Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1909-11-20


n the short space Of two weeks from
a shortage OF $4,000 reported on oc-l
tober 7th, with the certainty Of furth-
er decrease in the number Of freight
cars a fact which shipper and re-
celser must face and for the added
cost OF which the entire country must
pay. The fact that the great rail-
way systems are placing orders for
more cars gives no sign Of present re-
lief nor does the fact argue for re-
lief IN the future. Il is always to be
remembered that the growth Of trade
and commerce far outstrip the efforts
Of the railways TO keep pace with
III To believe otherwise would be to
deny the patent facts Of past growth,
50 enormous and so continuous, asto
call from President Hill the state
ment that Il would cost the railways
OF the country the expenditure Of 81.
600 100000 annually for I've years 70
come up to the demands Of trade and
commerce.
Il was a frank confession. But It
was confession which carries IT'S own
refutation with It. While the rail-
ways were engaged In their expendi-
ture Of s1.OOO.OOO,OOO annually, the
country would be developing at rate
even greater, and the catching up OF
the railways could be accomplished
only on the impossible condition that
the trade and commerce Of all sec
lions OF the United States should re-
main at a standstill.
There is but one method through
which relief from car shortage can
be had. That method is in the Inn
provement OF the inland waterways
Of the country. With the inland wa
terways improved, the additional ia.
cilities demanded by shippers by rail
could be Afforded. The fact OF enOrm-
GUS development, and the fact that
with each year the car shortages grow
more serious and more costly and dis
astrous, are the surest guarantee that
there are freight offerings amply sufIi-
Client in volume to tax the capacity
OF both means Of transportation, and
that the relief which shippers and
receivers demand would enure to the
raiief ~ tho railway
There cannot IN the nature OF
things, be hostility Ia competition be
tween the river and the rail. Last
year the upper Ohio held in leash
for more than six months l5,OOO,OO0
bushels Of coal which the manufactur.
ing interests Of the middle and lower
Ohio needed and could not have, be
cause OF the continued low water In
the Ohio, At ogden. IN Utah, there
are now 10000 tons Of sugar beets
awaiting the dine when the railways
can handle them. Because OF low
water IN the Ohio the 100000 bush
els OF coal we're yalaeless, SO are
the $4,000 tons Of sugar beets, with
the lack OF value extending to the la
Dor that would have been employed
in the factories II the coal had been
received or II the sugar beets could be
moved.
Without means OF transportation,
production Is waste OF time and
money. With Improvement OF the wa
terways production would be stimulat
cd because OF the certainty Of reach
ing market The proposition Il
self evident, but Il cannot be brought &
Accomplishment without the adoption
OF settled policy on the part OF the
Federal Government. such as the Ma
tlonai Rivers and Harbors Congress
/, advances. and such as must eventual
r ". be adopted by the Congress Of m
United states The coming sesslo
LOO the Congress, at washington o
i. December s. . and 10. viii outstri
! IT, predecessors In 'thc fact that
! will assemble with the knoWiedg
/. that les platform--vA Policy; Not
Z Project meets With The cordial al
iproval OF an interests, with only pc
sistepcc needed to produce the d
!. sired result