New-York tribune., 1922-11-19

M j. A. o. Preus, Governor of
I Minnesota, st. Paul, MINI.
gr: A statement by you which ap-
/ ,,sred in The New York Tribune of
/ vsgsnber i2 has attracted my atten-
q asa hsye somewhat more than the
7 asasI sresnt of interest in the sub.
/ ieet b shith YOU refer. because was
I geFn ssd brought up in Michigan, have
I ssp. III reasonably close touch with
I I'D hayc a strong pride in my native
& sste, and am to degree familiar at
ns hard with the divergent points of
ew Of the great Middle West and
&g England, but especially New York,
Fhleh yog outline so clearly in your
satement. May / ask your indulgence
ssiie ] summarize briefly the New York
#sspoint, as | understand it?
Ths problem of transporting the
aps from the Middle West to market,
& q particularly TO the Eastern and
II gpean markets. is q problem of
81 the gravity is recognized in New
as clearly as in the West, al
81 ssgh, of course, the effect of a fail
80 solve the problem is not felt so
+ z.kly or so directly. No general
i sxgeYity is possible unless the farmer
4 s. market his crops promptly and at
4 x 5roper price.
il Yau have referred particularly, how
ST. to the difficulty of shipping this
q ars crops of wheat and potatoes.
q isu attribute the difficulty in each case
3 lack Of railroad cars either in
q aanssota or New York. And YOU
ai.e as understand it, that in Mime
3 @a the feeling is that the remedy
4 soun be, not more cars, but better
ysssr transportation by the proposed
81 s. lawrence canal, and you state fur
y A,r that the opposition in New Eng
y Iad and especially in New York. to
bis form Of remedy is thoroughly re-
aH!sd. Unquestionably there is on
\ psitiOn in New York and New Eng
3 and TO the st. Lawrence canal. And
De question which interests me is
shethsr the resentment to which you
q refer Is justified.
4 Tbs 81. lawrence canal apparently
4 would cost $3.50 100000 or more. It
4 scuh be Gf service to the farmers in
Aiaaeses and the other Western
\ sia'es only during the period in which
& 9s tfeat lakes are open for naviga-
# VOC Tbs, as we both know, is only
y Agseven months OF the year. There
'ieady in existence in New York a
ays canal from Buffalo to New York
dy Which has cost the state over
si0ep09,aGO and which is available for
aiiying grain and other lake freight
he seaboard during the season of
alea navigation. To date this has
zen costly failure. And while new
" lawrence canal might be larger and
nigat thus permit the through ship
Asnt Of wheat, corn and potatoes to
J. ae seaooafd without breaking bulk,
sew York apparently reasons that
@sfe are not sufficient grounds to sup
pose that this Improvement will be
enough to convert what in the case Of
Tue New York barge canal has proved
~ laf 10 be an expensive disappoint-
nsht into satisfactory method OF
Sowing the pressing transportation
problem Of the West. If more canals
WIZ solve It, the barge canal should
'y this time have furnished some sub
aantIal evidence OF that fact.
ihese are facts with which. of
a'fse' you are thoroughly familiar.
aention them only because no sum
afy OF the Eastern point of view
s'ad be complete which overlooked
slsu.
New York's remedy for the inability
The farmers of the West to shin
@sif produce to market is not more
aaas but more cars. The country
~ been built up on railroad transpor-
4aon Since the time, nearly a cen
Wy ago, when the railroads super
'saea the old Erie Canal. railroad
saasportation has been preferred to
ss transportation, except in the ter
,49's Immediately tributary to the
as Lakes, because it is quicker,
asse elficient and. taking market con-
s~oas lnto consideration. more eco
eas' The solution Of the problem,
! ,.eStaing to the Eastern theory, is TO
''sp the growth of the railroads
S. ssss Of the growth of the country
.'4s' than to neglect the railroads
!. = a'ssrt money so urgently needed
s A'fe care and better equipment to
,... eOAstfuetion of another costly ex
s'asas IN water transportation.
,.. @ slihout doubt. more cars will
Ma, more money. And this is where
70 - seasiment fails to do Justice
sasa. assssn point of view. The rail-
,ao.. s4asot build more track and buy
ls.g !, 0s0aotiyes and more cars un-
esn,o. 'sa get more money. If they
tbs, ave It our Of their earnings
A4s, get it only from the govern
can me public. Apparently they
bar. s. from their earnings only
so,e,n. aie total amount needed. The
i, ~ asns shows no readiness to sup
sot sss., pa'sace. And the public will