The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-07

conseQuence, large manufacturfns plants are located and adequate frsaght rates maintained.
 amounts in building and maintaining canals anu waterways.
 Bohemia. Austria Hungary and noumania depend largely upon the Danube as means or transportation. ana make use of every available wa- tercourse and many canals are in daily use ana under contemplation and cons struction. One especially of much im- portance ts to connect the EiDa and greater length and importance is pro- posed to connect the Danube with the Oder river. thence. forming 2 water route from the RoumanIan wheat fields norte to the Baltic Sea, this same ca- nal Is also to lead to the Elba river, forming a water route 10 inc ports on the North Sea.
 The Northern portion of Italy has hundreds of miles of interlacing streams and canals, whose traffic in volume Is astounding.
 In France the Seine furnishes the main artery ot traffic. Many naviga- bie streams empty into the Seine. and almost without exception work is be- ing carried forward extending nayiga- ton beyond the present headwaters. upon which millions, even billions or dollars is being spent. Each or these countries have established the prece- dent on national economies. Their waterway development is not a spo- radio movement nor in its experiment tai stage They have demonstrated the efficlency, tho advisabiiity ana tne economy of such modes of traffic, and whenever there is possibility of open ing . canal which will anord reiief to . section or community, or wnatever waterway may prove practical TOT nav tgation. immediate steps are taken to carry out the project. overriding and eliminating seemingly insurmountapie obstacles and performing engineering feats which astound the world, ana all st the expense of the government, h whOse wise appropriations are pehe-
 Factors in Trsfae.
 History repeats itself. and lour streams and lakes are agasn being they were destined in the beginning. as factors in the ever increasing trainc of our country. One of the principal reasons for this unanimous demand IS that the present rail transportation "a. are wholly inadequate and commerciai conditions rcuuire that ample provis- ion be made for the constant increase and expansion of trade.
 "The objects of this convention and this splendid representative organiza- ton, is to arouse the national interest In every worthy watercourse ana 10 bring pressure to bear that Will cause Congress to see that appropriations are made commensurate with the ne- cessities of the entire country.
 An impression has obtained that the railroads oppose tie improvement or waterways. This ! do not believe IS generally true. 1t seems to m, me n that nynre tne ing far exceeds the carrying capacity of the railroads, and they should glad Iy welcome such methods as would re- lieve the congestion, especially the heavier commodities, leaving the rail- roads free to compete for and use their equipment in the transportation or the lighter and higher classes of trahc, thus increasing proportionateiy the!r revenues per ton per mile on the nasc cost of operation. It Is much better for the railroads to be able to secure the maximum revenue with the N1lni- mum expense than to obtain the great CT tonnage accompanied by the maxi mum expense. Statistics have been submitted to show the enormously in creased per centage of production oyer the increase in railroad mileage Hnd facilities for handling freight. The wonderful growth of business andf the conditions materially in recent years.
 For mny years this country has suffered materially by the small ap- propriation made by Congress for im- This seeming lack of consideration Is more directly attributable to the de- sultory interest displayed by our peo- ple. As the use of rivers and harbors Is the undisputed right of people, 1t is only proper and reasonable that efforts sh hould be made by them for further improvement and maintenance in order that they may derive the~e- from the direct benefits of taxati6h. The revenue and income of this country could be devoted to higher nor no- bier purpose than doing the greatest good to the largest number. It has been well said that whatever affects the transportation facilities of a na- tion touches its economic life at its very centre"
 Viewed as Business.
 sViewing this proposition from a strictly business standpoint, the re- suits from liberal improvement poll icv would prove most handsome in- come on the investment, and the Gov. 'ernment should expsnd a suficient amount of money to put our rivers ip condition to be freight carriers, and they would naturally become rate reg ulators. It would cause to be deveI- oped millions of acres Of land which now. on account of lack of transporta- tion facilities. have to lie unproduc- tive. as the cost of reaching markets with products makes cultivation pro- hibitory All of us can doubtless re- call in our own section of country inc stances Of where improvement of WA terways' would enlarge productive