Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1921-10-14
$4,OOO,OOO SAVING
SEEN In WATERWAY
Opening Great Lakes To Ocean Ships
Would Pay Cost Of Project,
\
Says Farm Leader.
MINNESOTA FARM BUREAU
FEDERATION NEWS SERVICE
Minnesota Farm Bureau Federatio
BY NEIL Fl. SWANSON

Editor, News Service
st. Paul, Oct. 12.-Opening of the
Great Lakes-St. Lawrence waterway
to ocean ships would mean a saving
of 100000 a year to Minnesota
grain farmers alone, speakers de-
clared at the Minnesota tidewater
congress here last week.
The waterway project, estimated to
cost 25O,OOO,0O0 to 100000,
would add at least $10O,0O0,000 to
the wealth of the northwest and cen
trail west annually through lowered
transportation costs, the convention
was told. The meeting was called by
Governor J. A. o. Preus at the re-
quest of the Minnesota Tidewater as
ISOLATION, as part of unified move
ment in 16 states to obtain favorable
congressional action on the proposal
to make the Great Lakes an arm of
the Atlantic ocean.
Governor Preus, in opening the
conference, said that business inter-
ests in New York state, for selfish
reasons, are furnishing almost the
predicted that overwhelming public
sentiment in the states vitality con-
Hcerned in obtaining lower freight
rates by water transportation would
persuade congress to take necessary
steps to open the channel to the Great
Lakes. ~HEN
"Waterpower alone that will be
developed by opening the waterway
will pay Americas share of the cost
in so years., J. w. Coverdale, secre-
tary of the American Farm Bureau
federation, said in addressing the 400
delegates.
Opening the lakes to ocean vessels
means millions of dollars to the far
mers of the northwest The price a
farmer gets for his products is their
price at the market place where the
worlds currents of trade meet, minus
the cost of transporting his products
to that place. 1t is estimated that
the opening of the Great Lakes to
ocean ships would enable farmers to
ship their grain from the northwest
to Liverpool at a cost of 10 cents a
bushel less than present rates.
What such a reduction in freight
charges means to farmers z in the
north and middle west is apparent
when we realize that so per cent OF
all the agricultural products of the
United States are raised in the 16
states vitality concerned in the devel-
opment of the Great Lakes-St Law
renee water route.
This route would bring the Allan.
tic 1900 miles closer to Minnesota
and enable the farmers of the north.
west to compete with cheaply pro.
duced crops from Australia and Ar.
gentine. We cannot compete with
them now because of high railroad
rates."
C. G. Selvig, superintendent of the
Northwest School of Agriculture
pointed out that the expansion Of
farming in Minnesota may result il
producing an annual grain crop o.
00,O00,OO0 bushels in this STATE
alone.
eff only one tenth of that grai1
moved east by water, at rate II
cents a bushel lower than presen
freight costs, we would have saving
of 100000 a year for Minnesota
farmers" he said. .-..
Carl D. Jackson, member of thu
Wisconsin railway commission, sait
that water power developed in com
pleting the waterway project woulC
eventually take the place of $4,000,
900 tons of coal and help to conserv'
/ the fuel resources of the county.
1.-THE cost of the Great Lakes, st
Lawrence waterway will be small,
he said, F" in comparison with tn
amount that would be required t
make our railroad facilities as ade
lsquate as the water route"