Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-09

the 2OOO-ton barge canal at Albany and
Troy
Imagine an inland waterway from
Boston through the Cape Cod shir
canal, Long Island sound, the Hudson
river to Albany, thence through the
barge canal to Buffalo and through the
great lakes as far as Duluth, travers-
ing a distance of about 1000 miles. I'm
doubtedly one-half of the population
and more than one-half of the wealth
of this great country is located in the
states adjacent to this magnificent IN
land waterway"
Nor Invest Wants All-Water Route.
Unless an alI-water route by way of
the Mississippi river can be provided
to the Pacific coast, business III Mime
apolis will have to come to halt, &C
cording to Wilbur F. Decker, president
of the Civic and Commerce Association
ing of the Panama canal had brought
bout this condition. Manufacturers on
the Atlantic coast can now deliver
their products on the Pacific coast, by
reason of the cheap Panama rate
cheaper than the manufacturers OF
Minneapolis can get the same products
to the same places.
Congress should make haste to COM
plete the Mississippi river project so
that the twin cities of ST Paul and
route to the Pacific coast by way of
the Mississippi river and Panama
canal. he said. Barges should be in
operation as soon as the channel is
provided. The completion of the
projects, he continued. will bring re-
lief to millions of people living be-
tween the Allegheny and Rocky noun
tains.
Mr.. Decker gave many statistics on
railroad and water rates, showing that
the latter were cheaper.
Defends "Pork Barrel' Term.
The use of the term pork barrel
in connection with rivers and harbors
projects is made only by those ignor-
ant of the situation. said former Rep
resentative Thomas H. Ball of Hous-
ton, Tex, himself a member of the
rivers and harbors committee, when he
was in Congress
But the time is not far distant" he
said, when the mention Of the term
pork barrel will make the one who
uses it ashamed to appear before an
audience of intelligent people"
Speaking on Texas Harbors and Wa
terways," many of which had been
termed in the pork barrel class, Mr..
saved to commerce annually.
Aside from the Department of Agri-
culture. rivers and harbors improve
ment is the only one which pays the
taxes, which the other branches of
government eats, he said. Rivers and
harbors appropriations are here to stay
and if they don't. he said. it was be-
cause the congressman have lain down
on the demands of the people they
represent.
Waterways Bulwark of Safety.
1.-The Tennessee River" was the sub
ject of the address of c. w. Ashcraft
pork barrel is usually one who can
not earn his own living. except by
talking, and in such a fellow you will
usually find a 'pig-headed BRAIN he
said.
Water transportation, he said, is the
fullest and safest as well as the cheap
est means of transportation for men
and supplies in case of war. The water
ways are the bulwark of the nation S
safety.
The Tennessee river has power and
raw material to make this country in
dependent of Chile in obtaining its
nitrates for its explosives and for
making the partners independent of
Calls It Shortsightedness.
Failure to make waterways improve
rnent a part of the national defense
nropr.po would he Observation-Disclosures in
-
tAe oPi"ioh exp eSseo At 'he idee ai'ef
noon session OF the congress by former
Representative James H. Davidson OF
oshkosh Wis He scoutad n. s,,gpes.
-, ,ahh,, e., rf,.o-., 80, ,.rtor.
t'>' OF d ioopy LOT rivers ana harpofF
Improvement, and said: Il should like
to have the making of this rivers ant
harbors bill, and if / did ! would stay
on the floor Of Congress until my dry
bones turned to dust before ] would
accept a lump sum"
Representative William S. Bennett OF
New York made plea for thirty-fve.
foot channel project in the East river
and said a rivers and harbo.s bill thi.
year without new projects would be
a clear case of criminal negligence
Edward r. McSWeeney. chairman o.
the directors of the port of Boston
speaking on THE Obstacles 10 Water
way and Port Development and Thei
wage Earner." said tha, nothing coui,
De o, sreasef lmlpor.ance 10 the coun
chant marine and the control OF por
facilities
Improvement of the rivers and har
DORIS along the racine coast would o.
- ~ n.ep IN rae ~ P r
saufattve WjiIian - sten1ens of 10
Angeles
Illustrated lectures with slides pre
pared especially for the occasion, fea
turcd the session last night r. A c
smith. commissioner. department O
| docks ana ferries New York CITY. talke
on Congress and our Seaboard Har
| borso. DR. & s street. Phfladelphia