Morgan County republican., 1907-10-24
DEEP WATERWAY
ONE OF THE CHIEF PURPOSES OF
PRESENT ADMINISTRATION.
The President Has Done Much to
Champion This Cause Of the Peo-
pie OF the Great Central states.

The time has come In the develop
ment of the resources of the United
States when the rail transportation,
which pioneered and fostered that de-
velopment to its present vast proper
tions, must be supplemented by water
transportation on the largest feasible
scale This is essential not only be-
cause of the lower rates-both by wa
ter and rail-that would result from
the improvement and use Of the navi.
gable streams and the construction OF
canals to connect different water sys-
tens. but It is also necessary in order
to relieve the railroads themselves
of burdens incompatible with good
service and too excessive TO be borne
with safety to the travelling public and
the train crews.
But the great ruling reason for de-
veloping the waterways Of the coun'
Try is that water transportation is the
natural and cheaper method of hand.
ling a great percentage OF the coun'
try's shipping, especially as to raw
materials and heavy manufactures.
Once improved, these waterways
would have almost limitless capacity.
1t would then remain only to increase
the shipping facilities to meet the de-
mand, and this demand would grow
constantly and rapidly through the
demonstrations of actual shipping.
The people can afford to have the fed.
eral government and the several
states contribute millions TO the i'm
provement of navigable streams. Wa.
ter transportation will do more TO in.
crease the value--that is, the net
proft-of products of the soil and
many products of the factories than
any other one thing in the range of
legislative and administrative policy.
1t must be remembered also that
low water rates make low rail rates.
Such competition, under the regula'
ton of the government, would COM
pletely solve the problem of the cost
of shipping in most of the country. II
would, of course, compel readJust'
ment of the financiering and manage
ment OF railway properties, for the
holders OF these properties would have
to base their calculations much more
largely on the actual investment and
much less on the factor OF dividends
on watered stock. Even the cost OF
railroad construction would be low
cred by water shipping, for much of
the material used In construction
could be carried for less by water
than ii can be carried by rail.
The outlook for inland waterway
development in this country is almost
overwhelming in its scope. Taken in
connection with the ports on the At
lantic, on the Gulf of Mexico and on
the Northern Pacific, and especially in
connection With the early completion
of the Panama canal, this prospect
widens until there is seen a direct
connection between such inland ports
as Kansas City and the water marts
Of the entire world.
President Roosevelt has made the
development OF inland waterways one
of the chief purposes of his admins
tration. He has done much tc cham.
pion this cause. His appeal is wholly
bipartisan. II is made to the people
TO the growers, the manufacturers, the
merchants and to all other classes OF
business men. His attitude accords
perfectly with another Of his great
policies-the conservation of the
natural resources Of the country. He
would avoid waste, he would prevent
the exploitation Of the people by cor
porations using these resources; yet
he would give to all the best possible
facilities for handling the products Of
the land.-Kansas City Star.