The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1913-11-28

| Chicago Publisher Asserts Income OF
City From Docks, Tolls, Taxes, Rents,
Leases, Etc., Would at Least Pay In
terest on Capital Now invested.
Would Develop Trade.
There is no reason why the canal
zone cannot be made into a city of
100000 people in twenty years and
| produce sufficient municipal income to
pay the interest on at least the orig
inal capital invested by the United
States from dockage, tolls, taxes, rents,
leases. etc"
This suggestion was made by w. d.
Boyce. Chicago publisher. in an ad-
dress before the southern commercial
congress in Mobile. Ala. Explaining
his idea, Mr.. Boyce continued:
1--WE have 2S6.72O acres inside the
canal zone. Already many millions of
dollars have been spent to make the
canal zone sanitary and desirable
place to live in the year around. Near
ly all Of this will be a complete loss
unless we build great city there. In
one way a great commercial and man
ufacturing city can be built along the
whole canal, from one end to the other,
with docks everywhere.
"The way to build big metropolis
on the canal zone is no experiment. no
wild theory. 1t has been successfully
worked out and proved by Germany
and England and a number Of smaller
countries.
Free City and Free Port.
1.-THE way to build big city at the
central point between North and South
America, the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans, the far east and the far west,
Is to make the canal zone into q free
city and free port. BY that l mean
free from import or export duties into
and out from the canal zone. This
will not affect the primary question
Of tolls for passing through the canal.
''If created free port and protect.
ed through international treaty so it
could not be affected through changes
In our administration or home policies
merchants and manufacturers from all
over the world. would build factories
and warehouses and establish branch
es and agencies at this world center
for quick distribution, delivery and
sale; In fact it would become an i'm
mense worlds department store where
everything for the use Of all people of
all nations could be found. 1t would
tha 20, tro, n. I'm, re-
in the world.
1.-The definition of a free port is: A
harbOr where the ships of all nations
may enter on paying moderate toll
and load and unload. The free ports
constitute great depots where goods
are stored without paying duty. These
goods may be reshipped free of duty.
The intention of having free ports is
to stimulate and facilitate exchange
and trade.
"A free city Is a city or zone where
there is no import or export duty Of
any kind on goods bought. sold or con-
sumed.
A Paramount Necessity.
'The reason why have brought up
this question Is because believe 1t the
paramount one in the development OF
our commercial relationship with
South America. IL a free zone is Gre
ated at Panama. South American mer-
chants will also establish branches and
agencies there to facilitate trade"
Mr.. Boyce directed attention to the
growth of Hamburg, Copenhagen.
Hongkong, Punta Arenas and other
free ports and in particular to the sue
cess which had attended British free
ports in promoting commercial inter-
ests. He asserted that by following
their example the United States could
secure and retain the trade of South
America in full.