Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-05-02
AGAINST ANY PLAN
TO 0REHAb|L|TATE THE
OLD TAD-POLE DITCH
PEORIA DEEP WATERWAY ADvo.
CATE RlGlOLY OPPOSES WHAT
HE TERMS cAMoUFLAGE TO
KILL OFF WATER TRAFFIC.


rehabilitation OF the old Illinois and
Michigan Canal at the expense of
Sl50,O00 OF Liberty Bond money. to
the effect that Peoria was unanimous.
ly in favor Of the scheme were rudely
summarized today in a letter given
out for publication or other use by H.
B. Morgan OF Peoria, chairman oi
the waterways committee of te Pc
oria Association of Commerce.
Mr.. Morgan declares unequivocally
his opposition 10 any scheme to waste
any sum whatever on the rehabilita-
ton of what ne terms the tadpole
ditch
That the scheme is simply ,camou
flage, designed to prevent forever the
construction of any waterway what.
ever. is the belief Mr.. Morgan voices.
In this he agrees with the waterway
students Of the numerous organiza.
tions which now have gone on record
as opposed to the idea
Mr. Morgan further points out that
the failure to which waterway trans.
portation would be foredoomed ii at
tempted on the "rejuvenated" canal
would give the opponents of inland
traffic the strongest kind Of an argu.
ment in their opposition to the com.
pletion OF Plan III, or any other plan
for real waterway.
| Part or Mr.. Morgans letter follows
Your letter OF the 26th addressed
to me. was delivered TO the ASS. ia.
tion of Commerce and opened By tie
Secretary, Mr. Willis Evans, who wir.
ed you Immediately that the Associa.
tion Of Commerce of Peoria had TAX.
en- no official action as yet In the
matter. ! did not know of the recent
of this letter until this morning when
| received it through sihe mail from
Mr. Evans.
! also received this morning your
letter of the Goth enclosing me a copy
OF proposed resolutions to be present.
ed at meeting of the LaSalle Cham
Der of Commerce to be held on Thurs.
day of this week
| am in full accord with your views
expressed in the letter and Also with
the proposed resolutions. | have al.
! ways been, am now. and shall continue
in this old carcass of mine, totally
and nequivocally opposed to any
/ Kind OF makeshft in connection with
the proposed waterway from the Lakes
] to the Gulf. For more than thirty
years have been fighting for a real
waterway down through the Illinois
Valley, and only stepped aside for the
i so'called Dunno Plan n-Plan III
when | became convinced that il was
the only thing in sight and that it
might prove to be the entering wedge
for something bigger and grander
The proposition now to clean out
the ancient and antiquated tow path
which ages ago was called a canal
and perhaps during its time answered
the purpose fairly well, but which
years and years ago passed into the
discard because OF its smaliness and
inability to take care of freight tras
portation as the times demanded II
should be taken care OF. is to m,
mind the very top notch of folly.
II seems to me The agitation fOI
rehabili,ating the Illinois and Michi
gan Canal Is for no other purpos,
than the killing of the whole water
way proposition. You know. as wei
as l. that shippers will not to an,
great extent use any such waterway
for the reason that freight could no
be economically transported through
and over Il. And then, that fac
would be used to strengthen the or
position of "Doubtng Thomases," am
thereby make others believe tha
waterway transportation is a thing O
the past.
II | could express my opposition t
the rehabilitation of the old "tadpol
ditch" any stronger than 7 have will
out swearing, | would willingly do sC
but being Kentucky Democrat an
a Presbyterian. | neither drink @
swear.
With kind regards, am.
Yours sincerely.
n. B. MORGAN,
;. Chairman. WnterWnY CnmmiiInn