The Washington times., 1910-01-24
Commission on River Trans
pOTtahOD Submits Interest
ing Report 10 Congress.
CANALS TOO COSTLY
DECLARE MEMBERS
Expenditure of Large Sums for In
provement of Channels Said to
Be Only Solution

Policies designed to govern the future
improvements of waterways Of the
country and the regulation Of water
power by the Government in order TO
prevent monopoly, are set forth IN a
report submitted to Congress today hy
the Inland Waterways Commission
The commission. which consists of
twelve members Of the Senate and
House. with Senator Burton Of Ohio.
chairman, has been hard at work since
last March.
Reasons Given
The report credits the general decrease
in water borne traffic IN this country
20 the superior facilities oc the rairoaa
and their practice Of reducing rates 10
stife boat traffic where IT offers com
petition The Mississippi river shows
a heavy decrease in tonnage and the
Great Lakes a notable increase.
The Erie canal and the Hudson river
have shown a falling of. particularly
heavy in the last few years, and the
Kanawha, Tennessee, and NononCaheIa
rivers. among others. have Increased
tonaaS-. To the plea that the improve
meut OF water routes reduces rates hv
rail even u the waterways are not used.
the report says
Can't Reach Roads.
The umission. while fully ra-o=-
uiziuC this fact. cannot indorse this as
IA desirable policy 20 adopt. Il rests
In the first instance upon the trans
parent fafIacy that tire railroads cor
stitute an intrguched and un-orfroI7zbra
monopoly which cannot he reacted r,
legislation or other orderly Iezs, meth
cdT- THAI rhe only WAY IN which 10 com
pei them TO lower rates IS bv the OK
reuditIre or large sums ~ 4ro7r-- e..
the Improvement o. channels v-s;r.,
are 20 remain wholly or Derrfarr,- r---
used" .-
~ meet cases In which railroads raise
rates after water competition is stained
o-l7 me commission recommends mar
the railroads should not be pe~-~f-+az
10 raise rates once lowered 20 meet boar
competition without the consent Of rEr
Interstate Commerce Commission
majority OF the commission also recon-
mends that the Interstate Couue-~e
COMMISSION De given power 10 prescribe
minimum railroad rates whenever. in 4-e
opinion, the object Of a raiIroa4 in re-
ducinS rates IS to destroy waterway
competition
While the tendency Of waterway I'M
DrCvemen-s 10 lower freight rates Is an
important element 10 be considered --
says the report, the Fundamental c-i-
terion should be whether a railway or a
waterway. when constructed or i'm
proved viii De a profitable investment
of capital
Statistics Lacking
Statistical information upon inland
waterway traffic is furnished by several
different bu. eaus OF the Government, bur
Is strikinE'v lacking in uniformity and
IN sufficient classification as well Il IS
commended =5sat a uniform system ne
established applicable 70 all WATERWAYS
Improvement Of natural waterways IS
much urefer-ed by the commission To-
the building Of canals, the latter work
involving far the greater expense in the
purchase OF land and cost OF construc-
ticn.
Canals for seasoing ships are consid-
cred desirable by the commission only
10 overcome a narrow barrier between
uaviEable waters; TO save a great sailing
distance, as in the case Of the SUez
canal. and to give large cities near the
coast outlets TO the sea