The Cairo bulletin., 1910-05-14
RANspEL SPEAKS. TO Fedora.
TIoa OF WoMAN's CLUBS TN
CINCINNATI.
LOWER COST Of LIVING
Would be Result Of Cheaper Trsns-
portatIcn--Water Terminals iii.
portant--Fisty million
Appropriation.

| Cincinnati, O., May a. Speaking
before several thousand women at
the General Federation Of Women's
| Clubs here today, Representative j
| =. Ransdell, Of Loui lana. president
Of the National Rivers and Harbar
Congress, urged every woman In nrr
interest as a home MAKER to work or
development Of the natural water
ways Of the nation.
To reduce the cost Of transporta-
tion Of the common feccessaries Of
life, would be to reduce the cost of
living. Mr.. Ransdell argued. annd 10
devclope the waterways would pe
to def troy all inonopolies Of trans
portation. In the cases or many COM
Mon commodities, he illustrated, the
cost Of carrying them from the point
Of origin to the ultimate consumer
was nearly equal to the original cost
of the article. No one of the neces-
saries of life. he declared was unaT-
fected by the monopolIes and cost
OF transportation.
I'VE are struggling har,l In con-
gress Just now said Mr.. Rans,iciI,
to enact bill to regulate and con-
troll railroads in their multifarious re-.
latlons with our people. The object
sought 10 very desirable and some of
the means proposed are excellent, bur
II IL almost impossible To prevent
monopoles and there is always un.
certainty about the enforcement of
human law
AZ ae eOald Improve ata use ssts
waterways Natural highways provid-
edd by the Creator and insure the
public use OF terminals upon them,
no man could monopolize them. They
are free roadbeds for the use OF aI
the people, Conditions for compatl-
tion are perfect and no eommi gi,a
is needed TO fix freight rates on inn
proved water courses. Railroads are
monopolistic corporations owned, op.
Grated and controlled for private
gain, they are limited in capacity and
there is frequently fierce congestion
upon them.
Water Terminals.
I'VE should watch water terminals
with eagle eyes. In many localities
they are owned and operated by rasi-
roads in their selfish interests with
scant regard for the rights OF their
rivals or the public. Terminals on
nayigablc waters should be public
property, and all transportation agen.
cies by land and water should nse
them on equal terms Its certainly
very unjust for the government to i'm.
prove navigablc waters unless they
can be used by all the peopIe. and In
my opinion congress should require
as condition precedent to an ap-
preparation for the Improvement OF
any river or harbor that the state or
community In interest should acquire
and hold for common use sufficient
waterfront and provide thereon mod
ern, convenient terminals In cases
where the water front has already
been acquired by private parties,
would suggest that the public resume
ownership through condemnation pro-
coedngs under the power Of eminent
domain, for surely the good Of the
community Is superior to the right Of
any private person or corporation.
The Appropriation.
THE pending Rivers and Harbors
bill which has passed both house OF
congress and will become a lew in
the near future In the best ever en-.
acted. II embodes the three great
principles for which the National
Rivers and Harbors Congress has
fought since its organization, viz: 1t
carries an appropriation OF s50,0oO.-
900; Is to he annual hereafter instead
OF triennial; and adopts a fixed pol
Icy for the completion OF the great
projects within definite period VI
time. But we are still far from CON-
plete success. and gladly welcome the
cooperation of the good women OF