Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1912-05-30
NELSON FOR REPORTS
ON WATER TERMINALS

| wv WI LII lLIIUiUHlI
Washington. ID C.. MAY - 5ena-
Tor Knute Nelson Of Minnesota. chair
man Of the senate Committee on
Commerce. regards D. an extremely
I important that Congress adopt the
provisions in the Rivers and Harbors
bin for a report from tho Secretary
Iof War af 20 adequate water terminal
| facilities.
There BE- uo doubt said Senator
I Nelson Boo discussing the matter
that under present conditions water
Terminal facilities are roo much re-
Iurirfed Instances are numerous
where tho railroads control these Ia
IcHltios 10 me disadvantage u those
Ieneaged loo water traffic The result
/ Is io minimize the possibility Of re-
Iduction 200 freight rates lf the
ItrauscoutIneutal railroads are able by
controlling Rator terminals 10 pre-
vent water carriers from dischareing
their freight direct "a railroad lines.
the cost of me intermediate transfer
must be- borne by the shipper. who
must pay for having the freight car
ried from the wharf 10 the railroad
shipping point This proposition o.
elementary
Il believe. therefore. thar wr
should have report made 70 con
grcss by the secretary of war tand
the present River and Harbor bill
nov In conference. provides that this
report shall be- made tas ~ the oN
istence and establishment OF botu
private and public terminal and trans
fer facilities. with an opinion as 20
their adequacy and efficiency
The provision IN the bin further
requires that " there should be- no
public terminals. or II they are In
adequate in number. The secretary
shall submit an opinion in general
terms as TO the necessity, number.
and appropriate location Of such pro-
posed terminals. and also their nee
essary relations 10 the development
Of commerce
Such report is Of the utmost
importance In connection with the
Improvement Of our WATERWAYS and
harbors Docking and warehouse
facilities should be- ample and should
be accessible 10 the public. az reason
able and equal rates 10 every one
Above ALL there should be no monop-
oily enjoyed boy any private organiza-
ton over such facilities The inevi-
table result Of such a monopoly Is 10
benefit the concern that has such a
monopoly to the detrlmeni Of the
great shipping public
Before any river or harbor h in
proved hy public funds the municip-
ality should be- required 10 give abso-
lutte assurance that adequate arrange
ments have been made for proper
Wharfage faciyr'N for The handling
Of psssenEs7r - the shipment Of
'frclgHt ThS'Nvernment canno,
have this assurance until we have n
report upon the whole situation. such
as the Secretary Of War through com
petent engineers. Is required 10 make
under the present River and Harbor
bill
We propose n possible 10 have
'he War Department report also as
to the development and utilization Of
water power FOR Industrial and com
morcial purposes as we'll as upon
snrh other subjects as may o.. prop
'r'v Connected with snch project.
Tho two committees OF tho uog-.
and Senate are coming more and
NOR" fo realize the vast Improvement
that has been made Iu recent years
! Boo The river and horh1r lppropria.
'Ion- Tho public generally faces the
uatIcr of larger appropriations FOR
" Ii'rvays with confidence that the
money VIII ho expended for publ,
rood and NOT for me benefit of some
particular section of thc country 10
s"cms to me that this confidence will
De- Increased hy the inauguration oi
iNis plan OF having estimates made
hv the Secretary Of War for improN
Ing wharfage and dockagc facilities.
II can result in nothing but great
general good
IN the INVESTIGATION and study of
those questions consideration is To be
given only 10 their bearing ON the
Improvement of navigation. to the
possibility and desirability of ~ $50
being co-ordinated IN @ logical and
proper manner with Improvement
FOR navigation to lessen the cost %
such improvements. and 10 compen-
safe the government for expenditures
made in the interest of navigation
and 10 their relation 10 the develop
ment and regulation a. commerce.
! hope that the conference committee
will give its approval To This provis-
ion 10 the bill We have provided
further that the Investigation pro-
posed may upon review by the proper
authorities be extended 10 any work