Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-11-17
New York Governor
Denounces Proposed
st. Lawrence Canal

OCIlOuIlCO0 ! IOpOocu
St. Lawrence Canal
Savannah, Ga, Nov. Ex-Governor
Nathan L. Miller, of New York. in an
address before the Atlantic Deeper
Waterways convention today de-
nounced the proposed st. Lawrence
ship canal project as involving an
unwarranted expenditure Of $780,
100000 by the United States, as
criminal foolishness' in wasting
millions sadly needed for other i'm
provements and as an attempt to
realize an impossible dream"
The governor declared that the tax
burden would be increased in order
to promote what was only an eXper-
iment and asserted that the prime
necessity was to improve first our
own ports and waterways instead Of
promoting a project in a foreign
country He affirmed that the New
York State barge canal could, if
properly utilized. carry all the TO-
100000 tons of grain which annually
would seek water outlet from the
west.
He asserted that no unprecedented
person competent to speak on the
subject believed that oceans going
vessels would ever navigate such a
waterway as the proposed st. Law
renee ship canal The governor de-
clared that threat had been con-
veyed to him that opposition to the
ST. Lawrence canal would result in
retaliation of the Is states composing
the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Tide
water Association. 1t might seem a
waste of effort, he said, to speak in
opposition to the project, as the as
Sociation had announced that. IL the
IS states approved the project, IA
vorable action would be taken on it
by congress this year.
Nearly 100000 had been appro-
priated by the states in the TideWat-
er Association to promote the cam
paign and bring pressure to bear on
congress, he said. He added that the
Charleston and Jacksonville Cham
hers of Commerce had suggested lin
ing up with the Great Lakes st.
Lawrence Tidewater Association on
a principle of reciprocity. The gov
ernor pointed out that there was
danger to the country on the promo
ton of public undertakings on a basis
of reciprocity between sectional in
tereStS and declared such q method
precluded fair consideration of any
undertaking on its merits. He de-
clared that he regarded the cost of
n ,arniant
bagatelle compared with the evil Of
introducing in congress the method
effecting legislation by combinations
of groups or sectional blocks.
II trust that the time has not yet
come when the trading of support for
local improvements can commit the
treasury of the United States to
vast project for the improvement of
a waterway in another country re-
CARELESS OF its merits" said Govern
or Miller
The governor denied that the re-
port of the engineers on the ST.
Lawrence canal was altogether ia
vorabie, as he said was asserted by
its proponents. and said that they
had reported only on the estimated
cost and its practicability from an
engineering standpoint. They did
not consider the commercial feasihil-
ity of the project" he said, but they
were heralded all over the country
as having submitted a report alto
gether favorable to it,"
Governor Miller said that he SYM
pathized with the desires of the mid
die west for better and cheaper
transportation but that the indus
tries of the country already were
staggering under excessive taxation
and excessive cost of transportation.
1T is unthinkable," he went on.
| that the burden of taxation will be
! increased at this time by vast ex-
penditure which, in the most favora-
BILE aspect. is only an experiment. and
| ii is imperative that we concentrate
on those improvements which will
| serve the greatest needs of the COM
naerce of the country" The propo-
| nents of the ST. Lawrence project
have been "dazzled by visions" the
| governor affirmed. They see the
Atlantic coast extended to Duluth.
| they see all the lake ports converted
into sea ports with the flags of all
| nations flying in their harbors. The
danger lies in the fact that the parh-
sans of the project are too prejudced,
while the rest of the country have
not sufficient interest to examine the
project fairly on its merits"
The governor analysed the cost OF
the scheme by saying that the prop
asandists had heralded over the
country that the total cost would be
$3.50. 5000 and that it would include
the development of 100000 horse
power which, he said. lis held out as
an. alluring bait to the New England
states" 1t would be reasonable IN
his opinion to add at least % per cent
| as unexpected cost which would bring
the United States half up to more
than $1,000, 900 for a canal 25-foot
deep. He estimated that it would
cost the United States an additional
| 1000. 900 to deepen the channels
and harbors of the Great Lakes to
depth OF IS feet so that. I'VE have an
initial expense of $200.000.000 to he
borne by the United States" as It's
half Of the entire project. That sum
was one-fifth the total amount eI-