The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-01-22

and that it's use will be of practica
benefit to this section. When the
rivers are made safely navigable to
the highest points, there will be 8
thousand miles of continuous naviga
ton. but it is to be remembered that
the portage railway is but temper
ary expedient, requiring rehandline
of all freights and constructed fol
leading to the completion of the Cello
canal and the other lesser improve
ments.
Benefits, Financial and Otherwise, to
Accrue From the Open River:
We have just shown the saving in
cost of transportation by the partial
! improvements already made. Analy'
sis of these figures and conditions
warrants the conclusion that the In
! land Empire would save from four
million to six million dollars every
year by the complete improvements
of an open river.
There might beNa saving of two mil
lion dollars a year on wheat and it's
products alone. Congressman Joseph
E. Ransdell. in an address before the
chamber of commerce at Spokane, on
September 4, 1906, estimated that the
region tributary to Spokane would
save six million dollars yearly by the
open river.
Such savings would be effected not
alone by steamboat traffic, but by the
necessity imposed upon railroads to
lower their own rates to meet water
competition. The open river will be
the great arbiter of rates. We ask you
ant fact that electric railways, indie
pendent of the steam roads, are in
process of construction or projected
in and around Spokane. Walla Walla,
Yakima, Pendleton and Lewiston,
which will reach river points and by
cooperation with steamers will give
Independent connection with the sea-
board. The steamboat and the trolley
are Complementary parts of the vast
movement
But not alone is the pecuniary ben
eft of the open river of moment to
our section. Even more important is
the commercial independence to be Sc
cured. The Inland Empire is at pres
ent subject to the dictation of the
great transportation lines. With free
rivers, we shall secure the greatest
need of an American community
commercial freedom.
What the States Concerned Are Doing:
We ask the congress to rest assured
state of Oregon has already apprOpri-
ated $4,000 for the construction and
maintenance of the portage railway,
and 100000 for the right of way for
the Cello canal. About $4,000 has
been given by individuals in Oregon
and Washington for the same ends.
The state of Washington stands ready
to cooperate with the government in
any way possible to aid in accomplish
ing the great task.
To ask the congress to rest assured
that the people of this state are alive
work. We believe that while primari.
| ly of benefit to the Pacific northwest.
yet in view of the prospective COM
merce of the Pacific ocean and the un-
told magnitude of the interests result.
ing therefrom, the opening of the Co.
| lumbia river will be of Unreasonable
advantage to our entire nation.
The Method Of Construction.
We wish to express in conclusion,
| the sentiment that single appropria
ton large enough to meet the esti-
| mated cost of the work, would accom-
plish the needs far better than small
appropriations given from time to
time and measurably wasted through
lack of continuity of plan. This work
has already been favorably reported
by government engineers and by the
secretary of the treasury. Congress
has already committed itself to the
undertaking. Would it not be the
best policy to accept the work and es-
Inmates of the competent engineers,
pldCc dC Iuc ulopOodl VI tuC UcpdII-
ment in charge, sufficient sum to
complete it at once and thus remove
the matter from the domain of politi
cal action, and regard it settled mat
ter to be pressed to the speediest pos
sible conclusion? Is there any posi-
BILE reason for spending time in
considering it at each session of con-
gress and dragging it on from year to
year, when the other policy might in
sure its completion within two or
three years?
Moreover. the experiences of the
government seems to prove conclu-
sively that the contract system in
sures far more rapid and satisfactory
results than any other That method
is employed on the Panama canal. We
earnestly hope that congress will ap-
ply the same method to the improve
ment SO fraught with advantage to
the Pacific northwest. 1t is safe to
say that within three years at the
most, the saving on freights in the In
land Empire will more than counter