The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1921-06-11

t4sstHygsnhs zdN the State of North Dakota, presented
z84ss by Senator Ladd:
AA Whereas it is proposed TO make
such Improvement in The st. Lawrence
rs TO make the Great Lakes accessible to ocean
going commerce and
whereas this Improvement will In effect bring
the State of North Dakota hundreds of miles
nearer the worlds markets; and
w heIeas there are within the State great re-
sources that lie wholly undevcloped willie the
production of all things is diminished or retarded
by distance from markets; and
whereas because our producers and the
consuming public have alike suffered enormous
losses in the last year by transportation shortage
and failure; and
whereas because by reason of these conditions
the transportation situation constitutes an emerg-
ent need: and
whereas a number of States have joined
IN the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Tidewater AS
ISOLATION, having as its object the early undertake
ing and completion of this Improvement: There
fore be IL
Resolved by the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatives Of the State of North Dakota, that the
state OF North Dakota is properly associated In
the above-named organization with it's %neighbor-
ing Commonwealth in pressing to advance this
undertaking. and that the action of the governor
in so declaring is hereby approved and confirmed.
and the participation Of this state by the governor
""' Tvs ~ V bhh !" tS ttuuIb VI
these States is approved:
"Itesolyed. that the representatives Of this
State in the Congress Of the United States be
requested 10 facilitate and expedite in every pos.
sible way the prosecution of this undertaking for
the economic freedom of a landlocked continent
The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Tidewater associ-
alton Is a voluntary association Of IA member
states, including Wisconsin, Minnesota. Michigan,
Illinois, Indiana, Ohio. Iowa, North Dakota, South
nniA., IJ,l- -.. F-.. -
Nebraska. The first three Of these states have
aided the movement through state commissions
created by their respective legislatures. These
states are today In a voluntary cooperative eff
fort attempting 10 impress the nation and con-
gress with the urgent need of adequate transpor.
tation facilities at reduced rates, to be provided
by the proper development Of our inland water
ways.
The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Tidewater prof.
ect has been discussed for several years. Prog.
ress was Interrupted In 1914 by the World war.
March 2, 1919, Senator Lenroot of Wisconsin.
had Incorporated into the rivers and harbors act
a provision requesting the international joint COM
mission ito investigate what further improve
ment Of the st. Lawrence river, between Montreal
and Lake Ontario. Is necessary to make the same
n~avigable for ocean-going vessels. together with
the estimated cost thereof, and report to the gov
eminent of the Dominion of Canada and TO the
congress Of the United States. with its recon-
mendations, for cooperation by the United States
with the Dominion Of Canada in the Improvement
of said river"
The result is that the engineers appointed BY
the two governments have been for some time
engaged In the making Of surveys and the prep
aration Of plans and estimates for the information
of the commission. The commission has been
holding a series of public hearings, at which ma
tional. state, provincial. municipal, commercial.
transportation, and other bodies interested have
presented their views as to the desirability or 9TH
erwise Of the suggested deep waterway and the
advantages and disadvantages Of combining pow.
err development with the Improvement of naviga.
fion on the upper st. Lawrence.
Following will be found a brief statment of the
main features Of the project. The writer holds
no brief for or against II.
There are two phases to the project: One IN
the opening up of Great Lakes-Tidewater trans.
portation. The other is the establishment. in con.
nection with the work Of great plants for the
generation Of hydro-electrical energy to be dis
tributed over a radius of about ESQ miles. AT
present the navigation and power projects are
being considered as one.
The demand Of the Middle West is for water
transportation This demand, In a nutshell. ia
that the Great Lakes be opened to the sea SO that
ocean-going craft drawing from 20 to Is feet can
steam from Duluth to the Atlantic and thence
along the seaboard Of the western hemisphere or
across seas to the markets of Europe.
The Middle West argues this way. The measure
of the country's productiveness depends in large
measure upon the expeditions movement Of its
enormous and growing volume Of freight This
movement Of freight is at present slowed up nv
the c~ongested condition Of the railroads and east.
arn terminals. Additional and supplemental
means of distribution are necessary. In short
the Middle West must be brought within touch OF
the Atlantic seaboard, without breakage of bulk
delay and additional terminal charges.
In this demand the "Midlle West" means the
heart Of the nation" with about one third Of the
territory, population and wealth.
The Middle West holds that great and costly
though the enterprise may be, II Is entirely feas-
ible from the standpoint Of the engineer; that