Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-07-07

commerce OF the cities and retard
the manufacture of goods, close
mines, and have been so high on
many agricultural products as al
most to prohibit their shipment and
sale. | shall as far as | am able,
endeavor to correct this condition,
which is one of the agencies that
must be remedied before we are
again blessed with prosperity and
business activity.
Especially are the rates recently
imposed upon all shipments to and
from Virginia unjust and unfair, re-
Sulting in great detriment to all the
varied interests OF the State. | shall
exert myself to the utmost to rem
edy this wrong, and to restore fair
treatment 70 railroad shipments for
this state.
Needed Improvements of Water
Transportation And Harbor
Facilities
Our railroad transportation should
be supplemented by better and i'm
proved water transportation. For
many years, on account of the great
efforts required for the prosecution
of the World War and the great
expenses incident to it, we have
neglected the proper development Of
cur water transportation. This.
should be remedied at once, and the
Government should direct its best
efforts to improving its rivers and
to securing cheap water transporta-
ton. This cannot be neglected with
out serious injury to the commerce
of our cities and the agriculture of
our country. As the foreign COM
merce of this nation exceeds by far
that of other nations, it becomes Of
the utmost Importance that we
should increase our harbor facilities
in order to use cheaplv and prompt
" our railroad and water transport
tation systems. This is necessary
in order to prevent congestion Mt the
commercial centers and to insure
prompt movement of merchandise.
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads offers the finest
facilities on this continent for large
ports of entry and export. The
large rivers and the systems Of
railroads that serve the ports To-
Gated on Hampton Roads will in
sure its primacy in shipping when
its harbors are fully developed. ]
have earnestly labored in the past
for the accomplishment of this, and
will continue to do so in the future
recognize HAMPTON Roads as one
of the most profitable assets of the
nation. as well as of this State. |
was glad 70 aid actively and ear
nestly during the war in Increasing
the wharves. piers and terminal ia
cilities of all the ports bordering on
lower Chesapeake Bay. These now
give our ports a great advantage,
which will be further increased
when the Government by proper
dredging fully develops the i'm
mense capabilities of these harbors.
Merchant Marine
Under a Democratic Administra-
ton we obtained the second Mer-
chant Marine in the world, and one
which if properly utilized will amply
provide for our vast foreign COM
merce and relieve us from our past
dependency. This merchant fleet,
operated privately or by
should be utilized for
the development of our foreign
trade, Nand to enable our merchants,
farmers and miners,
to meet our competitors fairly and
equally in the markets of the world.
The performance of our prosperity
will depend upon our independence
in world shipping. 1t would be fool
ish to expect that a department
store competing with another for
trade would succeed II the delivery
of its sales were dependent upon its
This was our deDlor-
able condition prior to the World
War. and our entire foreign trade
suffered the resultant discrimina-
tons. We should never return to
this dependent condition, and IA
vor the preservation of our Mer-
chant Marine as an American Mer-
chant Marine, devoted to the devel-
opment of American commerce and
business. Every interest of our ma
ton demands this.
Federal Aid TO Public Roads
Our system of transportation is
woefully incomplete, even with
these other facilities, unless supple
mented by a fine system of i'm
proved public roads It has been
estimated that under our present
wretched system of public roads, IT
costs more in the aggregate to
transport produce from the farm to
the depot than it does from the de-
pot to the consuming markets. This
excessive cost must be eliminated
and a vigorous effort made for road
Improvement.
As the travel on a country road
is national. state and local. | have
ALWAYS insisted that the expenditure
for road construction and improve
ment should likewise be national
state and local. I have been one of
the earliest and staunchest advo-
Gates of road Improvement in cOun-
". state and nation. During my
administration as Governor, I as
sisted in the creation Of State
Highway Department, the forma-
ton Of tho convict road force. and
recommended the approximation Of
state money to aid road improve
mcut in the counties. These meas
ureS have been recognized as no
tent Influences in the stimulation of
road building throughout tho Com
,,,orUea1th was ono Of tho nar-