The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-12-12

struction Of public highways. It is
estimated there are 400,000,000 acres of
available and desirable land in the
United States undeveloped and uncul-
tivated. The improved and unim-
proved farm lands in the United States
are said to be S50,000,000 acres. If
the cost of production plus the cost of
transportation exceed the selling price
of the products of the farm, it follows,
necessarily, that production will be ar
rested and the commanding source of
national wealth will be in such in
stances destroyed.
On the other hand, if the market
places at home and abroad can be
reached and leave a profit to the pro-
ducer, trade will grow, business revive
and our surplus will be taken and ma
tional wealth will be increased to the
extent of the balance of trade in our
favor. Satisfactory distribution among
our own people and extending the
markets for our products into every
accessible field are objects wanting
our best endeavors.
We pay annually for our military
establishment $23S,131 ,0S2.34. In 1910,
we paid $3.50, $685. 900 in pensions. Prep
arations for war and consequences of
war are therefore costing the people OF
this country in round figures $500, 000,-
600 every year-d tax on the industry
and necessities of the country. The
greatest peace maker in the world is
trade. Mr.. Mcclellan. a distinguished
statesman and soldier of England in
the Atlantic Monthly of January, 1911,
we'll says: America has another power
which is more effica cious than ships
and guns. Britain may be top hole
man in the naval world, Germany may
be p-hold-man in the military world,
but America is top-hole-man in the
commercial world, which after all
passes the other two. Peace, We all
know, lasts longer than war; and a
nation which can dictate to others
without bullying in times of peace and
war, using only trade as a weapon,
needs no other. Such a country is
America While civilization lasts, her
position is assured"
Would you increase the value of
every acre of agricultural lands; add
to the value of your forests and mines
and farm products; multiply your fac
tories and augment the value of their
output? Then settle the transporta-
you go when you improve your wa
terways, harbors- and terminals and
make them disable.
Production is steadily increasing
Billions of dollars will be required to
equip the railroads to handle the
products of this country-if needed,
that can be suffl Recently done In the
increased from 1900 to 1909 1418 per
cent-the total now being estimated at
SIS, 1888, $4,000. The products of these
factories during that time has in
creased 104.5 per cent-the value Of
the products of such factories amount
ing now annually to at least s., 900 000,-
600. Is it not worth while to look
ahead somewhat and prepare the way
for distribution, the means of trans
porting these enormous products to the
market places?
Method and expense of distribution
constitute, together an important fac
tor in determining whether the peo-
pie shall prosper or not. The trans
portation problem is one of far reach
ing significance. Not a man, woman
or child escapes it's effect. You say
the shipper pays the freight. No. He
may advance it. Then the consignee
or middle man pays it. No-in the
last analysis if he pays it he gets it
back. From whom-the consumer?
Yes. But reduction in the cost OF
transportation, increasing transporta-
ton facilities, would benefit both the
producer and consumer. The former
would get better prices and the latter
what he needs at less cost. Would
that lessen the returns of the carriers
Not necessarily. Shipments would con-
tinue. The railroad would take the
IlOSL pTOlIdElS DuSIHSSS. he water
ways would take the bulky and least
profitable patronage. Congestions of
traffic would be avoided. 1t follows
that competition would help. 1t always
| does. Increased facilities would help.
That always does. General develop
ment in the region affected by adequate
transportation, growth of new and en-
largement of present industries would
result. Beyond question a good part
of the difference between what the
consumer pays and what the producer
gets goes for transportation. What
ever diminishes that item will benefit
all-whether producers or consumers
and it need not injure the carrier.
Every carrier knows that business
| through a sparsely settled, undeveloped
country is not profitable at rea sonable
rates. Increased competitive transpor
| tation will cause development and set
| tlement and lower rates, and enhance
the general welfare.
Some things Age cannot wither nor
custom stale" Canals were first dug
! for irrigation purposes by the ancient
Egyptians and ChaIdeans. The royal
canal of Babylon was dug seventeen
centuries B. c., and was later re-
| opened and enlarged by Nebuchad-
neZer. so merchant ships could sail on
| it. and Herodotus called it one of the
| wonders of the world. We have just
! built 5000 miles of canals and FUR
nished water for 1,0S6000 acres of land
on which $4,000 families are thriving,
under the act of congress of 1902, and
| in the work have expended over sixty
million dollars, and are going on with
| the expenditure of some fifty million
more. We need to follow the ancient
| precedent further and build some royal
canals for navigation purposes.
The waterways can contribute to
| the railroads in certain directions, and
the railroads can contribute to the wa
| terways. They must supplement each
| other in the interest of efficient
and economical transportation. They
| should work in harmony and not one
against the other, except only by legiti-
mate and fair competition for bust
ness. In the matter of terminals, CO.
| operation and coordination should be
| the aim. The jurisdiction of the in
| terstate commerce commission should
| be enlarged so as to embrace inter
state traffic on inland waterways, and
| compel the interchange of business by
rail and water on a pro rata basis, and
| with authority to fix minimum rates
| on such waterways and railways in
| competition. The effect would be to
| promote traffic on the waterways at