The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-02-21
RIVERS AND RARB0Rs
APPROPRIATION

BILL - ltGL IN CONFERENCE-
y WATERWAYS COMMISSION is
WORKING FAITHFULLY FOR
MEASURE.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. 21.-
tspecial.}1The Rivers and Harbors
appropriation bill is still in confer
cnce, two propositions, inserted by
the Senate known as the Beaumont
Orange project, and the continuation
Of the Waterways Commission, being
the particular features Of the bill over
which there is much debate, the Sen.
ate and the House conterees dividing
on the proposition. Last Friday the,
sconfcrees had an extended session and
very many Of theiitems in the contro.
rersy were agreed to. leaving the larg.
or propositions to be threshed out at
another meeting TO be held tomorrow.
There is probably no subject that
more vitality Affects great proportion
OF the American people that that Of
transportation with the growth Of
population and production the end for
transportation grows still more rapid.
" anaer mathematical law Identical
with that underwhich the telephone
exchange breaks down in large city.
Two persons or two towns may be
connected bySias single transportation
Ellneior half a slihe ito each; three per.
: sons or, towns can be connected only
by two lines or che each and four only
by six lines or,one and half each; and
SO the ratio runs up until the trans
portation burden by any given means
may become unbearable when. new
means orssbort cuts must be devised.
The greatest marvel OF all human
history has been the development Of
railway transportation In the United
States, though It has come about so
steadily as to seem more commonplace
than marvellous. For half century
our railways, confident in their grow.
ing strength, have undertaken to meet
our transportation requirements and
most generally they have discouraged
other devices. During the stage Of OK.
tcnsive DEVELOPMENT they performed
their duty well; but now that tile stage
of intensive Development is upon US
With increasing density OF population
and improved modes OF production. the
system has broken down-it has reach.
cd Its own and necessary limit. An
earlier generation declared fire is a
good servant, but bad MASTER" to-
day but few American citizens will hes
itate to declare the adage. equally true
when railway" is substituted for
fire" ~.
On one side OF the transportation
question stand the railways. On the
other side stands the finest natural
inland waterway system in the entire
world-the mighty Mississippi with its
tributaries spreading from the Appa.
lachians on the east to the Rockies
on the west and stretching from our
northern boundaries. to the Gulf; the
noble Columbia. the once effective
Sacramento and the numberless rivers
and sounds ,of5the Atlantic and Gulf
coasts, network OF navigable waters
once largely used for traffic now near.
-ly neglected.
DR.. w. ]. MCGEE, connected with the
bureau Of soils of the Department OF
Agriculture, an economist and scien.
fist OF note, inSspeaklng Of the neglect.
ed rivers said to your correspondent
that III our rivers were put to their
normal use they would relieve the re,
current freight congestion, stimulate
production. lower the cost OF commo.
dities and reopen our waning export
trade. II a quarter OF the current
freight and passenger movement were
transferred from the railways TO the
waterways and thereby moved at q,
quarter Of the current cost which is
quite feasible there would be an appa.
rent saving Of half billion dollars.
annually In traffic charges reducing
the current transportation burden 10
$40 per capita or 500 per family, or a 4
dollar an acre on land, all Of which
saving might be measured in reduced
cost 81 living Ing q lew thou.
sand @elltosdo city lilies the tspis
cal American family pays out rofstbe
necessarles of lief All average of about
800 per year III hicii 4 tiiifd soes dlsll