The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-11-25
Charlotte Observer.


Under the heading "The Cause of
Wilmington the Cause of the State"
The Monroe Journal, in it's last issue,
contained a column article advoea-
ting united effort by the people of
the whole State to secure Federal aid
for the construction of II 3OIoot
channel in the Cape Fear river from
Wilmington to the SCH. From that
article we take the following para
graph:
"Wilmington, led by the city's
chamber OF commerce, is carrying on
ii persistent, determined, and MOTTO
be-downed fight for government aid
to make a thirty-fOot channel i'm the
Cape Fear from the sea to the city.
1t is far from local fight. but II
cause MS important to the State at
large as to Wilmington. This State
is bound hand and foot by it's inabil-
ity to get ascheap freight rates as the
States around it. The reason is that
there is not at present a port i'm this
State of sufficient Importance to
, make a "basing" water rate, natur-
ally lower than railroad rate.
Where there is water competition
! the policy of the roads is to give a
rate as low as the water rate. Now
this policy has been SO long i'm force
that law making bodies of competent
jurisdiction will not abolish the rule
The simple proposition is to make a
port Wilmington sufficient to force
the roads to give the same rates to
it and contiguous territory that are
given for Norfolk and other cities
To do this a thirty-foot channel is
required As the success of this I'M
dertaking would mean the immedi-
ate cheapening of freight rates to
the greater portion of North Carroll
ma, the cause of Wilmington at once
becOmis the cause of the State The
entire delegation in Congress could
we'll afford to unite in fight to get
the government to do the work re-
quired. They could we'll afford to re-
linquish their claims for local enter
prises until this one OF State wide inn
portance is accomplished.
The above lays the whole situation
before the business men of the State.
1t shows that mercantile and indus
trial interests in Charlotte aud in
this entire section Of the Carolinas
are rs much interested in the propo-
sitiOn us are the business men oil
Wilmington who have taken upon
themselves the burden of securing
the requisite appropriation by Con-
greSs for the proposed work on the
river. When the people Of Central
and Western North Carolina divest
themselves of the idea that the
scheme is a local one urged in behalf
of the Wilmington traders and ship
pers alone great step will be taken
in the interest of the State generally
For some years complaint has
been made that North Carolina
towns are Disseminated against in
matter Of freight rates in favor ol
those of Virginia, and to every such
complaint is made the answer that
water rates to Norfolk prevent cor.
rection of the seeming Injustice. The
business men of this city and section
have had this dinged in their ears for
years. Don't they see that their only
chance Of relief is to put Wilmington
on the same footing rs Norfolk? Ana
this can be done i'm one way only-by
giving the North Carolina port equa
advantages as u port of entry fol
heavy draft vessels as any other OIL
the South Atlantic seaboard. 1t il
: not to help Wilmington but to helT
themselves that the people OF thiI
section sho1ld strive to secure th,
30-fnot channel for the States chic
seaport.