The Washington herald., 1909-04-04

ator OF waterways" he made appro-
pirate reference to the magnitude Of the
movement insugurated by the congress,
declared It was going about its plans IN
the right way, and turning TO the subject
Of waterways. said:
II promised not TO make a speech on
waterways. but we must have word on
that subject.
What success can any great business
enterprise have in the development OF
commerce unless there be cheap trans
portation back OF that commerce? IN
less there be good. efficient. really cheap
transportation 20 carry your goods 70 the
markets.
Mr.. Finley. in a very able address
here this evening. Impressed upon you
the Importance Of developing the rail-
ways Of the South, and I say amen to
that proposition The railroads OF our
country have been its greatest oiviiizers-
America Leads the world.
I'VE lead the world in the development
OF our railways. just as we lead the
world in everything else. But while we
have been developing our railways so re-
nihcent waterways which the God OF
Hosts gave us as the freest, the best, the
cheapest mode Of transportation ever
known or that viii ever be known IN the
world. And I contend that this nation
viii not realize its greatest destiny until
we develop these waterways as they
should be developed and they can be de-
veloped and I believe they are going to
be developed in the near future
How does this proposition apply 70
you Southern men2 ! was talking 10 a
man just two DAYS ago on this subject,
large shipper Of lumber from the South:
and bear IN mind that to-day our lumber
sells annually for three hundred million
dollars: bear IN mind that the South pro-
duces to-day fully nineteen billions Of
the forty billions Of feet Of lumber that
we annually make in this country. This
gentleman told me that the rail freights
were so high that recently his firm
shipped a car OF low-grade lumber trom
Laurel. Miss. 20 the city OF Buffalo and
the transportation charges were $3.50 IN
excess OF the total price they received
for the lumber.
Produces Bulky Materials.
The South Is a producer OF heavy low
class. bulky artlcles-agricultural prod
ucts OF every kind. mining products, and
lumber Lumber IS the heaviest and
most expensive 10 handle to-day OF any
Of our products. All the products OF our
mines are very expensive and difhcult 70
handle Our agricultural products are
the same. and the freight thereon IS high.
Transportation is the most important
question to-day before the civilized world
and that country which solves IL best
and quickest win win in the race for
commercial supremacy.
''One OF the brightest writer's on this
subject In recent years. ar. o. Eltzbach-
er. says in a very interesting book called
Modern Germany, which / suggest 70
all of you 10 read. that the wonderful de-
velOpment OF the German empire-a de-
velOpment greater in recent years even
than our own-has been brought about
/ by the thorough Improvement OF It's
waterways. which In many instances
have saved only One-fftieth OF g penny
/ per ton per mile, and yet that small saw
/ ing-One-hftieth OF a penny per ton per
mile-has given 70 Germany a very large
! business and commerce which otherwise
would have gone 10 its commercial rivals
south Has Fine Rivers.
--An over the South there are splendid
developed. There Is little commerce on
them now. rivers susceptible. however,
OF a splendid development, which viii
| give Us cheap transportation How cheapZ
| Did any OF you ever think about e.? Did
you ever think OF that marvellous COM
merce on the Great Lakes. which is ac-
tually carried at one-ninth OF the aver
/ age railroad rates2
Did you ever think OF that great com
merce On the Ohio River which to-day Is
carried al One-tenth to one-eleventh OF
the railroad rates2 DID you ever exam
| inc the situation IN Germany, where a
+ tremendous commerce IS carried on It's
water courses al an actual freight charge
/ OF one-ffth OF the railroad rates. and IN
/ France. where the rivers have been so
| connected by canals that you can go
/ from every part OF that country to every
other part and carry commerce at one
\ fifth OF the railroad rate2
Cost of Improving Waterways.
IN this country I am convinced. after
Ia careful study OF the subject. that we
can carry freight by water at ene-sixth
I Of the average railroad rate. II that can
I be done, II behooves all Of you who wish
/ 70 develop the SoUth-aye. all OF you who
I wish 10 develop every part OF this Union
/ to develop these waterways and let our
marvellous. splendid commerce 20 by
water as well as by rail
"Mr. Hill truly told you. as the chair
man said, that 81 viii cost FIVE billion dol
| lars 10 improve our railroads. Five hum
dred millions dollars, one-tenth of what
! is needed for the railroads. would I'm
/ prove our waterways and give US the
/ great dement's 10 be derived therefrom.
How are we going to get It? We are go
/ ing 70 get IL by a bond Issue, and don't
/ any OF you, my Democratic friends, gas
at the words bond issue
You are cheerfully paying to-day a
railroad bond issue Of eight and three
quarter billion dollars. Aren't you pay
ing it2 The gentlemen here have told
yoU about the railroads IN the South
( about the railroads IN every other part
/ OF the country. How are they construct
I ed2 There never was q great railroad
/ built without q bond issue.
We are issuing bonds 70 build the
Panama Canal. New York State Is issu-
! ing bonds 10 the extent Of one hundred
million dollars 10 build the Erie Canal
New York State is also issuing fifty NIL
hon dollars Of bonds TO build her high
ways, and is requiring Of her people a
like additional sum for those highways
Now, sirs, II we can issue bonds for the
Panama Canal, bonds Tor the Erie Ca
nal, bonds for the highways, bonds for
the railroads. then In the name OF com
mon sense I ask you II we cannot get
| the money IN any other way. why not
issue bonds for the Improvement Of these
waterways that viii cheaper our trans
portation and make II only one-sixth OF
what Il Is?
I appeal TO the members Of the South
ern Commercial Congress to aid in the
Programmes policy. not a project-oi