Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-03-24
FREIGHT BY WATER
COSTS ONLY ONE-SIXTH TO ONE
TENTH AS MUCH AS az
RAIL. IA
TRANSFORMATIONS BIG TOLL
American People Annually Pay Oue
Three Times as Much for Trans-
portation as They Pay for Support
of the Government.

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 n pas
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 n
-four and cloth lower at one and the
same time?
That the cheapest known transport
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, 000, 900 q
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 reac
son that waterways, by giving cheap
transportation for raw materials. actu-
ally create both industry and COM
merce? AS is indicated by the fact
That in 1900 there was only n city
in the United States, with a population
Of $50, 900 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 a be-
fore? And again
That Germany, which Is nearly co.
900 square miles smaller than Texas,
but has one Of the finest waterway
systems in the world, had In 1908 q
foreign greater than tina OF
the United States by over $500 900,
600?
That throughout the civilized world
the largest cities, the densest popula'
ton, the busiest and most prosperous
people are to be found along naviga'
BILE waterways?
That the surest and speediest way
to develop the of the nation
and every state and section thereon,
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 fasl
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 pei
cent a year?
Provision for Funds.
That the benefits which would 70
suit from the comprehensive improve
ment of our waterways. and the losses
which would follow our failure to
make such Improvement, are SO enor
nous. that funds should be provided
by the issuance of bonds-as has been
done by ~railways-so that the wors
NAV be begun at once and finished 81
soon as possible?
That the national government claims
exclusive jurisdiction nd exercises
supreme control " all n~avigable Va
terways? And therefore
That it depends entirely on the con'
gross Of the United States whether
the work Il creating Q g1eat nafdonas