The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1907-10-10
Gov. Crawford for Waterway.
Concluded From Page ID

about IS per cent Of the gross earn
ings annually to the railroads.
The building the Panama Canal
alone will undoubtedly accentuate the
commerce on the Mississippi river.
The construction OF the great trunk
canal from Lake Michigan TO the Gulf
of Mexico would enlarge that com
merce tremendously, while the eff
cient Improvement of the Missouri
river so as to make Ii a practical
route for commerce from South Da-
kota TO ST. Louis, would bring TO the
trunk canal tributary which could
deliver To ii millions OF tons annually.
and the saving 10 the people both di-
rectly and indirectly would be inCalcul-
able. 1t is claimed that the average
rate for carrying freight on the Great
Lakes and upon the rivers upon the
Mississippi Valley is only about one
seventh of the average rate charged by
the railroads of the United States.
The people of the upper Missouri coun
try, In common with the people OF the
central region Of the United States.
see the value OF a great water route
of this kind as Il levcler and check
upon railway rates. They are not only
willing, but anxious to supper, broad,
comprehensive and practical scheme
which will make a commercial use OF
these great natural highways.
Prophetic Of the future that awaits
the vast Upper Missouri section and
its constantly increasing products, is
the output of South Dakota, OF
the new states, which for the year of
1906, avs 80 million bushels of wheat
II million bushels Of corn, 81 million
bushels oats, - million bushels. barley
. million bushels Of flax ) million bu-
shells of speltZ. 4 million tons of hay,
> million dollars in potatoes, vege-
tables and fruits, ~ million dollars
in dairy products, ) million dollars in
eggs and poultry, sc million dollars in
live stock, 8 million dollars in miner
ais and stone. three hundred thou
sand dollars in wool ana hides, and
twenty-five thousand dollars in honey,
Il total of l46 million dollars.
The annual output is increasing
each year with Il rapidly advancing
ratio pouring a constantly swelling
stream into the arteries of commerce.
At present there are only six inhabi-
tants to the square mile. so we have
room and resources for a vast increase
in population.
The story Of South Dakota is the
story of its neighbors in the Upper
Missouri region We tell it to you as
the elder members Oh the household
of states, and with it, give assurance
that we are ready TO help in every
way possible an enterprise that will
cheaper the way from our farms &c
the markets of the world
We want good markets and free and
fair competition at home. IN old days
when the protective system was build
ing up home manufactures. ,lere was
free competition I'm the home market
which kept prices at a reasonable
level In the present day OF trust and
CON bination. however il frequently
happens that competition Is destroyed
and sometimes the principles of pro
lection is invoked TO promote unjust
exclusion and monopoly. speak foI
the producers of an agricultural state
when ! say that We want our tariff
laws revised TO remedy cases of this
kind When a trust has destroyed
competition in the trade of any com
nunity al home. why not let the for
slgner clip it's wings by reducing the
tariff upon that commodity. so as t.
let him come in? When competition
is destroyed, e1tortion follows as Ger
tainly as human selfishness and human
ayarice exist When the power to ex
tort exists. the law OF regulation and
control is the only protection of tho
people. The building OF the Panama
Canal and the Improvement Of the
waterways of the Missouri and Missis
sippi Valley will be a wholesome check
upon the monopoly of railroad trans
portation, and In behalf of the people
OF one of the states In the Valley of
the Missouri. join in the hope and
wish that the great enterprise which
engages the attention OF this conven-
ton may be successfully carried out.