The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1919-03-20

terchange of traffic with the rail.
roads.
S transportation by water must
enjoy unrestricted opportunity for
development and growth, and should
be free from unjust discrimination
from any source. If lines of rail-
road parallel to or competitive with
any navigable waterway have il the
past so unduly reduced rates as to in
terfere with the orderly operation CT
boat lines thereon, these rail rates.
should be readjusted Navisable
waterways are natural lines If COM
munication and are owned by the
public and should be conserved and
regulated in -he public service.
Whether t." 1duction of rail rates
competi' with water may BIZ JUS
titled in sound economics. il seems
perfectly clear that such rates should
not be so reduced as to impair or de-
stroy water transportation. If any
reduction of rail rates should be per-
mitted, such reduction should afford
differeptial in favor of the water
lines commensurate with the natural
advantages of water transportation.
We respectfully submit TO the FEEDER,
al Congress the proposition that leg
islation should be enacted which will
prevent destructive methods by rail-
roads competitive with waterways
and which will permit both agencies
to exist and serve their common mas
ter. the American public.
FEDERAL SUPERVISION OF
WATER TRANSPORTATION
The slow development of water
transportation upon some of our nav
igable waterways, the failure of To-
cal interests to provide adequate
water terminals, the absence of in
terchange of traffic with the rail1
roads and other essentials, and the
existing evils initiating against
water transportation, demand some
form of effective supervision and
regulation. We recommend that the
Federal Congress enact legislation
Ieither creating separate Depart
ment of transportation, or creating
a separate Bureau in the Department
of Commerce. which shall have juris-
diction to supervise and regulate
water transportation. The Inter-
state Commerce Commission should
have enlarged jurisdiction over rail
rates and over water rates, under
such mandatory terms of law as shall
compel the commission so to adjust
the rates by rail as to enable boat,
lines to earn fair profit and to CO.
exist with competitive rail lines.
The principle of potential compe-
tition by water as affording justifi+
cation for the reduction of competi-
tive rail rates should be abolished.
Boat lines upon navigable waterways
must have an opportunity to exist
and operate under the conditions af-
forded by their natural advantages.
Interior sections and communities
should not be penalized or discrimi4
mated against in favor of other sec
tions and communities located upon
navigable waterways Whatever ad-
vantages the latter may enjoy by
reason of their contigufty to natural
waterways should be accorded to
them in the fullest degree through
the benefits of water transportation
THE UNITED STATES RAIL-
ROAD ADMINISTRATION
1t is pleasure to record our graf
itude to the retiring and the present
Director General of Railroads for
such recognition of waterways and
water transportation as have been
accorded by them. We express the
hope that these activities in this di-
rection may be enlarged, and we be-
speak the cordial cooperation of the
public in the use of the facilities,
provided.