Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-09-10
From Other Viewpoints
West Demands Outict to the sc..
BY IRVINE l.. I.ESROOT.

TIE st. Lawrence outlet to tho sea is tho
greatest pro;sct ~ Interior development that
e'e7 mas been before the American people. and
me country is To- be congratulated upon the
progress made. That this project Will become
an ACCOMPLISHED fact is certain. Sectional and
narrow m nGed opposition may temporarily
delay u. but never can defeat IT,
Tnc West demands IL. Not alone because IL
VIII primarily benctit the interior OF our coun.
Try but because the project is national in its
scope and vii! bencat the whole nation.
rae idta OF connecting the Great Lakes with
the sea mas been 4 dream or many years lis
nistoIy Is not d!ss.milar TO the history of the
Panama Canal 1t is not generally known
ihat The :irst project for connecting the Great
La es with the sea was inauguratcd by George
Washington IN 1922 he obtained passage OF
an act OF incorporation by the Legislature Of
the State OF Sew York for the CONSTRUCTION of
waterway between the Hudson River and
Lake t.:!e oy a system OF canals and slack wa
.f ana i@he NAVIGATION by the way of the
Mona". River. Oneida Lake end River Ds-
"ss6 Lake. and Lake Ontario.
We nave today the Erie Canal. bu, it does
no, per",it The plssage OF ocean going vessels
'h'p TIC lakes The Wei!aad Canal, which wil
soon be completed. viii permit the passage of
sGcn vessels And ihe people of the entire in
terror from the Pacific Coas, to the Anerhanv
Mountains. are Interested in securing n deem
waterway 70 the which VIII permit The
passage Of ocean-go!ng vessels.
me ~. Laurence project was next taken IN
one years "So 10y Senator Townsend. who
fth't'eo q Hreai s"rvicc in bringing IL TO the
"'i"niio" Of The public. The movement which
now has resulted n positive action originated
"iA the executive director OF the Great Lakes
fnd Is Lawrence Tidewatcr Association who
IN -'i' ANY -: forth the advantages OF a wa
tfH"E 20 NE sea shortly afterward the writ
or introduced Ia the senate an amendm.n, to
lh@ '.F"r= and harbors bill requesting the
ihir'nshonal JOINT committee ITO Investigate
INA iAfther Improvement of the st. Lawrence
''''"' "-' "een Montreal and Lake Ontario ia
St't 70 maze the same nav!gable for ocean
5D.nE vessels. together with tie cort ,hc..nr
sid liver" ~
TINS commission had been created hy the
.t"ay o. 1903 h"i"ecn the United States md
ir@'' brhaii' On" OF the provisions being that
.''' commission IN edition to It's dutcs spe-
neatly got oui in tho treaty should make fur
HfT ihfcst cations ana report what might he
,'H't.tfn ~ '.' 1er nation. We were, there
'p''' '"'t "hat" - having Il existing commits
"pn, TOOK hypfib" action upOn the proposed
amendment and u mas reported 10 tho ynnato
'h'rc y met Win determined opposIiIon M
re "+" f"fE Senator's, and also come Of the
''NZ'hnH S"naiors But when the roll
~ 'an :" Won by vote OF 80 to 49,
'h' bi 'ht Xic"teht problems we have to-
Nay II 'hH- - tran .Dortation and II IL YnonthIv
''fHri 'iE inHre Enr.Ous. The volume of trana-
hWit' ~ - 'A" In.tcJ States has In six years
h''rar"h - per cent, while the Transports lon
'.'H Has" Increased icss than per cent
I"' urinary cause ot the breakdown OF the
i'LiyaHs "nsH iaScn over by the Bovernme nj
d" -! vs.. the runway congestion from Pitts
'-ixh esht espf"iAliy AT New York port. That
~ inc n"cE ri Tie bottle and II became com
u"te!y cHDkfi. mat condition was only t,ar
''a!'; relieved during the war 1t still exists
- !aTae degree. The only solution is the
! any cprple,inE NJ This waterway. the
building ri yast terminals at New York, Addi-
iioral ''acrE between Chicago and Now York
| dclsys ln fiII~ay EQUIPMENT The cost Of this
! alone ~DUad much morr than nay for the en-
IRE ~ Lawrence prozect while the revenue
IRON the III, LawreneHIou's would not only