Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1914-06-04

| The New STANDARD Dictionary defines
il as follows.
"Pecunialy aid directly granted bv
government TO an individual or com
mercial enterprise deemed productive OF
public benefit
1 > subsidy as generally understood is
money paid from "the Public Treas.
ury." No money whatever is paid from
the Public Treasury to the transporta
/ tion companies hy the exemption Of
vessels from payment of tolls. nv the
exemption from payment Of tolls the
expenses Of the transportation com.
panies are reduced, and the companies
are thereby enabled to charge a lower
freight and passenger rate.
II tolls are charged upon our coast
wise trade, the amount OF the tolls will
be added to the freight charges and Ill
timately collected from the consumer.
II has been fully demonstrated that
( water competition is the most effective
means Of keeping down freight rates.
Our government has expended over
Sf0n000O00 for the improvement and
maintenance Of the waterways OF this
countary. Over Sl5,000.O00 have been
appropriated for the Improvement and
maintenance OF the Delaware River.
During the last 20 years about 81 900
600 have been expended by the govern
mcnt for the Improvement and mamte-
nance Of the harbor at Wilmington. Del.
The improvement OF this hnrbor has
greatly promoted the growth and de-
velopment of the great manufacturing
and commercial city OF Wilmington.
Since 1881 our government has ex-
pended over S2,000,0n0 for the operation
and care of the ST. Marv's Falls Canal.
The expenditures for that canal last
year were 5l,74s.33. The expendi-
lures for operating and care Of Lock
and Dam No. 81 IN the Ohio River for
last year were S3l ,372s6.
No tolls are charged for the use OF
these canals or for the use Of any other
canals owned by the United States.
viii anyone contend that the money
expended for the improvement, mainte-
nance and operation of these waterways
is a subsidy II so, what companies or
persons receive the subsidy
II is apparent that the tolls exemp-
ton to eoastwise vessels passing
through the Panama Canal will be no
more a subsidy than is the tolls cxemp-
hA'h w fAnoNia ph7ntiiA AHlhuEH AHt
st. Marys Falls Canal, the locks and
dams along the Ohio River. or free tolls
to the vessels using the Wilmington
harbor. Whether the money is expended
for building walls along the side of a
stream or building movable walls across
a canal, in the form OF gates, or dredg
ing rocks or mud from the bottom OF a
harbor, the expenditure Of the govern.
ment indirectly benefits the public and
in none Of these cases Is the expenditure
subsidy.
The improvement and maintenance of
waterways, including the ownership and
operation OF canals without tolls, has
been a fixed policy Of our government
for many years.
The Democratic party for 30 years or
more has fully approved and indorsed
the policy Of the improvement Of our
waterways.
In 1854 the Democratic platform con
tanned the following declaration.
"The Federal Government should car.
for and improve the Mississippi Rive
and other great waterways OF the Re
public, SO as to secure for the interio
states easy and cheap transportation t
tidewater.n
Similar declarations are in the Demo
cratic platforms Of 1892 and 1896. IN
| 1904 the Democratic platform contained
the following plank;
eve favor liberal appropriation fol
the care and improvement Of the water
ways of the country"
In 1908 the Democratic platform con
tanned this declarations:
Water furnishes the cheaper means
Of transportation and the National Gov
eminent, having the control Of navig.
able waters, should improve them Ia
their fullest capacity. We earnestly fa-
vor the immediate adoption of a liberal
and comprehensive plan for improving
every water course in the Union which
is justified by the needs of commerce;
and TO secure that end we favor, when
practicable. the connection of the Great
Lakes with the navigable rivers and
with the Gulf through the Mississippi
River, and the navigable rivers with
each other by artificial canals, with a
view of perfecting a system of inland
waterways to be navigated by vessels
Of standard draft"
In 1912 the Democratic platform con-
tanned the following declaration:
1--WE renew the declaration in our last
platform relating to the conservation
of our natural resources and the de-
velopment OF our waterways"
Tolls exemption at the Panama Canal
for vessels engaged in our coastwise
trade is also d Democratic policy.
The Democratic platform Of 1912 con-
tains the following declaration:
I'VE favor the exemption from tolls