The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-20
The East Is Out After q Gov
eminent Appropriation.
Aroused by Plans to Improve
Western Waterways.
FORM ORGANIZATION.
To Secure Improvement OF
Channels Along the Atlantic.
General Felix Agnus a Leader
i'm the Movement.

Philadelphia, Pa, Nov. 20.-After a
two days discussion of the project for
an inland waterway along the Atlantic
coast from New England to the Caro-
linas, the Atlantic deeper waterways
conference this afternoon formed a
permanent organization and will be-
gin an aggressive campaign to accom-
plish the undertaking. Resolutions
were adopted asking the assistance of
the national government and the CO.
operation of all states interested in in
land waterways.
Yesterdays sessions were devoted to
discussion of the water routes from
Philadelphia north to Boston. Today's
was largely taken up with addresses
on the waterways that are proposed
to form part of the inland route south
to Beaufort.
General Felix Agnus of Baltimore,
who heads the delegation from Mary
land, stated in an address that the
present conference is one of the most
important meetings in the history of
American trade and transportation.
Said he:
81 feel that we are at the climax of
the efforts and public spirit of many
years; that we are no longer dealing
with paper plans or theories, but are
considering plain business propositions
and assured advantages and profits.
This scheme of safe navigation for our
our country and more for our wealth
and happiness than Panama.
There are three vital facts in the
work we propose to begin here this
week:
"First-Transportat by water is
far cheaper than transportation by
land. Careful figures from the great
lakes from the Mississippi and from
large canals show that the rate per
ton by water is about one-third the
average rate by land.
'Second-The conditions of traffic
between the north and south have
been acute and unsatisfactory for sew
eral years. Since 1880 the assessed
from $4,000, to $4,000, 000,-
600 and the south is now mining 200
per cent more coal than all the rest
of the country mined in 1880. 1t is
producing three times as much coke,
twice as much lumber and just as
much pig iron and we may add to this
the enormous cotton crop of 11,000,-
900 bales and find a total of raw pro-
lars annually A large part of this
must go to the northern markets and
hundreds of millions of dollars worth
of manufactured products must be
returned to southern markets. The
lines OF railroad we now possess are
not equal to this business and 1t is
likely that they will be unequal for
years to come.
"Nor is it possible that the rates
will ever be lower. Here we have the
absolute necessity for relief made so
manifest that not even a railway man
can dispute it.
"Third-The growth of the country is
not only proceeding at an astonishing |
rate in population, but is expanding al |
most incredibly in the ratio of trade |
movement to the population itself
beg to quote these figures:
Immense Freight Traffic.
The freight in mile tons has grown |
from 29 billion in 1882 and 70 billion in |
1890 to 1877 billion in 1905, the total for |
the later year being being more than |
twice as great as that for 1890. The |
gain of 46 billion tons between 1900 and |
1905 was very much larger than the |
total of 1882 and nearly two-thirds as |
great as the total of $780,
Undoubtedly. much of our great |
financial trouble was due to the fact |
that transportation had not been able
20 give that quick exchange of mater
ais and products which would enable |
is to make the freest use of our money.
In other words, slow transportation
means the tieing up of our currency
which under the most favorable cir
is hardly adequate to the |
needs of the country.
Here on the eastern seaboard, where
he biggest work of the world is being |
lone and where the necessity for quick
is largest we face sit
1aI1On CnaC Calls IOr T0lleI dHN
the only possible way out of the diff
Guilty is to provide these water facili-
les. There is no other way. We will
never get 1t from the railroads, because
our new needs will grow much faster
han any new facilities they can give.
1--WE are made to realize our duty
more keenly than ever by the wide
which the presidents trip
Town the Mississippi has given to the
schemes for the middle and far west
schemes that call for hundreds of mil
ions of dollars not to mention the
building of the Panama canal and those
treat Irrigation appropriations which
congress is expected to make.
"It seems to me most extraordinary
hing that we should divert millions of
he national wealth to the desert, when
lere along our eastern seaboard we
rave all the facts of high civilization
demanding recognition and encourage
nent I have no objection to making
he deserts bloom as the rose, but do