Evening journal., 1910-01-24
RULES FOR THE
WATERWAYS
Report Of the Inland Com
mission Submitted to
Congress- Today
REASONS FOR DECREASE
OF TRAFFIC ON RIVERS
BY United Press Leased Special Wire

BY United Press Leased Special Wire
WASHINGTON. jan 34-Recom-
mendations designed to govern future
improvements OF the waterways of the
country and the regulation of water
power by the government in order to
prevent monopoly are set forth in q
report, submitted to Congress to-day
py the Inland Waterways Commission.
The commission consists OF twelve
members of tho Senate and House. with
Senator Burton, of Ohio, Chairman.
and has been hard at work since last
March.
The reports credit the general de-
crease borne traffic in this country t,
the superior facilities of the railroads
and their practice OF reducing rates to
stihe boat traffic where IL offers oom-
petition The Mississippi River shows
heavy decrease In tonnage and the
Great Lakes a notable increase The
Erie Canal and the Hudson River have
shown falling OF. particularly heavy
In the last few years and the Kanawha.
Tennessee and Monongaheia Rivers
among others have Increased tonnage.
To the plea that the improvement OF
water routes reduces rates by rail even
If the waterways are not used. the re-
port says;
THE commission. while fully reooa-
mixing this fact. can not endorse this
as a desirable policy to adopt. It rests
In the first instance. upon the trans
parent fallacy that the railroads con-
stitute an intrenched and uncon-
trollahle monopoly which cannot he
reached by legislation or other orderly
legal methods; that the only way in
which 10 compel them 70 lower rates
is by the expenditure Of large sums
Of money in the Improvement, of chan
neis which aro to remain wholly or
partially unused" ~.
To meet cases in whj railroads
raise rates after water competition is
stamped out the commission recon-
mends that the railroads should not
bo permitted 10 raise rates once low
cred TO meet boat competition with
out the consent OF the Interstate Com
merce Commission. A majority of the
: commission also recommended that tho
: Interstate Commerce Commission be
given the power to pres, vibe minimum
/ railroad rates. wherever In it's
I opinion tho object Of railroad in re-
I ducing rates is 10 destroy waterway
Z competition
r Tendency 70 Lower Freight Rates.
while the tendency Of waterway
improvements TO lower freight rates Is
an important element 70 be consider
ed" says the report 'the fundamental
criterion should be whcthor a railway
or a waterway. when constructed or
improved will be n benehtable invest
ment OF capital
statistical Information upon inland
waterway traffic is furnished by several
different bureaus Of the government.
but is strikingly lacking in Uniformity
! and insufficient classification. It II
recommended that uniform system be
adopted applicable to all watarways"
Improvement Of national waterways
is much preferred by tho commission
70 the building Of canals. tho latter
work involving far greater expense in
tho purchase Of land and cost of con-
struction.
Canals for sea-going ships are con-
sidered desirable by the commission
only 70 overcome narrow barrier be-
, tween navigable waters 70 save a great
sailing distance. as in the case Of tho
Suez Canal and to give large cities near
the coast outlets TO tho sea-
The commission .commonds the pres
Improvement projects subject 70 the
approval Of boards of army engineers.
Urges Conservation.
1.-THE commission strongly recon-
; mends." continues the report, 'the
greatest care in the conservation OF
water power for the use of tho peo-
Z pie" Tt especially recommends such
legislation by Congress and by the
, States as would prevent monopoly in
the possession OF water power and Sc
cure it's utilization for the general
benefit. It is contended that the gov
ernment has and should exercise the
power to charge tolls for the use OF
power developed by dams constructed
by II for the Improvement of naviga-
tion. The suggestion is made that a
5 provision reservingl to Congress the
right TO alter, amend or repeal should
be inserted in every act granting water
power rights.
A long statement telling what the
commission learned on its trip abroad
last summer is TO the effect that in
5 Europe inland waterways carry a great
= and constantly increasing tonnage and
are most important factors in the COM