Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-12-10
Waterways TALK
Of EARNEST KIND
IN ---------- ------
]. w. Van Cleave Points Out In
terest Of Manufacturers in
Water Transportation
1RAzlL's RIVERS AND HARRoRs

J RepubIic-Speaker Cannon and 9th
ers Make Addresses - Conservation
K Meeting Hears Forestry Report.
r washington. Dec, 1o,-Prominent
speakers, among them Joseph G, Cam
non, Joaquin Nabuco. the Brazilian
ambassador; FORMER Senator Higgins,
Of Delaware; James w: Van Cleave,
president of the National Association of
Manufacturers; J: A. Ockerson. Cow
ernor Deneen. and Senator Owen, of
Oklahoma, addressed today's session OF
the national rivers and harhors con-
vention.
Van cleaxs for Lakes to- Gulf Scheme.
AS preliminary to his remarks,
Mr.. Van Cleave had no hesitation in
declaring a preference for the lakes-to-
the-g gulf project by way Of the Mississ-
ippi river to all other local water way
schemes, because, he said, it had a
larger region, not only in area, but in
than any other single enterprise. Be
sides, he said, it would contribute mare
to the country's prosperity and wealth
than would any other project which
was confined to one section. He was
aware. however, of the jealousy Of To-
cality and of the desire of each section
to give priority to its own particular
scheme. For that reason, he said. the
national rivers and harbors congress.
which took the entire country into Its
calculations, had q mission which made
a powerful appeal to all men who
"think continentally." Those who were
interested in the extension Of manu-
featuring and the lengthening Of the
United States lead over the other In
dustrial countries in this field must
also think and plan continentally:
Mr.. Van Cleave, in giving the reas-
ans why manufacturers all over the
country had a profound concern In the
work the congress aimed ta accom-
pltsh, said that with the progress or
invention and the adoption of labor
saving devices. production tn the FAC
tories. to steadily increasing degree,
outran home consumption. He declared
that in order that the operation Of mills
In periods of trade stagnation as well
as In periods Of trade activity may pc
continued. the prices Of American pro-
ducts at the great centers of consunp-
ton. both at home and abroad, must
be lowered, and that the cheapen1ng
OF transportation would help to 90
that. The readiest and most effective
way to do that and at the same time
uuicen the transit between producer
and consumer, he said, was to put the
nayieable waterways Of the country IN
q shape in which they could do their
share of the work He pointed. out why
the manufacturers had a large stake
in the work which the congress aims
to promote. "The country's mills and
factories" he said, represent a capital
Of SIS 900, 100000. They employ 6,ooo,-
900 OF persons, give them $3,500, 100000
in wages annually, and fashion $lO,OOO,-
GOO 900 of materials yearly into products
worth SIT 1000, 100000. The exports OF
manufactures in 1908 reached $780,
600. 900. In the amount of money In
vested in it and in the number of per-
sons which it employees, manufacturing
is the second greatest Of the country 8
interests agriculture being first. In the
volume and the value of its manufact-
ures the United States nearly equals it's
three nearest competitors combined
Great Britain, Germany and france.
Speaking from the national side OF
the question Mr.. Van Cleave said that
the organization of which he was pres
idept was in hearty sympathy with the
aim of the national rivers and harpors
congress to obtain am annual govern
mental appropriation of $5O,O0O,000 for
river and harbor Improvement thruout
the country. my own experience as
well as that Of every other manufac-
turer in the country" he said, shows
the harm which comes from the 1nabll-
dty Of the railways to handle che trar-
fic promptly. During the past ten or
twelve months we have had no COM
plaint on this score, for the traffic mas
fallen off, but the rapidity with which
the number Of idle cars is falling or
warns us manufacturers that the old
traffic congestion at our business CEN
tiers will soon return. Under the inn
pulse which trade has received in the
past few weeks we must be prepared
to see the old embargo at our big rail-
way SCdklOIlS ny SlOP 1iloNiiG3 SiAAiS ~
1909 at the latest" He gave as an i'm
perative reason why the manufacturers
must use all their influence to get a
greater increase in transportation ia
cilities, the fact that in the last twen-
ty years the volume of the country's
manufacturers had increased 100 per
cent while the mileage of the railways
had gained but 45 per cent. Many of
the railway chiefs, he said, acknowl-
edged that the rolling stock and the
terminal facilities could not grow fast
enough to meet the demand. "Thus,"
he declared, 1--WE are compelled to bring
the waterways into requisition to sup
plement the work Of the roads" The
railroad companies. he said, would not
oppose the project. In fact, he said.
some of the railway officials would
probably help. He maintained that
there was no necessary antagonism
between the rivers and the railways.
and he argued that waterway improve
ment not only would expand and di-
versify the country's activities, but
would furnish more work for the rail-