congress authority to make
appropriations of at least $4,000 900 every
year That expression is to come next
month at the convention here of the ma
tional rivers and harbors congress. Head
ed by Representative Ransdell of Louis
lana, the organization has been busily
engaged for some time in putting before
all sections of the country the necessity
OF getting together, and the movement
has gained general support. one of the
reasons for this is the argument that if
railroad rates cannot be expected to 20
much lower relief lies in the develop
ment of waterways.
1ne friends of the project declare that
fifty millions annually is a small sum
compared to what foreign nations spend
in the same field and that the struggle
for control of the worlds markets de-
mands that the American shipper be CIV
en- the most favorable opportunities in
the way of transportation.
--s---
Food for Gossip.
From the Chicago Daily News.
Gunner-So your wife is a member of an