Omaha daily bee., 1911-11-05
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time we will have a great waterway
project which win add not only TO the
cheapenlng Of all classes OF freight and
to the increase of our industries, but will
be OF enormous military advantage In
the defense of our country.
AS far as waterways are concerned
there are few countries which compare
with the United States. We have a coast
line which, II stretched out would reach
twice around the world and still leave
1900 miles to spare. The United states
shore line OF the great lakes Is half
again as long as from New York to San
Francisco, and the navigable waters OF
our rivers, IL they could be Joined In one
line, would form q continuous stream
around the globe with a thousand miles
to spare. The Mississippi system alone
has $500 miles of waterways which have
draft OF six feet, and our whole country
Is so cut up by streams that a great sys-
TEN OF canals and rivers could be made
by which the heaviest of our freight
could be carried by water.
Some Mighty improvements.
The plans of the commission, as shown
to me by Or. McGee. provide for deep
waterway from the Gulf OF Mexico TO the
Great Lakes, and deep and continuous
Atlantic interior passage from New Eng
land to Florida and tho Gulf OF Mexico
DR.. MCGEE says that canals could be
built connecting the lower Mississippi
with the Rio Grande at Brownsville, Tex,
and another system in the northwest by
which freight could be carried from the
Columbia river to Puget sound The prof.
ects embrace the deepening OF the Mssls-
sippi and the Chicago drainage canal
and Illinois river so that our men f-war
could go from the Gulf OF Mexico right
into the Great Lakes All sorts OF ocean
transportation could go the same way
Another provision is for the improve
ment of the Ohio. This, 1t Is estimated
would result in a saving In freight OF
something like a hundred million dollars
year. A third is the deepening and i'm
proving Of the Missouri. so that boats
drawing ten feet could go from the Mis-
sissippi at the gulf as far an Great Falls.
Mont, a distance of 5000 miles
DR.. MCGEE says that the Tennessee
river might be improved so as to give
slack water navigation for ten-foot
barges, and that barge waterways Of
equal depth might be made all along the
There are many natural waterways there
and the land is such that canals could
be easily dug.
what the Consumer Pays.
Have you any idea how much money
you have to pay to the railroads? 1t
comes out of you in the price Of the goods
you buy, In your own travelling, and In the
cost 10 the general business OF the coun-
try, which Is based upon your consump-
ton. The sum we annually pay for trans
portation Is about one.third as much
as the value Of all the products OF our
farms. 1t equals t270,OOOOO0, making a tax
upon the soil quail 10 t1.25 per acre for
the entire mainland of the United states
Taking the improved lands. It is equal
TO a tax OF S525 upon every acre. and
comparing II with our population, II is
equal TO $50 per year for every man,
woman and child in the union
Thirty dollars year Is $3.50 a month.
Suppose you should receive bill every
month Of SEQ from the railroads, or OF
$3.50 per month for your family Of five
wouldn't II jar you? Wei, that Is what
you pay.
During the year It costs on the aver
age every ldHliy AlJO Now, the aver
age cost Of living the United States.
over is not more than $3.50 per family.
so that one-third OF our living cost goes
to the railroads.
water Freishts vs.. the Railroads.
These are figures given me By Dr. Nc
Gee lie tells me. moreover, that the
cost OF wafer transportation II, on the
average, only about one-fourth that Of
rail transportation, and that the greater
part Of the heavy freight might be taken
by water, leaving 10 the railroads the
lighter freight, for which higher prices
are paid and which is by far the more
profitable AS II is now. the railroads
have more than they can carry, and It Is