The Washington times., 1908-10-08
Heads of Nation in ConVenhon
To SotUe Deep Water Problem
Address of James Hill Denying Railroad AntagOnsm,
Followed by Bryan and Pinchot and Ten
Minute Speakers.

CHICAGO, oct. s.-WiWem Jennings
Bryan and Clifford PinchOt. Chief For
ester of the Department Of Agriculture,
had the honor places on tOdays pro-
gram Of the convention of the Lakes
20 the gulf deepwaterways Association.
The morning address was delivered by
tie Nebraskau, and Mr.. Pinchot was
on the afternoon program. Routine
business was taken up when the con
ventiOn was called 10 order ar ten
O'Clock David r Francis, former gov
eruor of Missouri introduced Bryan,
who was heartily cheeved as he began
10 speak.
After this address. the convention ad-
journed until afternoon.
Immediately after the preliminary
business. the chairman announced that
James J. Hin. Of the Great Northern
railway. had written an address in eN-
pectation If speaking, but had been un-
able 10 attend. Congressman Rainey
Of Illinois read the address Mr. Hills
address in part follows:
The assertion that the railroad in
terests Of this country are hostile 90
the development Of its waterways Is
absurd upon its face
The trunk lines between Chicago and
New York were built and have created
their enormous traffic in face Of the
competition Of the Erie canal. St
Louis. one of the important centers Of
railroad business on this continent, has
the Mississippi at her service. On the
Ohio is some Of the cheapest water
carriage IN the country. This is "a
cheap and convenient route by which
the coal of ? -nnsylvania and Ohio may
he moved to the factories of St. Louis
OF toth Of S.742Gi7 tons OF coal re-
ccived at St Toui= ln 1877. just 1910
tons We're carried by boat These hg-
ures expose the absUrdity of the theory
that the railroad need feel either jeaI-
ousy or fear Il the waterways
Equally interesting IS their expert
euCe with a waterway which is a glori-
Gus success and already the most Won
derful thorouShfale for steam craft IN
the world. On the Great Lakes 1900
0o0 tons were carried last year. The vol
UIue OF lake commerce is always grow
ing. But while the phenomenal growth
Of lake business has taken place the
railroads running west ana northwest
from Buffalo and Chicago have not sUf-
fe7ed.
Welcomes Waterways.
Every intelligent railroad man long
ago dismissed fear Of the waterway
as a competitor because thu two car
ricrs are supplementary instead Of Inu-
tually destructive.
! I have already stated on different
| occasions the determining fact bearing
1 upon the future % raIi~plIing in this
! country. The passage Of tine only III
| tensiles the difficulties Of the situa-
/ ton. Two years age I pointed out that
in ten years. the railroad mileage O.
/ the country had increased bEr p pei
cent while the passenger business had
I grown 50 per cent, and the freight bus
! mess us per ceuT. The latest report
! Of the Interstate CoruIcrce COMMISSION
! carries an even graver warning.
The country was saved from a com
/ plete traffic break down only tv in
creas!Dg operating efficiency I have
for years been urging the building ~
rate with the growth Of the country
should not only De permitted but On
,cCUraged in the only two possible ways
BY enCoura ging capital 10 invest II
! railroad construction and, by a com
prehensive system OF waterway i'm,
! pTOvement
The traffic Of the country VIII need
as soon IS normal conditions are ro
stored by 4 return Of confidence. all Tho
/ assistance that waterways can give.
| Waterways should be made as othr'
| great works are created. The first rail
roads were lines between important cen