The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-23
FREIGHT BY WATER
TRANSPORTATION HAS BECOME
 SERIOUS PROBLEM.
Manufacturers Record Declares Every Available Stream in Country Must Re Used to suppIant Rail-
 way Facilities.


 Baltimore, March 22.--(speciaI )--In beginning a seiies of comprehensive articles upon transportation facilities with special reference to the develop ment of river and harbor improve ments. The Manufacturers Record Of this week says:
 Transcending in importance every other business question before the American people is that of transporta- tion. We are at a crucial period when freight congestion and inadequate transportation facilities are the burden of the business mans life. A great expansion of transportation facilities is vital to business expansion, to growth of trade and commerce and to the increasing wealth of agricultural. industrial and general business inter ests.
 "The development of the country has been more rapid than it has been pos sible for the railroads to meet. and yet we are only at the beginning of the real broad development of this won derful land. It is now seen that the improvement of our waterways is vital to the progress and prosperity of ev- cry section, and instead of being an- tagonistfc to the railroads interests, is essential to their best prosperity. To provide the facilities needed for the growth of population and traffic in this country will tax the financial power of the railroadps and of the government itself.
 Tt Is now everywhere accepted that it will take an expenditure of s5.o0O.- 100000 to fully expand and equip the railroads of the country to meet the needs of the times, and yet the nation al government has expended in the last ten years an average of about $20.000,- 900 on rivers and harbors. and will doubtless now halt and hesitate. unless backed by the overwhelming demand of the people of the country, in issu- ing $500,000,000 of securities for river and harbor work, or one-tenth of what the railroads must do by private cap- itaI
 Every available means of trans- portation must be utilized, every river susceptible of improvement to such an extent as to furnish greater transpor- tation facilities must be deepened or strengthened, every harbor with which nature has blessed our country must be improved for larger ships and bet ter facilities. The present congestion Is not temporary. It will be the nor mai condition of the country. unless an expansion commensurate with the vast ness of the resources of this country be made.
 From the Atlantic to the Pacific and from the lakes to the gulf traffic Is congested. Lumber men are unable to deliver their product. though eager buyers are scrambling for 1t; iron and steel interests are harassed by the in. ability to secure the raw material. and when they have secured that, by inability to deliver the finished prod uet; the cotton growers of the South and the grain growers Of the West the ootton-mill man and the four maker are all alike harassed by the present conditions.
 So great Is the pressure upon trans- portation facilities that railrcada would make more net profit if they had smaller volum eof gross busia ness. Theic lines are overworked. their rolling stock cannot be utilized to the best advantage, their terminal facilities are elogged, and the life or the railroad operator, from the presi- dent all the way down through every graduation of office, is a burden.
 Upon the national government rests weighty responsibility. It Is .-.e servant of the people. Congress Is but the directory of the mightiest corr peration on earth. that of the United States, and the people, who are the stockholders in this corporation. have right to say to Congress that our rivers and harbors shalI be utilized to the fullest extent possible, and that. too. without regard to whether the cost be $50O,O00,000 or i've times that amount
 This country is rich enough not 10 be wasteful in foolish extrayaganco. but rich enough to carry out every great work of this kind which win add to the prosperity of all the people of all sections."