The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-10-08


American nation-a chapter of nation
al indifference Or incompetence-of
bitter disappointment, deem discourage
ment, and serious loss to The people.
Today the strength of the nation lies
in the interior. How much greater
would it have been had the national
councils performed their duty and af.
forded facilities for commerce which
would have increased greatly, perhaps
doubled the rate.
The decline in our transportation
cannot justly be charged to any par
ticuiar agency such as the railways,
for as matter of fact, railways and
waterways are and always should be
complementary agencies for the car
riage of freight and for other traffic,
and it is especially gratifying to note
that since this association was Gre
ated, the leading railway men OF the
nation have signified approval of the
waterway policy and have been among
the most effective workers in this as
sociation.
But why have the national authori-
ties failed? Surely not because of fear
of imposing a tax on industry and
property, for the Indifference, the fail
ure to supply adequate transportation
facilities, has always been and is to-
day a heavier tax on the energy and
enterprise of our people than any
other, in fact, heavier, deeper, than
all others combined. Growing COM
munities need and can bear a just
taxation. No community or country
deserves nor can bear up under the
taxation of Indifference and incompe-
tence. What is true of the Mississippi
valley is in some respects true or
every section of the country. The
rivers of the Atlantic, Pacific and gulf
coasts require development. Our ca
nails, once a great means of enrich
ment Of the country, should be re-
stored. We, of this association, are
sought and encouraged with the valu-
able efforts of other sections to find
relief from that burden of taxation
pouring out of dilatory and indiffer-
ent waterway policy; yet We hold
and we challenge any and all to dis
pute our claim-that since the Missis-
sippi is our greatest river, draining
half our country and sustaining half
our population, it must be the central
feature of any plan for waterway i'm
provement. We, of this association,
therefore urge the adoption of 4
broad and vigorous policy of water
way improvements Let it begin with
the Mississippi and let other rivers
and other sections follow as rapidly as
practical; let us, as citizens of the
common country, unite with those of
other sections in advocating a broad
policy, and let us urge on them the
wisdom OF joining us in our demand
for plan Of waterway Improvement,
beginning with our main trunk line;
and let us make it clear that we no
longer beg or crave the Indulgence OF
he lsrrf hot
ents OF the nation and majority in
numbers, demand that the national
duty. be performed, and that prompt
ly. What we need and what this as
ISOLATION seeks is broad and sound
national policy of waterway improve
ment and a definite purpose in carry
ing out this policy.
Experts declare that our waters
form our richest resources, giving
value to all the rest. They tell us
that our waterways can not properly
be improved without at the same time
the lands on which the
waters gather, improving the forests
about the headwaters of streams and
reducing the drain on the iron and
coal now required to transport by ex-
pensive agencies the abundant pro-
ducts of our fertile fields and rich
mines.
We concur in every claim for the
of our resources and re.
peat the demand in the interests or
this association and the states it rep
yet we insist that any and
all plans for the conservation of our
natural resources must and shall be-
gin with the Improvement and proper
of our waterways for the
purpose of navigation and commerce
Mr.. Kayanaugh, in closing, urged
the delegates to work for the election
Of candidates for congress who are
willing TO pledge themselves TO work
for the great policy of waterway i'm
proyement.