Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-19

S. A. THOMPSON.
ly the same as the rate from Italy
after the duty is imposed. The Ital-
ians are able to do so well because
their shipments of oranges are made
entirely by water.
The development of waterways in
creases the dividends of railroads. The
rivers increase industries and in that
way they increase the passenger traf-
fic on railroads and the amount of
mail and express carried by them and
give them large shipments of freight
that must be moved at a rate faster
than can be accomplished by water.
Both Must Develop Together.
The development of the two means
of transportation must go hand in
hand. The wise thinking railroad man
has ceased to foster the idea that wa
terways injure his business and many
of them are laboring hand in hand
with us to secure the improvement of
waterways. They see where navigable
streams are helping rather than injur-
ing their business"
According to Mr.. Thompson, if the
state of Texas were well equipped with
waterways 1t would be able to do a
foreign commerce twice as big as that
now done by the entire U. s. BY the
aid of waterways it would be able to
send its products into every port in
the world and place them on the mar
ket. at prices that could not be APP
preached b. foreign competitors.
Advantages to Railways.
Mr.. Thompson then spoke of the
=, ,1,c~ H. l.
igable water courses parallel their lines,
citing instances where the stated -own-
ed railways of Germany We're so par
allied to the immense benefit of both.
He said that he had studied the sub
ject of water transportation for TWEEN
ty-five years. and that in the begin
ming promotion along this line had
been opposed by the railroads, follow
ing which he referred to the fact that
such big railroad men as James J. Hill
and Mr. Harahan recently advocated
the expenditure Of large sums for
such work, realizing the rapid develop
ment brought to any section by the
development of water lines
The Cheap Transportation.
The railroad which makes freight
rates has the power to say whether a
city shall prosper or fail. That is what
makes water transportation valuable,
because it grinds down railroad rates.
There are just three modes of
transportation in this country. They
are by rail, water and wagon road.
The short hauls go by wagon road and
the hurry shipments by rail. That
leaves water for the slow and bulky
shipments. With the development of
water transportation commerce and
industry Is helped. Water transporta-
ton produces cheap freight rates and
that is the first thing which concerns
the growth of city. For this reason
l say Iowa is duty bound to develop
her rivers.
Is Most Important Question.
'.Navigable rivers in this state will
benefit transportation, produce water
power, prevent floods and prevent the
washing awav of the fertility of the
soil. Control of the streams will place
local industries in touch with the en-
tire world and you can meet any kind
of competition. 1t is by far the most
important question which confronts
the people Of this state and every
state"
The speaker dwelt at considerable
length upon the greatly decreased cost
of transportation by water as compar-
ed with that by rail, using convincing
facts and figures to make plain the ex-
listing situation. He told of the i'm
mense expenditures made bv small
countries like Germany. Holland and
England in deepening and utilizing
even the smallest watercourses, in
which every citizen takes great pride.
Continuing he said; 1.-THE United
States is digging the Panama canal at
great expense, but who is going to get
the real advantage of it? !, European
countries, -hich have the finest har-
bors in the world Why, Germany, and
even Japan, are already making prep
arations for reaping a revenue of mil
lions through use of the canal, while
our country will be left far. behind be-
cause of failure to give proper consid-
Grafton to Its own ports and streams
that should be made navigable. We
have been asleep too long, and the
people alone can awaken Congress to
the duty of acting. We should have an
appropriation of s5o,000,000 annually
with. which to pursue this great work,
and the people will have to be educat-
ed to the point OF demanding such an
appropriation before Congress win
act"
Paints Bright Future.
With dependable Mississippi on
the east. navigable Missouri on the
west and complete development of the
interior streams, such as the Des
MONIES, CEDAR and Iowa, this state
would have a future of which few
could even dream 1t would place Iowa
in touch with every nation of the
world, and Iowa products could be put
in the ports of the old world cheaper
TRAN they can now be placed on the
markets of New York. Some day the
time is coming when these rivers will
be under control, when they wiln. be
navigable, and when that time comes
the growth Of he
interior states will be marvellous
Doud Introduces Speaker
The meeting was opened by Presi-
dent Dain of the Commercial associa-
ton who called upon Secretary G. d.
Doud to introduce the speaker Mr.
Doud in his introduction told of the
impression made upon him and Others
at the recent State Manufacturers