The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-04-27

of the large boats on the German wa.
terways Is now from 800 TO 400 tons!
on the Elbe 4 200 10 j 500 tons, while
son the. Rhine are many barges OF Z, 900
tons OF. more.
Low Freight Costs.
The importance OF this method OF
transportation in atfording low freight
rates can scarcely be; oyer:emphasized.
Figures obtained from reports OF
Major Kurs, a leading authority on in
land navigation in Germany, J. Ellis
Barker, careful British student of
the subject, and DR.. Fritz Hartmann,
a distinguished journalist, Berlin cor.
respondent Of the Hanover Courier.
are significant. These show that.
with well-illed ship on new and
perfectly equipped water course, the
cost Of transportation OF freight, dur.
ing a. ten months shipping season, is,
In vessels from $50 to ! 500 tons capa-
city, one-fifth to one-twelfth Of a cent
per ton per mile. But as all German
waterways are not perfectly equipped
and all boats are not well fitted
and as the season OF navigation in
Germany. as in the United States, Is
|interferred with by Ice. these figures
are exceptional.
The actual business conditions pre-.
ivailing today may be better shown by
selecting representative German riv.
.ers and quoting the actual average
cost OF transport therefrom, allowing
for the fact that during a part OF the
year a large portion Of the tonnage is
partly or wholly unemployed These
figures show that the actual cost OF
transport per ton per mile on the Oder
river is about one-third OF cent; on
the Weichsel, one.half cent: on the
Elbe, !one:fourth, and on the Rhine one
sixthEof cent. The rivers oder and
Weichsel flow, through agricultural
regions, corresponding to degree
with the country through which the
Missouri river and It's tributaries! flow,
5@hilet the Rhine drains a country cor,
responding to that adjacent to the Up.
per Ohio, where manufacturing is
more largely engaged in. This cheap.
ness Of transportation explains in
great measure the fact that the most
prosperous industrial centers Of Ger.
many are situated close to the water.
ways of which they make extensive
and increasing use.
The Governments View.
In an official publication of the Ger.
man government We read:
ANY means whereby the distances
which separate the economic centers
Hof the country from one another can
be diminished must be welcomed and
be considered as progress, for It in.
creases our strength in our Industrial
competition with foreign countries.
Every one who desires to send or to
receive goods wishes for cheap
freights. Hence the aim of a healthy
transport policy should be to diminish
as far as possible the economically
unproductive costs OF transport. A
country such as Germany. which is
happy enough to produce on her own
soil by far the larger part Of the raw
material and food which 1t requires,
occupies the most Independent and tho
most favorable position II, owing to
cheap. inland transportation. its econ.
omic centers are placed as near as
possible to one another. When this
has been achieved Germany will be
able to dispense with many foreign
products, and 1t will occupy posi-.
ton Of superiority in comparison with
all those states which do not possess
similarly perfect means of transport.
MANY circumstances which In for.
mer times gave superiority to certain
countries, such as the greater skill OF
their workmen. superior machinery,
cheaper wages. greater natural fertil-
lily of the soil; all these advantages
are gradually being levelled down by
time and progress. But what will re.
main is the advantage OF a well.
planned system OF transportation
which makes the best possible. use OF
local resources and local advantages"
The last sentence. in italic in the
German original, may we'll be.read In
America. in connection with Bis.
marck's deliberate statement:
in discounting future events we
mnst take note OF the United States.
who will become in matters economic
and perhaps in matters political as
well. a much greater danger than most
people imagine. The war OF the future
will be the economic war. the struggle
for existence on the largest scale.
May my successor always bear this In
mind and always take care that Ger.
many will be prepared when this bat.
tie has to be fought"
And Bismarck was dismissed BY the
present emperor, not because OF dis.
agreement but because William II, a
twentieth century Frederick the Great,
would be his own chancellor and, car.
irying on Bismarck's policy as his own.
make Germany foremost In all mill.
;tary and material things.
The New Germany Commercial.
The new Germany is not land OF
philsophers meets md comno,n.,