The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1908-10-13
DEMAND ACTION
BY CONGRESS
Resolutions Adopted by Wa.
terWays Convention.
RAILROADS INADEQUATE

RAILROADS INADEQUATE
Water transportation Must Be Devel-
oped In Order That the Freight Of
the Country May Be Handled Prop.
srly and Promptly-Lakss to Gulf
Canal Declared to Be an Imperative
Duty Of the Government. Z
Chicago, Oct. l. l-Business at the
closing session of the fourth annual
convention of the Lakes to the Gulf
Deep Waterways association was
transacted at a rapid rate. The old
officers were reelected with the ex-
ception of D. R. Forgan of Chicago as
a member of the board OF governors.
Mr.. Forgan retired in favor of q. S.
Conway, Chicago. New Orleans had
NO opposition for the next convention
and It will be held In that city. The
speakers of the day were Theodore P.
Shonts of New York and John A.
ockerson of St. Louis. The following
resolutions were adopted:
ITO promote the general welfare is
recognized by the Constitution of the
United States as one of the funda-
mental principles of government.
"The general welfare Of the people
of the United States can best be pro.
NOTED by establishing the commerce
Of the country on a sound basis and
by SO charging it that agricultural
and mineral resources may be devel-
oped to the end that production and
manufacturing may be encouraged.
Easy and adequate transportation
is the first essential for the develop
ment Of the commerce of the United
States; and the responsibility for this
development rests upon the general
government.
Railroads inadequate.
ut has been demonstrated during
the last ten years that when business
conditions are normal the transporta-
ton facilities afforded by the railways
are utterly inadequate; and it is stat
ed by the traffic managers of railways
that the development of railway IA
c1lities cannot keep pace with the in
creased demands upon them. The
leading railway authorities declare
that water transportation must be de-
veloped in order that the freight Of
the country may be handled properly
and promptly.
'Under the Constitution the regula-
ton of commerce between the states
devolves on the general government
and neither states nor private capital
can be permitted under the Constitu-
ton to assume these duties.
''The duty therefore devolves on the
general government to give the coun-
try adequate transportation facilities
by developing the navigable water
weys. This duty should be recognized
by congress at once and the water
ways should be made efficient freight
carriers, otherwise the United States
cannot maintain commercial equality
with other nations which are paying
adequate attention to their waterways.
'"The all important question of
transportation is paramount ISSUE
If it be found that the current rev.
enues of the government are INSULT
client for vigorously carrying out on a
broad plan the development of our wa
terways congress should procure funds
for that purpose by providing a suffi-
Client bond ISSUE
Lakes to the Gulf Canal.
"This convention declares that the
opening of a deep channel way con-
Meeting the Great Lakes with the Gulf
of Mexico to be an imperative duty of
the general government and that this
work should be Immediately begun
and completed as speedily as possible.
ANY plan for inland waterway de-
velopment should comprise a main
trunk line in the form of strait con-
aeeting Lake Michigan with the Gulf
t Mexico by the Illinois and Missis-
..ppi rivers. The Improvement of the
branches of this main line, such as the
Upper Mississippi, with it's tributaries,
the Ohio with it's tributaries, includ-
ing the Tennessee and the Cumber-
land, the Missouri, the Arkansas, the
Red, the White, should proceed stimuli
tansously with the development of the
main line.
"Ths deep waterway is practically
complete from Chicago to Joliet and
the continuation from Joliet to st.
Louis will cost only $31,000,00O. The
state of Illinois, assuming that the
federal government will take the re-
sponsibility of completing the water
way to the gulf, is about to cooperate
to the extent Of $20,000,000.
"A special board of survey was Gre
ated by congress last year to report
on the feasibility of deep waterway
route from st. Louis to the mouth Of
the Ohio. Delegates to this conven.
ton demand that when that report is
made congress shall at once provide
funds sufficient to begin operations in