The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-06-21
OUR THIRTY-FooT CHANNEL
The Great Importance of Tho Move
meant to Wilmington and TO a Large
Portion OF the state.
(News and Observer

- 0%%~A II W cllAS III TIE wa lot
adeuate commercial and industrial
advantages. The fight is on. 1t is the
fight Of the future and it will be won.
The question of railroad rates has been
the exciting cause. It will continue
10 be the crux of the contention as
long as the iniouitous rates continue
10 be levied through a species Of par
tisan and sectional taxation OH thrift.
At the same time il il gratifying to
note that The battle IS being waged
1ntelligently with the railroad situation
not put IN the background but subOr-
dinated TO the larger issue.
The larger issue is adequate water
commerce. That is as necessary a. il
will be salutary TO the imposition of
high rates and unjust determinations.
This state has the cotton fields. the
men who grow the staple, the men who
would manufacture it. Her cotton
manufactures have been restricted,
have been kept 1t a disadvantage by
a system of taxation in rates designed
TO counteract natural advantages in
favor Of foreign mills. The south has
fields of coal and iron deharred from
logical development by the same arti-
fetal method. The south and North
Carolina afford hundreds and thous-
ands Of eager and successful men ami
mated with the spirit to build up the
states and cities commercially and u
d~ustrially who have been laboring
against the odds of transportation Cc-
f%ciencies. The best way to shift the
burden Of this fight is to build harboIs.
We have the harbors also. They have
been denied the boon of modern equip
ment as the industries Of the south
have been denied fair rates in trans
portation. The way to win both bat
ties is to win the larger. Our harbOrs
must be improved. while the fight tor
just rates is still waged unfaggingly.
This is a question which is expressed
in commercial terms. 1t is predicated
on dollars and on business. 1t is the
vital question, on which hang the
fruits of political salvation.
So much we have written to eor.-
mend the movement now making to
give Wilmington a thirty-foot channel
to h sea. Wilmington is already
coming into a second era of import
ance as one of the most progressive
and important ports of the Atlantic
! coast. There are few of such ports.
Norfolk is in commission; Wilmington
is preparing 10 urge her claims; Char
lesion and Say annah are on the verge
Of recognition and expansion; Beau
fort, the second port of North Care
lima is preparing to engage in the de-
mand for justice. The people OF Will
mington have a case which can not be
attacked for weakness. The port is
both geographically and commercially
of prime Importance. The exports of
the city are pushing twenty million
dollars a year. It is the site of a great
government work of defense. It's BUS
mess is hating only for the lack Of
bottoms. Back Of Wilmington is 4
country unsurpassed in productivity.
Away from it stretches almost to cen
trail North Carolina the Cape Fear
river, easily susceptible of being made
navigable practically throughout its
course. Reasonable improvement of
Wilmington harbor would involve the
deepening and opening to commerce Of
the Cape Fear, to Fayetteville at least.
That would mean the opening of prac-
tically the whole Of central North Car
ulina to deep Eater competition. i;
would mean, in large measure, the
commercial and Industrial impulse to
the state which IS only delayed aid
stiled by the grip of the t~ransporta-
ton companies by sectional capital.
The railroads would have to meet the
ocean. When that sort of competition
is established a trust is powerle5s.
The world crowds into the theatre of
| tradei
The deepening of the Wilmington
channel has been taken up systematic
cally by the chamber of commerce Of
that city, by the people Of the whole OF
the Cape Fear section. Congressman
H. l.. Goodwin seems wisely to have
prepared to center lis services for his
state and district upon the need OF
water facilities of an adequate sort.
He could not do better service. A.
though a port of prime Importance
although one of the few ports avail
able, although possessing a business
amply justifying the outlay, Whining
ton is cut off by the shallowness OF
her channel from the bigger draft YES
sells. The deeper bottoms are neces-
sary and imperative TO the value and
the abundance of her commerce. Her
position is one Of national as we'll as
state importance. In their efforts IN
I the next congress b Wilmington
chamber of commerce. the people OF
Fayetteville and the Cape Fear should
! receive the active encouragement and
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