The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1921-06-10


HQlhzr1l the State of North Dakota presented
-sasasssA) by Senator Ladd:
E@I whereas ii is proposed to make
such Improvement in the ST. Lawrence
as 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
whereas there are within the State great re-
sources that lie wholly undeveloped while 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 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 ii
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 its neighbor-
ing Commonwealths 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
and those who represent him in the council of
these States is approved;
Resolved, that the representatives of this
State in the Congress of the United States be
requested to facilitate and expedite in every pos
sble way the prosecution of this undertaking for
the economic freedom of andlocked continent"
The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Tidewater assoc
alton is voluntary association of IA member
states, including Wisconsin, Minnesota Michigan
Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa, North Dakota South
Dakota, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming Colorado and
Nebraska. The first three of these states have
aided the movement through state commissions
created by their respective legislatures. These
states are today in voluntary cooperative eff
fort attempting to 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
provision requesting the international joint CON-
mission ito investigate what further improve
ment of the St Lawrence river between Montreal
and Lake Ontario, is necessary to make the same
navigabe 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-
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
tonal, state, provincial, municipal. commercial.
and other bodies interested have
presented their views TO the desirability 9TH
srwise of the suggested deep waterway and the
advantages and disadvantages of combining pow
sr development with the improvement of uaviga-
ion on the upper ST. Lawrence.
Following will be found brief statment of the
main features of the project. The writer holds
10 brief for or against It,
There are two phases 10 the project One is
he opening up of Great Lakes Tidewater trans
The other is the establishment In con-
lection with the work of great plants for the
of hydro-electrica energy to be dis
ributed over a radius of about $50 miles. AT
resent the navigation and power projects are
icing considered one.
The demand of the Middle West is for water
This demand, In a nutshell is
hat the Great Lakes be opened to the sea so that
craft drawing from 20 to % feet can
team from Duluth to the Atlantic and thence
long the seaboard of the western hemisphere or
cross seas TO the markets of Europe.
The Middle West argues this way. The measure
the country's productiveness depends in large
leasure upon the expeditions movement of its
normous and growing volume of freight This
Movement of freight is at present slowed up by
ne congested condition Of the railroads and east
m terminals Additional and supplemental
'Ans of distribution necessary In short
he Middle West must be brought within touch of
le Atlantic seaboard. without breakage of bulk.
clay and additional terminal charges.
In this demand the Middle West" means the
heart of the nation" with about one third of the
rritoTy, population and wealth.
The Middle West holds that great and costly
,ugh the enterprise may be- 1t is entirely feas-
le from the standpoint Of the engineer; that