Baxter Springs news., 1918-01-24
OF GREAT VALUE AS SUP
PLEMENT TO RAILROADS
AND WATERWAYS
NEEDED IN WAR TIME
Serve to Take Care of Short
Hauls and Release Railroads
and Ships for Long Dis
tance Work

Transportation is the foundation OF
progress.
Without transportation we cannot
have production = labor would be
helpless. Without transportation we
could not gather raw materials or dis
tribute finished products. And with
out transportation we would practic-
ally stand still in economic social de-
velopment.
In former times in thinking of
transportation our minds Immediately
went out to the railroads or water
ways. The highways were not con-
sidered except as q matter of conven-
ience for individual communities
through which they traversed, and,
owing to the miserable and unreliable
condition of the highways in many
sections of the country, we have been
paying a penalty of over $3.50, ,O00, 900
per year in excessive cost for trans
porting our agricultural products
alone from farm to market or ship.
ping point.
Transportation is not only one of
the most important factors in build
ing up any country, but today it is of
still greater Importance to the United
States and the allies in winning the
war in which we are now engaged.
We should consider transportation
from the economic viewpoint, and we
should encourage that development
where it will mean the greatest good
to the greatest number.
am satisfied that, if never before,
the day is now here when those re-
sponsible for transportation in its diff
ferent forms are willing to study and
recognize that type best adapted to
the individual requirement. The rail-
roads must be willing to concede that
for some forms of transportation the
waterways will better serve the econ
omic needs of our country, and the
waterways must recognize the eff
cheney of the railroads for that type
of transp 'rtation where time is essen
tial in the matter of delivery.
Both the railroads and the water
ways must acknowledge that the
highway is just as important for GER
tain forms of transportation-in fact,
to a very large extent it is the very
foundation of both railway and water
way transportation - therefore the
improvement in the highway must be
encouraged and aided by all public
carriers.
predict the day when we will see
the steam and electric railways and
the waterways linked with the high
ways-each doing its duty for the
building up of our great country.
A step in the right direction was
taken recently at Atlantic City during
one of the big conventions at which
the Importance of transportation in
winning the war was among the chief
topics down for discussion.
A resolution was adopted recogniz-
ing the value of the highway as n
good, prompt and economical means
to supplement transportation by rail
and water; that it is essential that all
transportation facilities of the nation
be brought to the highest state Of ef-
ficiency in order that foodstuffs may
be moved most economically from the
farm to the market, and that manu-
factured products be transported at
the lowest cost from factory to con-
sumer; therefore the prompt improve
ment of our public highways is inn
portant and should be forwarded in
every proper way.
/ am very glad to say that one OF
the strongest supporters of the resO-
luton is a prominent official of one
of our great express companies-a
man of national reputation for his far
sighted and keen instinct in large af-
fairs affecting the general welfare of
our country.
This gentlemen stated that as the
head Of one Of our great public car
riers he realized the time was here
when the railroads and the express
companies were unable to meet the re-
quirgmsnt Of the country with sffic-