The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-03-07
Says Sections Prosperity De.
ponds Upon Them.
URGES A LET-ALoNE POLICY
Railway President Addresses Ma
con Chamber OF Commerce and
Presents Interesting Facts Con-
corning TranspOrtatiOn-HeP Pleads
for Lighter Legislation.

w luleyt president OF the southern
Railway, was the chief speaker His
subject was largely upon the development
OF transportation in the South and its
relation to the prosperity OF that region.
Mr.. Finley prefaced his address with
some remarks upon the nature and causes
of the wealth Of nations, reaching the two
fundamental propositions that outside
trade is essential to the prosperity OF any
community. and that adequate and
prompt transportation facilities are re-
CURED to send forth such trade 10 the
point or points of consumption. With
these two propositions laid down, Mr. Fin
ley addressed himself to ihe subject of
transportation in the South, concerning
which he said:
The relation between transportation
facilities and the growth of communities
is illustrated by the history of Macon.
An important factor in determining the
original location Of a settlement at this
point was the fact that it was at the
mead Of navigation on the Ocmulgee
River. Il was at a point therefore. at
which the products Of the surrounding
territory were concentrated for transpor-
tation by way OF the river and the
Atlantic Ocean 10 other parts OF the
United States and 70 foreign countries.
and from which the products OF other
sections and countries were distributed
throughout the surrounding territory
River Navigation Important.
The importance Of river navigation
from Macon 70 the sea was early appre-
ciated. The first act making appropriation
for a general system of river improve
ments in Georgia passed the legislature in
December, 1877. It apportioned $4,000 70
the Ocmulgee River and 5000 TO the Alta
maha. Before the days OF railways.
steamboats, Of considerable size at times
assembled the Altamaha and Ocmulgee 10
Macon. Except in periods OF relatively
high water in the latter river. however.
the shadows at It's confluence with the
Altamaha interfered with steamboat traf-
fee, and it was customary to transfer
cargoes to pole boats at that point for
carriage up the river 20 Macon.
When the era Of railway building be-
gan, Macon. being already a thriving
trade center, attracted the roads which
were being built in this part Of the
country, and its advantages OF water
transportation were thus supplemented by
facilities for rail transportation. Just
as the past development Of Macon has
been made possible by its transportation
facilities, so its future progress viii de-
pend. in very large measure. upon the
Improvement Of these facilities. No COM
munity can afford TO stand apart from
its transportation interests, and you can
not afford 10 be Indifferent 20 the eco
monte conditions which surround your
railways. They are in fact Mr.. Toast
master, as much a part Of your CONNER
cial and industrial machinery as are
your warehouses and your factories.
Your interest in transportation is not
merely local. anc is not confined TO the
State of Georgia. II is national, and
even international in its scope. Your in
terest in international transportation Is
in the increase of direct and regular
steamship communication with all parts
or the world where the products OF GeOr-
Fia are IN demand. While it might be 10
our advantage if more Of the uans-At-
lantic and trans-PaCific shipping were
under the American flag, and while d.
rect and regular transatlantic steamship
lines from Southern ports are desirable,
considering the United States as a whole,
there is no lack OF shipping facilities 10
European and Asiatic ports. Neither is
there 70 the ports Of the West Indies and
Central America.
Need ships to south America.
Tt is in shipping TO the ports Of South
America that our greatest deficiency
exists In spite OF Inadequate direct
+-aD-v,o--.,tfo,, "a ofrf+fag +t,a +ro5o % +bo
United States with the Latin-Amerlcan
countries much Of it moving across the
Atlantic 10 Europe and back again TO
South America. is growing more rapidly
than our foreign trade as a whole II is
the most promising export trade we have
to-day. Those countries use cotton goods
and other commodities that can advan-
tageously be produced in the Southern
States At present they buy a large pro-
portion Of their cotton goods from Eng
lsh German. and other European mills,
and also purchase in Europe furniture,
hardware, and many other articles that
they can buy as well in the Southern
States. If we are 10 realize the benefit of
our geographical advantage with relation
10 this trade, we must have direct and
regular steamship communication with
States, but from the Southern ports.
AT the present time there is not a
single line running between any Southern
port and any port in South America south
Of Venezuela. There are a few lines, gem
orally under foreign flags, running from
New York to Brazil, Argentina, and. by
way OF the Straits Of Magellan, 10 Chile
and Peru. The vessels employed in these
lines are generally freight carriers too
slow, and sailing at too great intervals,
TO render an efficient mail service, and
with poor accommodations for passen-
gers. There are direct and regular lines
20 these countries from Great. Britain,
Germany France Spain, and Italy. The
mails between South America and Europe
are swift regular. and certain. Between
South America and the United States
they are slow, irregular. and uncertain
The merchant in one OF these countries
ordering goods by mail from the United
States cannot know when his order will
BE received or when the goods win be
shipped Passenger service between the
United States and points south of Vene-
zuelG is SO poor that travellers generally
go by way OF Europe. While we NAV
differ as to the best means or bringing
about the establishment Of adequate and
regular transportation facilities between
the Southern ports and those Of South
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