Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-06-03
State Manufacturers OF Iowa
Represented By Several Hum
dred Delegates Today
OF PRESIDENT MERCER
Considers Transportation Paramount
Issue, and DweIls at Length Upon
General Improvement of the High
ways-severaI Hundred Delegates in
Attendance.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Ottumwa, June 3.-The annual con-
vention of the State Manufacturers OF
Iowa was called to order here today,
with several hundred delegates pres
ent from all parts of the state. In re-
spouse to the address of welcome,
lengthy address was delivered by Pres
ident S. w. Mercer, Of Iowa City. ex-
tracts from which, follow:
1.-The question Of transportation is
still the paramount issue with the
Iowa manufacturers and each year
sees US in better position to compete
with those who are more favored than
We, but there is much yet to be done
along this line. One year ago our as
ISOLATION appointed a transportation
committee consisting of MIR. Dennlson
of Mason City, Mr. Arhenz OF this city,
and Mr.. Martin of Dubuque, and TINS
committee has done valiant service
for our membership. After much Ia
Dor and expense it very materially as
sisted in getting the railway commits
sion to put in and enforce joint rates
in Iowa, and every shipper in the
state now has lower rates within the
state than one year ago, and thru
its efforts the commission promises
something better in express rates than
we now have in Iowa, but owing to
the fact that it is necessary for one
member of the commission to be re-
elected at the next election or retire
from office we can hope for but little
to be done until after the election in
November. This committee has done
valuable and faithful service for our
members and has the thanks of the as
ISOLATION.
Much yet remains to be done along
the lines of transportation before
Iowa can become great manufactur-
ing state and we all agree that with
the matter Of transportation settled
along the right lines we should ana
would become great manufacturing
commonwealth. That Iowa produces
as good as the best brains in the world
and that our facilities for producing
the best material to maintain ana
train brain and muscle none will deny
then why lag behind in manufactur-
ing? 1t is because some fundamental
requisite necessary in manufacturing
is wrong. What is it? Not brain, not
muscle. not energy, not management,
not capital-no none of these = there
fore, it must be transportation. How
shall we solve it? Some say by gov.
eminent ownership, others say by gov
eminent control of transportation facll-
tiles. but in our judgment the whole
matter must sooner or later be solved
by using the facilities that God has
given us, and which in our mad rush
to get rich we have overlooked and
that is water transportation owned
and controlled by the federal govern
ment and by the states.
Suppose the Mississippi river ana
dts large tributaries were great lines
of transportation owned and controlled
by the federal government ana
that canals were built along the Des
Moines. the Iowa, the Cedar and any
other rivers of like size thruout the
country as feeders, owned and con-
trolled by the states where located,
how long would it take to solve the
Transportation question for the Iowa
manufacturers? But you say that the
expense would be too great; we an
swer-all good things are expensive.
Do you know that the saving IN
freight to the Iowa farmer alone on
the products of his farm by water or
rail to tide water would build many
miles of canal every year? And this
would also be a great saving in the
cost of his purchases because the
ho mamma rtnred
in Iowa. thus saving the long haul and
excessive freights from the east pc
sides creating a greater home market
for his products.
1--WE should ask the next legislature
to appoint commission, and make an
appropriation, looking to the construc-
ton OF canals along our rivers In Iowa
and if found practicable these Water
ways should be constructed at the ex-
pense of the state and be ready for OPP
GRAFTON by the time the Panama canal
is completed The action OF the Ma
tional Midland Waterways Commits
sion, and the president and the
congress of the United States indi-
Gates that Iowa canals when COM
pleted, if begun now, would have an
outlet down the Mississippi and up the
Ohio and Missouri rivers that would
make them wonderful factors in solv-
ing the transportation problem for the
Iowa manufacturers.
Good Roads.
zone Of the very important ques-
lions now before the American pub
lie and one in which Iowa manufac-
turers are especially interested. is the
general improvement Of the highways.
For almost 800 years Americans
have had some sort OF system of road
making and according to the figures
compiled by the agricultural depart
ment in 1904 we find that the percent
age of improved roadways was at that
time TIA per cent for the United
States, ranging from .o2 of one per
cent in Nebraska to 1888 per cent in