Omaha daily bee., 1908-10-08
DEEP WATER CHANNEL
CONTINUED from First Page.)


rather according to the varying degrees
of insistence OF the representatives of the
different districts OF sections Of our coun-
try and without proper discrimination be-
tween the relative merits of projects. Nor
ave such appropriations always been made
in such amounts and with such regularity
as would insure economical prosecution OF
the work and with a view to it's speedy
completion. And so 1t is that, after the
first century OF our existence, we find
our inland waterways, with a few notable
exceptions. unprepared for the uses of the
transportation, but consideration Of their
permanent ana extensive improvement, ac-
eording to some general and comprehensive
plan so as to mould them into h complete
system OF transportation, has now forced
itself upon us with further surprising sud-
denness.
Production OutstrIps Railway.
I'VE find that the enormous Increase in
the productions OF our people In all dimes
OF Industrial activity has outstripped the
ability OF our great railway systems, ex-
tensive and efficient as they are, to trans
port them. We find that during the ten
years ending with 1906 the internal COM
merce OF our country has increased lis per
cent. while railroad transportation facili-
ties during the same time have increased
only 20 per cent. 1t has been pointed out
that to supply this deficiency by the con-
struction of additional railroads and neces-
sary terminals would require a capital in
vestment Of $500, 100000, and this construc.
ton when completed would make no provi-
sion for further increase OF our mmer
Shall we have a repetition Of the expert
ence Of three years ago, when the farmer
saw his grain wasting in the field and the
manufacturer stopped his plant for want
Of raw material and our finished products
lay in the warehouse. all for lack Of facili-
ties to transport them?
"A commodity, raw or finished, Is of
little or no value until 1t has reached the
place of it's use. We cannot stop in our
onward course OF utilizing the natural re-
sources OF our country. We cannot curtail
or limit the production of manufacturers
We must go on, for a contrary course
means disintegration and decay.
Question of the Hour.
Transportation, then, is the question of
the hour. How can We solve it, We must
have. recourse to our waterways. No ma
ton has been so favored with so magnifi-
cent a system Of n~ayigable lakes and riv-
ers. searching in their providential distri-
button every section of the great valley
lying between our east and west mountain
range and of the slopes from these to
their respective coasts. II we improve these
in accordance with a we'll defined pro-
sressive policy we shall. In conjunction
with out great railroads and our forms
OF transportation, keep up pace with com
mercial and Industrial advancement of our
advancement.
Il ANN not unmindful Of the great ex-
penditurelof public money which the pros
ecution OF such a policy viii entail. The
expense OF carrying an article from the
place here Il ls, to the place where IL is
wanted must be added to Its cost, whether
It be in its raw or finished state. Therefore
its cheaper carriage results in a savins
TO that extent. AS the Transportation BY
water is about one-sixth Of that by rail-
a great saving, apportioned between tbs
producer and consumer, and. hence among
all our people, would follow.
The Great Lakes.
what has been the extent OF this saw
ing in cases here the government hai
brought Its waterways to a state OF APP
~proXimate completion2 The creates
waterway in the United States, and by IA
the greatest inland waterway in the worl
is composed OF the Great lakes. Up to tn
close OF 1907 our government has expende,
upon the harbors and connecting channel
OF these lakes SIS. 10000 In round number,
During the season OF 1907. there passe
through the 500 canal 6S,2i7.a4 tons O
freight, which was CARED an average dis
lance OF ss miles. at a cost Of $Ss. Asst, 81
making an average cost OF eight-tenths Q
a mill per ton mile. If this freight had bee
carried by rail At the average railroa
rate per tone OF seven and elghty-tw
hundredth mills per mile. II would COZ
tsT.0so. TOO. That Is to say. the savin
through decreased cost OF transportatio
on the business OF a single lake for
single year amounts to 0SS.6Oo0000, {
nearly four times the total amount e.
pended by the government on All the lake
since their Improvement was begun.
IF the tonnage Of all the great lake
were included In the computation. II
argument would be corresponding
strengthsnedi but there Is an indirect "a
ing Whioh results from reduction In a
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