Omaha daily bee., 1916-10-27
RIVER BEST ROUTE
TO THE FAR EAST
Development of Valley States
Depends on Use of Water
Line to Panama.
SAVES TIME AND CASH

La Crosse, Wis, Oct. z6.-Devel-
opment OF the Mississippi valley de-
ponds upon making use of the Missis-
sippi river as cheap means OF trans
portation to the port of New Or
leans" Charles Rippin, traffic COM
missioner Of the Merchants exchange,
St. Louis, today told the delegates to
the annual convention OF the Upper
Mississippi River Improvement asso-
citation.
"If the Mississippi valley fails to
take aggressive action quickly" said
Mr.. Rippin, 1T deserves the descrip-
ton that Senator Tillman gave Of this
country, when he said it was like a
cow-fed in the west and south and
MIXED in Wall street. Germany,
France and England do not abandon
their river and canal traffic, but keep
it going at maximum capacity, and
that is what we have got to come to
in the valley to get the benefit OF our
natural location in the greatest navi-
gable water on the globe.
Short Line to Panama.
New Orleans Is two and hall
days nearer to the Panama canal
than New York-equivalent to
$l,250 saving in operation expenses
OF an average steamer, but steamers,
SO far as they have operated at all
from New Orleans through the canal
have charged the same rates oil
freight from New Orleans as from
New York. If we. can get substan-
tally cheaper rates from upper Mis-
sissippi river points to New Orleans
we can control the valley commerce
for the port of New Orleans and in
crease our business in competition
with eastern manufacturers and pro-
ducers. The railroad will not reduce
the rates for us-we must get the
reduction by transportation on the
Mississippi Terminals are being
built at all principal points and the
next thing to be furnished is boats
A fleet Of ten barges and two tow
boats Is to operate during the com.
ing winter between Kansas City, St
Louis and New Orleans. We expect
soon to have line Of barges carry
ing grain from St. Louis to New Or.
leans. These things represent prog
ress, but the upper Mississippi rivei
country should also bestir itself to
get boats busy carrying freight.
Cheapest Route to Orient.
South America, Australia, New
Zealand, Japan, Russia and other for
eign countries are buying large guam
titles Of goods in the United States
which are moving through the Pan
anna canal in steamers loaded al
eastern ports Out Of seventeen
commercial steamers which passed
through tie Panama canal the week
ending September ~ from the At
lantic to the Pacific and twenty -four
from the Pacific to the Atlantic, one
steamer came from New Orleans and
one was bound to that port, while in
the same period eight originated at
Atlantic ports and fifteen were des-
tined 10 Atlantic ports.
1T is evident that If the Mississippi
valley manufacturers can get to the
port at New Orleans by water cheaper
than BY rail to the Atlantic seaboard
II will insure them an advantage il
the selling price of their goods which
have to move through the canal. The
people in the valley should. therefore
continue striving to get water trans
portation on the Mississippi river ii
order to enable them to compete cf
fectively with the eastern manufac
turers. 1t is not going to be easy tt
do this in view Of the long contro
Of export and import traffic Of til,
country exercised by the east. Intel
ligent and strenuous efforts must b,
mkde to get efficient water Transports
ton in operation"