The Washington herald., 1907-12-05

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feet. and the deepest draft OF vessels
was then % feet. The rates OF freight OF
the year 1880 had fallen I'm many cases 30
per cent. During the following ten years
the successful efforts of the government
resulted in a depth of 80 feet in ali chan
nels. permitting the large increase in size
and carrying capacity OF the freight car
riers that have been constructed OF late
years. and in 1890 freight rates had fallen
in some eases more than 80 per cent.
Commerce on the Lakes.
ION the lakes we find the same phe-
nomena that We have witnessed IN ocean
traffic. II is the same story OF the in
creased size OF lake vessels. the deepening
Of harbors and channels 10 accommodate
them. and the radical reduction Of rates
of freight on their cargoes which these
improvements have rendered possible. AS
against the tonnage that moved through
Sault Ste. Marie in the year 1886 Of 4.219.S97
tons. there passed through Sault Ste.
Marie in the year 1906, 4, ,0sS.a24 tons OF
shipping. In twenty years almost the
tenfold amount Even a comparison OF
five years from 1901 TO 1906 shows rapid
and enormous growth in this lake busi-
ness. for the total lake commerce Of 1896
shows shipments of merchandise OF 75.-
610.690 tons as against the shipments in
1901 of 45.i3S 42O tons.
There are now more than 100 lake
steamers measuring over 5000 tons In the
iron ore trade alone. and the largest lake
steamers now compare in point of size
/ favorably with the ocean giants OF the
present day. The increase I'm size OF yes
sells was rendered possible by the deep
ening of harbors, channels and water
ways. particularly OF the Detroit River.
the 81. Clair River. and the approaches
10 the Sault Ste. Marie canals.
The reductions that have been rendered
possible in ocean. lake. and railroad
transportation of our commerce. foreign
and domestic have caused the people OF
/ the State of New York 10 take UP the
work OF the modernization Of the canal
between the Great Lakes and the Hud-
son River. that has for so many years
/ been the highway on which the foreign
commerce OF this country has reached
{ the seaboard.'
Gov. Pardee's Address.
Ex-GOv. George c. Pardee. OF Cali
fornia, was the next speaker. Gov. Par
dee spoke on Rivers and harbors begin
in the mountains" He told OF how he
had the good fortune some time ago TO
take the most distinguished gentleman in
the United States through the forests OF
California. He said this visitor. on see
ing the devastated forests. had inquired
who might be responsible? The governor
replied: The lumberman." Then, after
"a time. they came to bare place in the
woods, where waters in time Of heavy
rains gushed in torrents because OF the
lack of trees. Again the guest asked
who was responsible. Again the governor
replied: The lumberman." After "A time,
guide and guest penetrated through a pOr-
ton Of forest that was burning. After
they had gone quite through. the guest
asked the same question for the third
time The governor replied as Before
/ The lumberman." Then the guest. the
governor said. quite audlbly. so that even
tho little birds in the trees might hear,
remarked: Damn the iumbermanr'
Gov Pardee said il must be remem-
hered that there is other work besides
the deepening Of channels TO insure open
waterways lie said that the forests of
the country must be preserved 10 prevent
that alarming waste OF waters in the
spring Of each year. which results from
the fact that there IS no vegetation at
the sources Of the great water systems 90
prevent them.
John Barrett director OF the Bureau Of
American Republics. spoke next upon
Waterways of Other Americas" He
said, In part
Mr. Barrett speaks.
"Our sister republics Of Latin America
which we have been in the habit OF
neglecsng as unimportant and regarding
careiessly as the home Of revolutions are
spending more money and following
more systematic plan at this moment for
the permanent Improvement OF their
rivers and harbors than is the United
States.
Five OF our twenty sister nations.
namely Brazil. Uruguay. Argentina. Chile
and Mexico. have now under way harbor
and channel construction. for which di-
rect appropriations OF not less than $i00-
00o0o0 have been made. and these same
governments announce they have only
begun a vast scheme Of improvements
which they contemplate
Surely. then. we can conclude that il
these southern nations OF less population.
wealth. and commerce than the United
States recognize the absolute necessity Of
such work and lose no time in pushing it
forward with gigantic strides il is high
time that our great country awOke 10 the
vital Importance Of such projects and in
augurated their consummation.
Permit me, as director or chief Of the
International Bureau OF American Repub-
lies. TO point out in a word the great but
unappreciated value 10 the United States
OF this field OF Latin America as COM
mercial opportunity. Last year our twen-
" sister republics. OF which our ignorance
is so profound, carried on a foreign trade
amounting in round numbers 10 $500
coo 600, or mere than one-third OF the total
foreign commerce of the entire Western
Hemisphere or this trade Of Latin
America the share OF the United States.
which has the best opportunity Of all
countries in its relations with them. was
5000. .OO0OO0
IF we are 10 spend $5OO,O0OoOO on the
Panama Canal we must devote similar
sum to our rivers and harbors. SO that
we can take proper advantage Of the
canal when it is done
Noah as Farmer.
John NJ Stahl, OF Chicago. ex-president
of the Farmers National Congress. was
the next speaker Mr.. StahI occasioned
some merriment by his saying that the
first man who conducted water transpor-
tation was Noah. who was also a farmer.
He said the farmer is heartily in sympa- |
thy with the movements contemplated by !
the present waterways congress
The last speaker OF the afternoon was
DR. n. G. Blalock, Of Walla WaIla |
I1r-