The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05


 which empty the waters of one of the most important river systems of the United States.
 Not of Local Character Looking at the map and noting the 1 significance of this piece of land reaching down to the sea, and the re- markable appositeness of the rivers and the bay, that appear designed by nature as if to be used as highways and a great trade terminal by man, il Is quite impossible to ascribe to 1 the water system, including the sea- i port, a local character. Gnquestion- ably this natural contribution to the i facility for carrying on trade and commerce belongs to all the people of the country and particlarly to the people of Alabama. it's territorial l owners and guardians.
 | The federal government has gem erously recognized what may be i called the general ownership and has 1 greatly met the obligations resting | upon it, for 1t has improved the har-
 bor at Mobile until great steam mships
 now do business in that port, and 1t ! has improved the Tom mbigbee and l Warrior rivers until there is all-the- 1 year-round navigation where, in the | past, the navigation was interrupted l for long periods in the drouRht sea l son. Moreover, the federal govern | ment has spent large amounts Of l money and has inaugurated an im- | proved barging service for the pur- Eose of demonstrating that the waterways can be used to advantage | In the transportation of Alabama | products to foreign lands and in re- 1 ceiVing In turn goods, both foreign and dom estic, via the port of Mobile,
 the same to be barged up the rivers | in -propelling barges and dis tributed to Alabama and the neigh- l boring states of Tennessee and Geor- l gia and even beyond
 "The benefit to the state of the development of the port of Mobile is directly felt by every citizen. every l line of business and industry. In l the first place, the existence of proper facilities at Mobile gives to l this port importance in world com- | merce. One of the first results of | port success Is the general reduce | tion of rail rates between that port and points inland. To develop the port of Mobile Is therefore to insure the permanence of Alabama's rate benefits. A saving of 20 to 40 per cent or more on transportation costs means that Alabama products obtain a wonderful advantage in world markets In competition with goods | elsewhere
 Crown of Waterways "The port is the proper crown of l the waterways. The Warrior with
 out a terminal port would at once
 lose it's usefulness. The port means 1 joint rail and water rates that af- 1 feet inland territory and shipping | points far from the waterway. These rates are 8 direct and important sav- ing to the citizens. Port terminals mean prompt and Inexpensive han l ding of cargoes--another saving. "A first-class port means wider 1 market for Alabama products, for to such port vessels come from
 all over the world bringing and seek ing cargo, Thus the ports of the whole world receive the products of this state.
 "A port situated as is Mobile lies in the pathway of incoming raw ma terials for the reduction of which | factories are needed and industries 1 will come into existence. For in- | dustries already In operation the | port insures cheap importation of materials that are not produced within the state.
 | Port advantages will give. the state commercial independence ii IT, val trade territory. For example.
 If Alabama had to depend upon New | Orleans, as & port, distance wou Id operate against this state, for the reason that goods produced nearer | the shipping point would naturally receive preferred treatment and have the advantage of lower cost to sea- l board
 "The equipment of the port insures the continuation of federal appro- | priation for harbor and channel and | Tor the Warrior it Is doubtful if ] the Warrior could justify itself without the development of the port of Mobile. The installation of proper | shipping and s-shipping facilities at Mobile Is needed to attract out
 side industries to Ala bama in order
 that they may enjoy the advantages l offered
 "A first-class port for Alabama
 means the relief of congested rail-
 roads, through the bringing about of shorter hauls on the principle of sending goods to seaboard by the shortest route.
 | Certain Ports Favored | Railroads favor certain ports as against others. This favor is based on private and not public advan- tage, and the result Is that goods are given the long haul while regions near the gulf seaboard are deprived or their advantage of location by a process of stunting the development or the less favored ports. If Mo- bile Is properly equipped to take care of any amount of business that may be offered, and especially to give vessels that dispatch that they ex- pect and that should be given by a fist class seaport, her position, SUD- ported by the rich resources of Ala hama and the great waterway sys- tenn, would be commanding. The port could no longer be ignored by the great transportation companies. S All this benefit can be obtained without cost to the taxpayers who authorize the expenditure, for the history of other ports. notably that of New Orleans, shows that port fla ! cilities are self-supporting and in time retire their bonds out of their surplus revenues The immense eX- pcnditures authorized by the state ! of Louisiana at the port of New Or leans and amounting to millions of dollars have not cost the taxpayers of that state one cent in. public funds. For proof of this the foIlow- ing from a letter to Hon. John Craft of Mobile, under date of July 16, 1921, written by T. $. McChesney, treas urer and assistant secretary of the port commission of New Orleans, can be quoted,
 It has been a source of pride to note the wonderful growth the port of New Orleans has made under pub lie ownership. and particularly the patronage given the public wharves. as you will note by referring to tom mage statistics shown in the annual report It is also a source of pride that not one cent of taxation has been paid by the citizens of the state of Louisiana or of the city of New l Orleans for the development and