The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-07

of farm and mine and of manufacture are among thc highest class and find ready markets, in all countries. It has iossus 1gr pestrldes srld n the world; Se mas planted one foot on the Philippine ls-, lands while the othert rests on the Isthmus Of Panama and his yoiee of power is heard in the council Of the
 Tt is useless, however, to occupy the valuable time of this convention in eu- logizing our country and It's facilities; we are here to deal d wisn ,n.i problem in,s as change of ideas, endeavor to arrive at some solution.
 While. we have made phenomenal progress in other lines; I we are }. con e,n ficient in transportation facilities. The progress of. q country Is limited only Sby the supply of labor and transporta- ter. Many of you, of course, realize that in the recent financial distress. one of the principal causes could be traced directly. to the lack of trans ton. our grain and'o our minerals as well as our products of manufacture into the channels of commerce so as to be promptly and readily converted into an
 Blessed With Waterways.
 No country in tn world is so blessed with available rivers and lakes as our own. They are natures herf- it fit of these God given % highways % of commerce they must be improved and maintained and continuous systems of uninterrupted navigation established
 "The improvement of our waterways Is an inalienable right and a duty on the Epart of our national Government. Authority therefor is given in the Con- in 1t says that Congress has the power to provide for the general welfare of the United States and regulate com that no preference shall be given any regulation of commerce or revenues to the port of one State over that of an- other. The assumption of the power to make adequate provision for navf- gation of public waterways.
 Nayigable waters in this, as In other countries. include all those useful commerce.; History tells as such waterways have been considered public highways of. common right.
 recore,sd old crteaan aGman ,aws o which are the and equitable. herd that if stream could be subject to public service, ft was under the control of the central tion. through which it flowed would be deprived Of the free and unrestrict- ed use thereof. This was realized by eur forefathers when. they framed the Constitution under which this glorious country has reached the embodiment Of aIt that Is symbolic of freedom: that same freedom which was declared ration of Independence.' No monopoly can bridle or con.rol our rivers and l1,,.,, their ,e carrying capacity is practically
 Rivers and Railroads
 Tn years past our navigable rivers were uS6d iarVQlv for the frpn9narfA- ton of freight and at very low rates, the railroads began tc build, and be- tween points hitherto favored by wa- ter competition. the rates were put so low as to almost prohibit water trans- portation. It gradually. became prac- tically obsolete: Now. because of the the railroads and the increase in rates. the public Is seeking ways and means to furnish outlets for their tonnage. One of the most effective and the most water transportation, but our streams have deteriorated by neglect and non- use. and 1t will require large expendi- lures , to ma make h them even LHs effective amples to. be followed in this respect On recent European trip. being na- turally interested in the question of larly the development and extensive use of these facilities.
 T was unable to obtain statistics surs9 o teir stresms but thst enor- nous amounts are expended annually was very evident in the reliance put upon this method of transportation. and the excellent wharVes and docks at each important point.
 ''1n Germany the distribution of traf- fic between the railways and the nav igable streams affords a striking il. lustration of theMpreventing influence of. the existing scheme of railway charges. The Elbe, Oder and the across the Empire and float enormous tonnage annually. Innumerable canals are cut. apparently regardless of cost to accommodate inland cities. Infor-1 nation obtained in an abstract form shows that the percentage of, increase of tonnage year by year as compared with the railroads, is in favor of the rivers.
 Holland is a veritable network of artificial waterways. and canals are as common as our side-tracks. In