East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-02-09
SHALL WATERWAY
BONDS Be ISSUED
QUESTION RANKS WITH
REVISION OF TARIFF
Senators and Congressman are Dis
cussing the Problem as Never Be-
foro-Natlonal Rivers and HarbOrs
Congress Demands that Govern
ment Shall Issue Bonds for I'M
provement of Waterways.


the government issue bonds to inn
prove its waterways?" Is becoming
as much of a question as the revision
of the tariff and legislators here
abouts are dividing the discussion
with ways and means OF improving
the conditions OF the treasury. Here
and there in spots you find objections
TO the issuance of waterway bonds,
but this opposition comes from the
representatives located In interior
states and who have little or no wat
er highways In their districts.
shall the government issue bonds
TO improve It's Waterways" was the
subject OF Representative Randell's
speech before the Traffic Club OF Chi
cago the other night and as president
of the Rivers and Harbors Congress
he took the affirmative side OF the
question. Mr.. Ransdall, who has been
a persistent advocate of bond issue
for waterways improvements. showed
that water transportation in the Unit
ed States costs about one-sixth OF the
average rate by rail and that the to-
tai saving in 1907 TO the American
people in reduced rates between wat
or borne freight and rail freight am
ounted to the vast sum OF s477, ,000,- |
900 and he arrived at this conclusion |
by showing that the traffic carried |
by water that year amounted TO near |
ly one-third as much as that by rail- |
but that the water cost instead of be-
ing about one-third, to place Il on a
par with rail, was about one twenty !
third of that by rail.
Rail and Water Compared.
II has been estimated that there
were carried on the inland waters OF
the United States in 1907 73,210,31S,-
sol. 1.390, 103 tons by rail- Taking the
average rail rate OF 1853 mills the
average saving on the water-borne
freight would have amounted to up
wards OF four hundred and seventy
seven million of dollars and that in
one year! II this amount OF saving
can be made in one year. according
fitable and reasonable TO assume that
similar benefits would follow a con-
tinuance OF waterway improvements?
With very large deficit facing the
country Mt the close OF the present ;
fiscal year, probably amounting TO
$123, 900, ,000 the chances for any L
serious or well defined work on the
rivers, harbors and canals of the Ma
tion during the next year are small i
indeed, which has prompted Mr..
Ransdall in taking a stand for water I
way bonds to be issued as needed up c
TO $500. O00,O 900 but limited to $780, $
100000, in any one year. o
II this sum is provided river and $
harbor work can go ahead on a sys-
iematic comprehensive plan, which u
will result within ten years in maxi b
ng very effective the great majority i
If the waterway projects of the coun- u
ry but IL present methods are fol- al
owed river and harbor bills are adj D.
,pted every three years, as in the past e'
'arrying small and very uncertain am 81
,unts, we cannot look for definite 81
benefits for many years to come.
Rain Drops on sand. IN
Most of our great annual expendi- tu
ures for the postoffice, pensions, W
rmy. navy, ETC., according to Mr.. al
sansdall, have been compared to rain be
rops falling on the parched sands of tn
he desert ad leaving no trace be- 10
lind, but most of the waterway inn nj
rovements. in his opinion, are as i'm nj
erlshable as the concrete out of da
'hich they are constructed and will co
lst forever OF
"In my judgment" said the Presi- sis
ent of the Rivers and Harbors Con- sa
ress, in his Traffic Club address. mi
there should be no rivalry or ami fe'
iosity between water and rail. The flo
lree systems, highway, railways and Or
aterways should be compliments gri
nd helpers Of each other. The more
erfect are country's highways, the me
enser becomes its population, the Da
reater its general prosperity, the TIL
reaper its transportation, the larger The
$ volume of internal and foreign old
,mmerce and consequently the bet
r business for It's steam cars and mi
eamboats. In like manner where to
aterways are improved and much ba'
led to carry the heavy low class bul"
Y articles, such as are, coal. steel, VIII
on, stone, bricks, agricultural pro- ter
let's logs and lumber, the more to
'osperous are the adjacent rail- no