Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-08-02
NUGENT COMES
OUT STRONGLY
FOR SHIP CANAL
Says Progress Of Nation De-
pends on It's Commerce.
Says Canal Aids That
BIZ Special Correspondent.
NEW PK A1Ipucf


NEWARK, August 2.-James- r
Nugent, militant Democrat, who i.
seeking the gubernatorial nomination
on q platform of personal liberty and
the preservation of the constitution.
al rights of the people of New Jersey
unqualifiedly endorsed today the pro-
posed Intra- coastal Ship Canal, which
purposes connecting Morgan on tht
Raritan bay with Bordentown on the
Delaware river
Here is Mr.. Nugent's statement:
THE progress of our nation de-
pends on Its commerce. 1t is recog-
nized universally that the termina
principal of commerce is transporta-
ton. I believe the most important
problem which confronts us as a Ma
ton is the efficient and economical
distribution of our products, in the
correct solution of which is involved
not only our immediate prosperity but
our future well-being and national
greatness
1T is everywhere and by everyone
admitted that the railroads of this
Nation cannot successfully cope with
the problem of transportation of our
interstate commodities, our natural
and manufactured products. our ex-
ports and our imports.
Railroad construction has been
overtaken by the development of our
industries. and the Nation as a whole
has suffered by reason of the inabil-
ity of our railroads to keep step with
our rapid industrial growth.
Measured In .ton-miles, freight
traffic in this country has increased
over 400 per cent. in 20 years; and
of the total estimated wealth of the
country, railroad freight charges
aI,1n MI IN hn CT of
one and one-half per cent. 1t is ap-
parent to every student of the times
: that additional facilities for trans
portation must be provided If we are
to maintain our commercial supreni.
acy.
'"The transp portation facilities OF
the whole country are and have been
unequal to its present needs. They
must be made equal to the burdens
they bear, or the country canno
prosper.
"It is then apparent that we cam
not anticipate immediate relief from
the railroads and we must look else
where for a remedy AS a state we
cannot stand STILL we must obey the
immutable law of progression or re-
Progression; we cannot go backward
we must go forward, and the relief
we seek is at our very hands. Over
looked for years. save by the sagacity
of the few to whom we owe the idea
Of the Inland Waterways, we now
recognize that on the great primal
scope of things our waterways were
meant to serve as highways for our
commerce and to provide interstate
communication.
1.-THE development of the water
ways of New Jersey is one of the
4 n rAfex dow
taken, which will materially add to
the commercial advancement of our
state.
IT strongly advocate The rehabili-
tation and utilization ait moderate ex-
penditure of such of our artificial
waterways as are not beyond redemp-
ton. This would afford immediate
relief to our facilities of transporta-
ton and would involve but nominal
expenditures. I believe this work
should be undertaken as expeditions
ly as possible and that the executive
of the State should lend his energies
and influence in this behalf.
New Jersey occupies strategic
geographical position with reference
to New England, South and midwest
ern states. Situated between the
great metropolis of New York and
the State of Pennsylvania, its south
western shores form part of the
Philadelphia harbor while it's north
ern shores form a part of the New
York harbor, and it also lies between
the great anthracite coal mines and
the iron and cement fields of the Le-
high Valley and tide water.
with it's Hudson and Delaware riv-
ers and Newark and Raritan bays, il
furnishes safe and protected anchor
age for vast fleets of vessels and from
these bays barges could pass through
its rivers and inland natural and arti-
fetal waterways to every important
city of the state.
Through the use of its own water
ways and canals. in conjunction with
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