Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-08-28
MEMBER OF SENATE COMMITTEE
IN CHARGE SEES WIDESPREAD
BENEFIT FROM WATERWAY.
GOVERNING PROBLEMS MET
ON BUSINESS PRINCIPLES
Will Encourage Private Capital to En-
gage in Development Of Otl,er Water.
ways, Which Has Been Stihed by
compet,tion Of Railroads and froats
Of Retaliation-Great Natural Assets
Await Development,
Especial Correspondence

mons, Of North Carolina, ranking DEM
mittee and one Of the senate conferees
on the canal bill. is convinced the open
ing of the Panama canal will give
tremendous impetus to transportation
and that lower freight rates Will re-
suit. Senator Simmons Is an enthusi-
asst on the subject Of waterway devel-
opment and in statement on the sub
ject Of such development today said:
Our coastline is tine greatest of any
country in the world, while our inland
system of rivers, lakes and sounds Is
incomparably superior to that OF any
other nation While we have developed
to a high degree Of efficiency many OF
our seaports, and our lake system, ana
have done something towards the I'M
provement Of our rivers, little mas peen
done. compared with what should nave
been done and what is necessary 10 oe
done, to develop these waterways 10
the highest point Of potentlality. mis-
neglect has not been because the people
do not realize the Importance ana
value of water transportation ooth as
a means Of cheap distrlDutlon anu VI
regulating and reducing rail rates. pul
because 1t was early demonstrated tnat
in the absence Of effective legislation 70
proven, railroad control OF water car
riers the fun benefit of the improve
ment and development OF our water
WAYS could not be realized.
Greatest Worlds Undertaking.
Notwithstanding this handicap III
the beneficial use OF our waterways
the people have been SO Thoroughly
convinced Of their Importance poth as
a medium Of transportation anu VI
waterpower that instead OF apatliIs
their Interests in the face OF these au-
verse conditions. relying upon the ~
,ure action Of congress to remove tiiese
difficulties, the movement lot 'ileA
greater development has year o! yea
grewn and strengthened. Reai impetus
was given to this movement py the ue
termination OF the government 10 eS-
tend the coastllne Of the nation oy
,inl,np the two oceans by canal cap
.h,e IF floating the largest modern
yesee,s thru the Isthmus OF Panama.
That greatest Of world undertakings
10 rapidlv approaching complet!on' II
is not too much to say that its com pie
ton will usher in new era IN the
commercial intercourse between our
eastern and western seaboards and with
tho nations OF the earth. Inc ne"
conditions thus created. added to the
o,d conditions with reference to our
w,+er resources. admonish us that the
government can not. without Ignoring
it's manifest duty. longer neglect to do
What NAV be necessary to develop 10
their fullest extent our waterways 10
tho end that this great natural asset
NAV subserve its wanted purpose IN our
national system OF transportation.
Governing Problems Met.
"After providing in the canal bill Tor
so Government OF the zone and the
operation Of the camel two questions
~ ;rnportance arose, one with re1er-
ence to tolls on America .'hiDs. the
other with reference to thu railroad
ownership Of vessels usine the canai.
The two houses had disagreed upon
these questions and a conference "as
hold The conferees undertook TO deal
in a broad way with these two prop
Ions. with the result that after lohs
discussion four OF the conferees joined
In q report which was adopted pS an
oy,rwhelrn. ng majority Of both houses
nermittinE the free passage thru the
canal OF American vessels engaged IN
coastwise trade, allowing American
registry 10 foreign-buit ships owned
nv Americans, engaged in the foreign
trade admitting all ship materlais
free OF duty, and providing that no
railroad should own or control any
water carrier operating in competition
with a rail line either thru the canal
m elsewhere. and investing the inter-
state commerce commission with plen-
nrv mowers Of regulation Of water car
riers.
Opens Way For Others.
When this act becomes effective,
which II will as soon as the canal Is
completed and opened. and as to the
inland carriers in 1914, 1t is confidently
believed that private capital, which
has heretofore been warned on by
railroad monopolizat:on. will be liber-
ally invested in furnishing adequate
wtaer transportation wherever the
conditions will permit Of its use, and
that the result will be not only great
increase in the transportation facilities
of the country but a large reduction IN
the rates Of transportation both by
water and by rail. When the people
have become convinced that this is TO
follow and they will get the full bene-
nj OF the money expended In the de-
yelopment of our waterways, there
Will be a demand far greater than that
which now exists that the government
appropriate and expend whatever may
be necessary for the full improvement
and development Of these instfu-
mentalities as one Of the greatest II
mt the greatest Of our natural as
sets