The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1910-09-03
COSTS ONLY oNE-SIXTH TO ONE
TENTH AS MUCH As BY
RAIL.
TRANSF0RTATjcN'S Ei1 TOLL
American People Annually Pay Out
Three Times as Much for Trans
portation as They Pay for support
Of the Government.
Do you know

Do you know
That the people OF the United States
pay out each year about three times
as much In transportation taxes, that
is, for the carriage Of freight and pas
sengers, as they pay in taxes for the
support OF government. national, state
and local?
That transportation affects the price
OF everything that everybody buys.
sells, eats, wears or uses in any way
whatever-air, water and sunshine ex-
cepted?
That cheap transportation benefits
both the producer and the consumer,
making wheat and cotton higher and
-four and cloth lower at one and the
same timer
That the cheapest known transpor-
tation is water transportation, costing,
on the average, from one-sixth to one
tenth as much as transportation by
rail?
That the direct saving on the goods
actually carried by water In the
United States is over $3.50, 100000 a
year?
That railways always make lower
rates when subject to the competition
Of waterways than where such compe-
tition does not exist?
That the indirect saving, thus
caused, is probably as large as the d.
rect saving given above?
That both the direct and indirect
saving would be largely Increased by
the further improvement Of our water
ways?
That waterways always increase the
profits of the railways with which they
come into competition? For the rea-
son that waterb Gays, by giving cheap
transportation for raw materials, actu-
ally create both industry and com
MERGE? As is indicated by the fact
That In 1900 there was only one city
in the United States, with a population
of 10000 or over, which was not 10.
Gated on a navigable waterway And
further
How Frankfort Benefited.
That Frankfort, Germany, grew
more in the twenty years after the
River Main was canalized than It had
grown in the two hundred years be-
fore? And again
That Germany, which is nearly co.
600 square miles smaller than Texas,
but has one of the finest waterway
systems in the world, had in 1908 a
foreign commerce greater than that OF
the United States by over S500,000,-
/ 600?
That throughout the civilized world
the largest cities, the densest popula-
ton, the busiest and most prosperous
people are to be found along nayiga-
Bile waterways? "
That the surest and speediest way
to develop the resources Of the nation
and every state and section thereof.
to increase the growth Of every city
and community in the country, to pro-
mote the prosperity Of every interest,
including the railroads. and Of every
citizen, east, west, north and south, is
to improve all our waterways as fast
and as far as we can?
That money used for the improve.
ment Of waterways, wisely planned
and honestly constructed, is not an
expenditure but an investment, which
will pay a dividend Of at least 100 per
cent a year,
Provision for Funds.
That tie benefits which would re
suit from the comprehensive improve
ment Of our waterways, and the losses
which would follow our failure to
make such Improvement, gro so cnor-
nous, that funds should be provided
by the issuance of bonds-as has been
done by ~railways-so that the work
may be begun at once and finished as
soon as possible?
That the national government claims
exclusive jurisdiction nd exercises
supreme control over all ~nayigable wa
t~erways? And therefore
That II depends entirely on the CON
gress Of the United States whether
the work OF creating a great national
system Of waterways shall be done at
all and how o II shall be hnishedI
That The vote Of the member OF con-
gress from your district will help to
decide the policy Of the government
with regard to waterways?
That the action Of congressman is
Influenced by the wishes Of their con-
s~tituents, when they know what those
wishes are1
That you have the right to ask the
candidates for congress in your dis
trlct to state their position ON this
question now, before the election?
That you are blind to your own IN
terests II you do not ask your candi-
dates to pledge themselves to work
and vote for waterways II elected, and
then demand Of the one who is elect
ed that he shall keep his pledge?
The facts and figures given in this
series Of articles have beer submitted
in the hope that those who read them
/ would see the importance Of the policy
Of waterway improvement advocated
By the National Rivers and Harbors
congress, and would aid In securing