The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1922-08-09

has but little considered the cost of
transportation
Therefore, the United States today
is confronted with the greatest trans
portation problem in the history of the
nation. We are compelled now to
sell in the markets of the world that
is. our own market, the market in the
United States, as a world market.
Our competitors have not been quite
as fleet of foot" as have our people
and these competitors have been will
ing to 60 a little slower and therefore
little cheaper.
As a national duty we should first
study ard solve the problem of get
ting to our own market, as well as
the outside market of the world. as
cheaply as do our competitors. 1t is
now the consensus of opinion of the
best minds who have given thought
and attention TO the subject of trans
portation that we must develop and
use natures bounty in the way of
water for transportation.
Ocean on Three Sides
The United States is touched on
three sides by ocean. The great COM
mercial nations of the past have al
ways had touch with ocean water for
extended trade opportunities.
The great interior Of the United
States sometimes called the North
Mississippi Valley and sometimes cali
ed the Great Lakes territory-an enl-
pire in itself, has no direct ocean con-
tact. True, there has been wonderful
development in this territory. This de-
velopment, however, is due to the fact
of wonderful natural resources. These
resources have been picked over, the
| best has been taken and used. This
development has been at tremendous
cost. Always the resources have been
| used to make Up the difference N cost
| of transportation. The time has come
when the toll charge cannot longer be
paid and likewise the time has conlr
| when we should not further submit
! to the paying Of this extra charge out
| Of our rightful profits.
| Every time an unnecessary freight
| charge is paid it is a national waste
! Ultimately all the people of the coun
try are mulched 10 pay this waste and
| it is reflected back in national re-
| tardation.
| SURROUNDED by lana
The states Ohio, Indiana, Michigan
/ Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa
Minnesota, North Dakota, South Da
| hOta, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Wy
! oming, Montana. Utah, Idaho ard Ore
/ gon, are marooned in a sea of lanG
and will be until national action is
+ taken. These states helped build ths
! Panama Canal, and are today payine
!, their share. They also have pai-
| their share for a merchant marine
This they do without complaint. How
! ever, they have been duly "cufed'
on both cheeks and they modestiy sug
gest now that the others, who have
| been benefited, help them dig
| ditch and put this great territory
! in touch with the ocean. Let US o.
the land locked states load our bull
| freight on ocean going vessels an
send it to the markets of tAe world
| We have exposed our two cheeks
for the proverbiaI shifting" Iona
! enough. To carry the illustration Z
| little farther, our. neck is weary anG
We are growing bunions on our feet
Take Iowa for instance, and she is but
! typical state. We have 35 million
acres of land More than 81 millior
acres of this land is under cultivation
This land grows largely, food that i.
needed in other parts of the country
and the world. Four hundred millior
bushels of corn is a fair average yieIt
for the state under the present diversi
I'D system of farming. This means
that about one third of the acreage
Of the state is in corn and the yielC
| 9Vera peS about 40 bushels To the acre
Iowa people can not buy from the
outside unless they can sell to tht
outside at profit, Every person il
the United States is interested in th'
prosperity of the man on the farm
The farmer is in majority in the pur
chasing power of our country. Thel
too, his wealth or product is original
it comes out of the ground When h,