The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-04-04

Spokane, April 4.-Make Spokane
virtually a seaport city. No holder
or more momentous proposition and
yet one so entirely practicable was
ever preached by the people of the
city as this, proposed by Prof. w. D.
Lyman, of Whitman college. He
would make the Columbia river and
its principal tributary, the Snake,
navigable from the ocean to Kettle
Falls and to Lewiston, and connect
Spokane over the few miles interven-
ing with network of electric rail-
ways, work which, he claims; is
not only possible with a few millions
of dollars, but one which can be ac-
complished in a very few years with
the proper men and spirit behind it.
Listen to what the professor says:
Remedy for High Rates.
''The waterway system of trans
portation constitutes the only nat
ural competition against excessive
and discriminating freight rates. You
may fight the railroads with every
ounce Of power that you can COM
mand on the question of terminal
rates; you may take the case into
the courts or before the interstate
commerce commission. AS you we'll
know, the laws delay and the bound
less possibilities of evasion and mis-
carriage of justice wear out the pub
lie patience and the public purse. The
railways seem by some mysterious
hocus pocus to always be able to side
track rulings of commissions and
judgments OF courts.
1.-The reason of this failure is plain
" that the remedy is artificial. But
suppose we were to try the natural
remedy-water competition. That is
the only way to solve the problem OF
rate discrimination.
Inland Empire Bottled Up.
"As we study the map we shall
see LHdt luiS fdos 1hiohu npAA ~
embracing about 10000 square
miles. rich in every resource of hui
man activity, populated by half a
million of as brave, resolute and in
telligent people as ever built new
American state, that this land of
boundless possibilities is bottled up
by the great wall of the Cascade
mountains and distractions in its
only natural outlet, the Columbia
river.
''To get i'm and out of this vast re-
gion requires higher freight rates
than prevail in any other part of the
United States If the resources were
not well-nigh unparalleled this Sec
ton could not have developed under
the heavy handicap of such freight
tariff
Where Distractions Are.
"Now follow along the Columbia
river and see what and where the
obstructions are which now prevent
continuous navigation to the ocean.
There is already a canal and locks
at the Cascades. The only place
which entirely prevents passage OF
boats is between Cello and the Big
Eddy. At that point there is a total
descent in eight and one-half miles
of SO feet. The government is put
ting in canal to cover that eight
and one-half miles, and the work Is
perhaps one-half done. When 1t is
completed navigation will be practic-
able in all ordinary stages OF water
from Cello to Priest rapids, on the
Columbia, and to Lewiston on the
Snake. Some rapids need some work
to give easy navigation at low water,
but the expense of this is relatively
small and the work is in active pro-
gress.
River Partly Open.
cat Priest rapids we find fall OF
not be considered commercially navi.
gable without a canal and locks. But
1t is said that the great irrigation