The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-09-16
FARM GANIZATI0NSURGE
NAVIGATION OF MISSISSIPPI
AND MISSOURI RIVERS

condition of the farmers and STACK
men Of the great interior regions IS
sure to be reflected in ever part
OF the country. The Atlantic sea
board, the Pacific coast, the cotton
belt, the cities wherever located all
receive substantial trade stimulus.
amy reduction Of the cost OF
transportation to ocean ports will be
added to the value at points Of origin
Of any product which is being cX-
ported. And since no cXportabla
product need be sold on the domestic
market for less than it is worth 70"
export any such saving y i'll be auto
mntically reflected in The level OF
domestic prices. the countr" over. Il"
long as VIC are on an export basis E.
II is only when we have e%portahl"
surplus "f n commodity that Nv" pro
duccrS thereof arc in trouble"
Zones Of Influence
Accompanying the brief us u map,
on which are chartcd the zones Of
influence" upon transportation costs
that would result from the cs,ab
fishing Of river navigation.
The communication then tells Of
the principal agricultural and live
stock production west Of the Miss.
isSippi river, within these zones, and
TIE percentage Of the total national
p, oduction according to the estimate
o. the United States Department Of
Agriculture for 1921. II records:
Wheat: Gi5,5SG 900 bushels, or Go
per cent Of the total production Of
United States.
Corn l.225, OG3 900 bushels, or 30
per cent Of the total production Of
United States.
Oats: 915,748.OOO bushels, or 80 per
cent Of the total production Of the
United States.
Hay: $3.50 900 tons, or - per cent
Of the total production Of United
States.
Beef cattle on farms: ~ ,5Gl 900 or
SO per cent Of total production Of
United States.
Hogs on farms 2S,GG6.OOO or 53
per cent Of total production Of
United States.
Sheep on farms: l3,o22,O 600 or 16
per cent Of total production Of United
States.
Total valuation Of all crops, Si,O92.-
$4,000 or 40 per cent Of the total
crop values of the United States.
The brief adds: "Thc navigation OF
| the MiSSissip and the Missouri will
provide cheaper basic transportation
| rates for much Of the vast produc-
ton cnumc rated, and for other bulky
commodities within and contiguous
! to these zones. IL will stimulate still
greater production. with consequent
impetus and industry and commerce.
Sound public policy will never
| permit the control nor the intervcn-
ton with navigablc streams by pri-
vatc individuals or corporations.
| Therefore, only the government can
! be looked to for constructive action
Of any kind. Unless the government
, itself improves the waterways. they
will never be made navigablc.
"Thc farmers and others residing
in the interior regions paid their
portion Of the cost of the Panama
Canal, although they have not been
benefited by it. In fact, the opcr-
alton OF the canal has had quite the
opposite effect upon many interior
sections. AS an act Of common JUS
tlcc and impartiality on the part OF
the government toward its citizens,
. the inland waterways should be de-
vclopcd.
We earnestly petition you to take
up this great enterprise as national
one. and lead the way to its early
completion. The Mississippi, the
o Missouri and the Ohio constitute one
definite complete project, already APP
proved by government engineers. and
not subject to interference or delay
I through international complications. "