The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1909-11-02
BY Associated Press.

by ASSOclAed fIess.
New Orleans, La, Nov, 2.-"The de-
mands of commerce fully warrant a
large expenditure to connect our Great
Lakes and the gulf with waterway
Of suitable dimensions for all present
and prospective needs. National
pride promps it strongly. We need
this connection in order to permit
free interchange by cheap water trans
portation between the innumerable
cities and towns of the Mississippi
Valley and those Of the Great Lakes.
Thus Representative Joseph r.
Ransdell, Of Louisiana, president Of
the National Rivers and Harbors con-
gress, opened his address last night,
before the Lakes to the Gulf Deep
Waterways convention.
"The tracks of railroads are SO
standardized" declared Mr. Ransdell,
that car loaded at New Orleans
can go anywhere in the Union with
out change, and our nayigable waters
will never accomplish their full mis-
sion until they have similar stand
ards and connections"
Reference was made by him to pro-
jects existing and proposed for con-
Meeting the various waterways and he
declared that 1--WE may reasonably ex-
pect to see in the near future a stand
ard system of canals and rivers that
will permit freight to move by water
without breaking bulk from nearly
every point in the Union east of the
Rackies to every other point, just as
is now done by rail"
This was a consummation devoutly
to be wished because it would increase
transportation facilities SO that the
country would never again suffer
from freight congestion, and it would
materially cheaper freight rates. Mr.
Ransdell urged that cordial support be
given to the National Rivers and Har-
bors Congress whose motto was, "A
policy, not a project" and whose wa
terway policy if adopted by congress
would be broad enough for all meri
torious projects to be carried to sue
cess.
At the opening of his remarks Mr.
Ransdell spoke of his deep interest in
the great project that had called the
convention together.
"AlI I possess and the property and
homes of those / love the best" he
said. ARE in the wake of the rivers
fearful floods, To me. to my closest
friends. and to many thousands in
Louisiana the levee question is up
pormost whenever we speak OF water
way appropriations, and as the most
eminent engineers agree that the sur
est way to deepen the river channel
and at the same time protect the levee
is by system of revetments to pre-
vent the banks from caving. it is
plain | have a double interest in a
deeper river Moreover, the great city
of New Orleans the pride of Louis
lana. would probably derive more bene-
fit from this project than any other
city. Self interest, state pride and
patriotism all impel me to do my ut
most for it is consistent with duty to
other sections as a member Of the
Rivers and Harbors Committee. which
legislates for the waters Of the whole
nation
Tie attitude of leading railway men
towards a broad liberal policy Of wa
terway Improvement, was. in his opin-
ion. one OF total Indifference or quiet
Iy antagonistic. This. he declared
was a great mistake on their part ''for
it would be much wiser for them 10
espouse actively the cause Of improv-
ed waterways. A slight study will
show that nearly all Of our great
cities and large centers Of manufact-
uring and business are on navigable
watercOUrses and receive the Oene'
fits OF water competition in cheapen-
ed freight rates and increased facili-
ties and yet it is in these localities
that the railroads do their most re-
munerative business. If our great
river systems were improved thor
oughly so that navigation thereon was
first class. freight rates would be
much cheaper, but there would be
such a large growth Of population and