New-York tribune., 1911-11-26

mule provide practicable route TO the
White House and that mule and stern
wheeler are obsolescent curiosities. But
Tho day of inland water traffic is far from
gone II is In temporary eclipse, but has
luexorably a brilliant future. There is no
parallel between stagecoach and pony. ex-
press and the modern system Of inland
water transportation. Coach and road
horse are economically dead. The canal Is
Just coming into its own.
After two-thirds Of a century Of railroads
the cry is Back 10 the canals"' The
waterway Of our forefathers, hundreds Of
years ago. OF the Chinese and the Egyp-
'ans in tine dawn of recorded history, must
rs returned 20. AerOplanes express trains
arI other swift apparatus OF civilization
Notwithstanding. the inland water routes
wIsr be- used and developed. The United
States is behind other countries in the use
OF waterways but II still has time 10 catch
.u and it IS bound 20 DO so.
There are three solid reasons why our in
...l water roads arc going % be improved
and used
E-ltsry.
.vruer~i-l general
numerical particular
rou l8il 10 appreciate the potency Of
.Hsse dry-soundirs phrases. consider for a
moment under the head of commercial,
particular" the chance OF New York yield
m- hc palm ~ seaport supremacy 20 Non
...s' because O. Canadian ship canal viii
connect the Great Lakes with the Atlantic
Ur.ar and divert the enormous grain and
utrar traffic of the Northwest far from our
helpless ken. u this is a dream it was
dreamed hv u Committee on Railways and
canal. ~ the -od Congress. Said the com-
mHte..
rom ,nr dar that .t becomes possible 10
ssrd ships direct from the Great Lakes TO
.ar ocean by way of the ST. Lawrence
River. while they sre unable to 20 D.. way
O.. tee Hudson River the sccptrc of COM
m.-.ial supremacy viii begin tJ pass from
Sew urs -1 Montreal
That ros.itI, dav has become more than
probable. TO ,he threat of q Canadian ship
canal Sew York has responded with new
Lr. barge canal. Between au all-thc- way
sl route and carso-sh!tunE barge route
tusr. viu be- an interesting battle.
The function of the inland waterway is
10 transport heavy freight n large quan-
r.as. materials which are not pcrshaJ.e
and about which there is ro hurry to
reach destination. These are umDor sand.
cement. sto.e. ore. coal. In special cases
-.4.r. lI .ul other bulk goods are avail
abb. rar tEe water route. The canal has
bt.r Ik.ued % "a dray horse. indispensa-
t. for heavy work, not 10 DE scOrned
H..aes. it fails TO resemble d racehorse
D. s 3D. motor truck compared 90 d racing
..omo-Ie The railroad is fast. but OF
limited ap4city, tno canal is slow. but
.a. capacity almost unlimited. Each
.ss ..- own field.
Under the head ot Commercial, gem
r.a.. cited above as one OF the reasons
i0r canal improvement iu this country.
comes International competition in trade
aal tha E4ct that ditch dug in South
Amerac or Australia forces the digging
of ditch here in economic self-defenee.
uus good ditch not only deserves but
,nunGe another Uncle Sam must take
.lsl. n hand t0 keep up with tine other
nations Danama shows what ho can DO
on e largo job.
frr.yn. tn. ditch work OF all nations
. American Inland WaterwaTs. Herbert
Qr.rk observes that the United states be-
Io.. Ha ADVENT ~ tho railroads dug four
tHes-ane miles ot canals. which have been
Ha.fr 'et tp ruin France. meanWhle'
.as 4redrup.ed her canal system a. cost
H' --15"n". Wa have spent IN our entire
Ief-r. only Eg0pc9o ON rivers and har-
.o. Tiny Belgium has 1242 miles OF in
'susI WATERWAYS. costing <.0Vooo The
v.asH be- brought to tne doorstep of every