The new era. (Walden, Colo.) 1906-19??, 1908-02-20
OUR need OF
Waterways
SENATOR KNOX OUTLINES GREAT
PLANS FOR TRAFFIC
ROUTES.
DEMANDS OF FUTURE
CHEAP TRANSPORTATION WILL
ADD VAST SUMS TO THE
NATIONS WEALTH..

Pittsburg.-With four United States
senators, as many congressman, and
several hundred of the most prominent
business men of the Pittsburg district
in attendance, the annual Lincoln
birthday banquet OF the Pittsburg
Chamber of Commerce was held at
the Hotel Schenly here Wednesday
night.
The chief address was delivered by
Senator Knox of Pennsylvania. The
other speakers and guests were Sena-
tors J. p. Dolliver, Iowa; Thomas Car
ter, Montana; Boise Penrose. Pennsyl-
vania; and Congressman j. Sloat Fas-
sett of New York. Senator Knox said:
Consider the situation as it pre-
sents itself today. We are expending
a vast sum of money to dig the Pan
ANA canal to depth of thirty-five
feet. That depth is fixed by the we'll
established fact that the cheapest
ocean transportation is in the great
vessels of about that draft. In order
that the canal may give the commerce
between the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans its full development. this depth
is admittedly necessary. But at the
same time only two or three ports
of the United States have depth of
water equal to that fixed for the 18TH
milan canal; and applications to cities
TO have their harbor channels deep
cned to that standard are met with
procrastination if not refusal. If this
is not amended, Congress will stand
self-convicted of spending the nations
money in digging canal AMI con-
filming it's fullest benefits to the COM
merce of other nations or at best CIV
ing to the United States the privilege
of using the full depth only through
few ports already VIGOROUSLY con-
gested.
THE relation between the Panama
canal and the improvement of the vast
system of internal waterways in the
Mississippi basin is. IL anything. more
intimate and compulsory. The 10000
miles of streams ranked as navigable
because they are potentially so, termi-
nate at the great ocean port nearest
the canal. The contribution of the
people inhabting that basin to the ma
tional revenues shows that they Will
pay approximately one-half of the cost
of the canal.
Their resources and production.
with their waterways improved to the
utmost cheapness of transportation.
can furnish an immense traffic to be
sent through the canal to Pacific coun-
tries. To omit the improvements that
would pour down from the Mississippi
basin-and from the Great Lakes as
well-through canal connections with
rivers. constant flood of products.
agricultural mineral and manufac-
tured would be to perpetuate two IA
tuities that ought to be unthinkable.
One is to deny to the canal the great
addition to its traffic and return on its
investment. The other is to deny to
the people of the central part OF the
United States their full share OF tho
use of the work to which they con-
tribute so largely.
I'm all the range of material bene-
fits for this nation there are none o.
such magnificent possibilities more
certainly attainable than this. The
conception of the fields of the North
west linked by waterways with the
coal of Pennsylvania the cotton fields
OF the Gulf. the ports of the Pacific
and the cities of the coast the pic
ture of great towns and fleets OF
steamers bearing grain, coal. iron, cot
ton, on the streams from the lakes to
the Gulf and from Nebraska 10 New
York; the full enjoyment Of the Pan
ANA canal IOT tue lhNciVo'S
of the Mississippi basin and the At
lantic coast alike; the agriculture OF
that vast region doubled in it's produc-
ton by the rewards of intensive cult
walton and the multiplication of near
markets. surpasses the ability of tho
human mind to grasp in its entirety.
But that it can be realized in fact is
beyond dispute. when we set about 1t
with the full knowledge of its COM
polling Importance and with the deep
resolution to attain it by measures
bold without rashness and earnest
only to achieve the utmost national
welfare