Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-09-24
Lakes TO- Gulf Association
Begins Little Rock Con-
Vention.
WATER A RATE LEvELER
Panama Canal Will Be Hard
ship, 1t Is Claimed, Without
Proposed Link.

Little Rock. Ark, Sept. 24.-The
opening OF the Panama canal will
work hardships on the people of the
Mississippi valley unless the lakes-to-
thegulf deep waterway project is car
ried through. according to President
William X. Kavanaugh OF the Lakes
to-theGuR Deep Waterway associa-
ton. whose speech was read today
before the annual convention.
This association has evolved the
slogans that river regulation is rate
regulation for transportation. Anoth-
or truth. self-evident, then naturally
follows. that river regulation is price
regulation. Thus We reach the very
depths Of the problem, the cost OF
living.
Our leading engineers have already
told us that II is easily possible to
secure a preliminary depth from the
lakes To the gulf OF az least IA feet,
and our consulting engineer, Lyman
+. Cooley. says that 24-foot channel
can be had from the gulf OF the 81.
miles. for less than the cost OF the
Panama canal Such channel would
mean that the ships OF commerce
could sail down the gulf OF ST Law
renee through the Great Lakes,
through Chicago and st. Louis down
the Mississippi river, through New
Orleans TO the Gulf OF Mexico The
value Of the Panama caaal is a mere
bagaLelle compared 10 this completed
project.
IMPROVE MISSISSIPPI.
1T is essentially fitting. now that
the Panama canal is being completed.
that the eyes OF the people of this
country be- focused upon the Lakes
tC-thegulf deep water project. Indeed,
do not believe that the Panama ca
nal will be OF that benefit 70 the peo-
pie Of the United States that its cost
would Indicate unless this deep water
way project is successfully and quick
~ completed II has even been as
serted that without the completion OF
this deep waterway system the Pana-
ma canal might even be a detriment
10 tht people living far inland along
the Mississippi valley. To them the
cost OF the necessities OF life would
be 30 much greater than 10 those
living along the sea coast that the
canal would prove an injustice to all
inland dwellers. The people who dwell
within the confines OF this valley know
the underlying truths OF what have
asserted, and they want this project
completed.
Now is the psychological time TO
srike the most telling blow for this
great cause OF the people OF the Mis-
sissipW valley. And how may It be
done? BY transferring the machinery
and organization OF engineers and la
borers from the completed Panama ca
nal 10 the Mississippi river. Before
another annual convention OF this as
sociation II is likely that the first ship
shall have passed through the Panama
canal from one OF the great oceans 10
the other. The completing OF the ca
nal will have been the greatest task
ever finished by nation.
PEOPLE WANT IMPROVEMENT.
But We know that this powerful and
rapidly developing nation will not be
satisfied TO stop with the canal as it's
greatest achievement. A few genera
tions hence this nation will have
completed tasks that make the Pana-
ma canal look small in comparison.
The perfeoting OF a mere 14-foot chan
mel from the lakes down the Illinois
and Mississippi rivers 10 the gulf is
n small task compared with the build
Ing OF the Panama canal. Therefore.
why should the federal government
hesitate in beginning II Immediately,
AZ this psychological time? The peo-
pie Of the Mississippi valley want the
Improvement
This movement is not political. II
IS non-partisah in every sense. The
interest Of the people Is deeper than
politics; and the people have the
power 10 work their will in congress
In the continent o; North America
between Mexico and the northern linn.
- az which wheat. barley and pota
toes will ripen. there Is al area oi
b.lSO.OOO square miles. OF which 2,765,.
600 lie within the greater Mississippi
valley. an area almost as great as the
whole OF Europe.
FLOODS DRAW ATTENTION.
"A very important phase OF this
lakes-to-thegulf deep waterway has
been stressed by the recent record
breaking floods in the Mississippi
valley. These floods have been more
damaging than any gone before. Por
uons OF II parishes in Louisians
we're under water at the same time
J am Ia favor OF the federal Eoysrn