The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-18

Recently they have undertaken the cul-
 tivation of sugar cane and have been
 satisfied with the results which have followed their cultivation of the sugar cane in this region. One citizen of New York who has made considerable ln- vestment in Florida lands near Daytona has taken pains to make computation of the difference between the cost or transporting fruit and vegetables py
 water chiefly by the Indian river ana the cost of all-rail transportation. His com putation shows that the transportation charges for the products of Florida could be materially reduced if the waterways of the state were well developed, and es-
 pecially the Indian river.
 ! HARDING'S EXPERIENCE
 Possibly President Harding may give
 to the Secretary of Commerce, MT. HooV- CT, a graphic narrative which will tell of his experience and that of his conn
 panion, Senator Freelinghuysen, while at- tempting to make a voyage over the ln- dian river in a houseboat. This vessel frequently ran aground. and it was at last necessary to abandon it. And yet comparatively slight improvement of the Indian river, for instance, such as the
 government engineers have reported to be inexpensive and practicable, would make the river navigable for it's whole length Always heretofore when the re-. port of the engineers upon river and har
 bor improvements have been laid berore the committee of Congress the one which refers to improvement of the Indian river had been cut out. At the same time other rivers which do not penetrate com mercial or agricultural districts have re- kceiyed appropriations, and the suspicion has inevitably arisen that these have been chiefly due to political influence.
 The New York citizen who has made a fxS ~ estimates that the improvement of the Florida waters would reduce the cost or transportation of the production of tnat
 state at least 50 per cent.
 This Florida incident is utilized in this
 way for the purpose of an object lesson which if learned and acted upon Will pc l Of ir estimable value to farmers. For II | inland waters which can be at compara-
 lively small cost made navigable are so lperfected as to make the navigation of
 them practicable, they would furnish an
 outlet for the moving of the products or
 the farmers from the farms to the mar
 kets at much reduced cost. The farmers
 and the consumers would be brought
 more nearly together.
 I Undoubtedly MT. Hoover has action or
 this kind in mind. As an engineer whose
 achievements have been many and great l he is qualified to judge respecting lne practicablity of so utilizing the lnland
 waters as to make them of avail to com
 merce He may undertake essential im-
 provement of the Missouri river. and if
 this were done, it would be of great benefit to the vast agricultural sections
 which lie in the valley of the Missouri.
 In fact the presumption is strong that Mir. Hoover early in the administration or the department of commerce will under
 take greatly to enlarge the transportation facilities of this country, and especially
 so to improve the streams as to make
 them navigable and therefore convenient
 and inexpensive for the transportation of |. the products of the farms to the markets