Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-06-06

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more than four times across the CONT
nent from New York to San Francisco.
In United States $4,000 miles.
Again competition is essential to
our future progress. If this is true
why not improve the Mississippi river
1t will be the greatest conservitor Of
rates ever known and will maintain
competition for all time to come. To
prove this, | will quote from rail
way traffic manager. You will find it
IN his evidence given before the in
dustrial commission: For instance,
the river, as can be understood, makes
the rate from st. Louis to New
Orleans The railroad running be-
tween those points to get share of
rates approximately those made by
river craft. Chicago is not situated
on the river, but would be placed at
disadvantage as regards Memphis
and New Orleans trade if it were not
put upon relatively fair rate plane
at st. Louis. y The whole question
of railroad rates can be summed up
in the remark that the carriers and
the maximum they can charge is pre-
scribed by the river. lake and ocean
carriers" This is absolutely true.
cite another instance. l quote from
Mr. Wyman of the firm of Wyman,
Partridge & Co., member of the Min
nesota Jobbers association of Mime
apolis. After saying that they are
compelled to accept whatever rates
were offered he made this statement:
1t may surprise great many peo-
pie to learn that freight rates in ship
ments to the coast are no more from
New York City, Chicago, ST. Joseph,
Kansas City, Milwaukee, Cincinnati
and New Orleans than from Mimi
eapolis. Traffic managers excuse this
condition on the basis of water COM
petion."
Minneapolis is about midway be-
tween New York and San Francisco,
yet the rate is the same for about one
half the distance 1t seems to me that
this rank injustice should array every
shipper in the Twin Cities, and in all
cities and states In central west In
favor of the proposed plan for Deepen
ing the Mississippi river, thus giving
this portion of the union water ship
It is some satisfaction to learn that
the reason for this discrimination is
on account Of water transportation. 1t
however, shows that the waterways,
If they do not carry all the freight
make the rates.
Deep waterways are the greatest
conservitors of the rates possible and
If the people living in the Mississippi
valley are alive to their best inter-
ests, they will demand in no uncer-
tain terms that the river be improved
so that when the Panama Canal Is
completed, the traffic tributary there
to will be diverted to it's proper course,
north and south instead Of east ana
west. Give us a six foot stage in low
water to ST. Louis and the flour of
Minneapolis will go in barges to New
Orleans. breaking bulk but once. Go
ing from there by ship to any seaport
in the world. Now to get the benefit
of part of water transportation only,
this flour goes to lake port by rail,
then by vessel to Buffalo, thence to
New York by the Erie Canal, or again
by rail as the case may be. All this
reshipping is most expensive and
causes delay. Can there be found
man so dull of comprehension who can
not see that the natural outlet of the
products of the Mississippi valley is
via the Mississippi river!
Are we asking too much of con-
gress to appropriate s15,0o0,0oo? No,
it is a mere pittance, when we con-
slider what other states and countries
are doing and have done. New YORK,
realizing its value Is about to spend
$100,000,000 to deepen and enlarge
the Erie Canal
France. since the Franco rrussian
war has spent 500 millions of dollars
on her canals, rivers and harbors, ~
sum almost as large as Bismarck ex-
Prussian war, and little Holland dur
ing the past has shown the greatest
wisdom In the same direction, and has
expended more than $1,000, 100000
mention these facts to show you that
we are not unreasonable in our de-
mands.
The Grand Canal of China e~n
Hong Chow to Pekin 1000 Miles.
The five great states Of Iowa, WIS
consin, Missouri, Illinois and Mimi
esota are many times larger than New
York, nearly twice the area of France,
while Holland Is only one quarter tho
size Of Illinois. Can the work be doneo
Yes, 1t has been done in other coun-
tries and it is only a question of time
and money.
Inc Clyoe was formerly q sman IN
significant stream that you could
easily wade. Having only Is inches
depth Of water Now. for Is miles il
has thirty foot channel and is navi-
gated by the largest vessels in the
world.
1t can not only be done, but I oo-
lieve the Goth century win see II an
accomplished fact. The proposed i'm
provement of the Mississippi river
and the completion of the Panama canal
will go long WAYS towards settling
the vexed transportation question. In a
large measure the combinatio of
transportation companies has destroy
ed competition, unreasonable and unjust
freight rates is the result. and dis
ordinations are common.
These evils so oppressive that the
people demand relief and let us hope
that the effort now being made by the