The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-11-13

mlSSlOn bt the same railroads. AT
this TING it was pointed out thattpur
northwestern roads were required 10
hau! many empty cars to the Pacific
Coast in ofder to handle the mcr-
clyandise from that section to the
Middle West. The request was made
Of the Commission to put into effect
rate on west bound merchandise
from this district which would make
1t possible for the railroads to re-
ccivc some kind Of return for haul
ing these cars to the Pacific sea
board. The Associated Press carried
the report Of the decision Of the Com
mission several months ago when it
announced that on the objection Of
eastern industry and some of the
inter-mountain cities, the Commits
sion again denied the application.
1.-THE situation is SO intolcrahie
from an industrial standpoint that it
is wholly impracticable today to build
in the Middle West industries to
serve a world trade. As 4 matter Of
fact, there are industries in st. Paul
and Minneapolis that arc shipping to
seattle and Tacoma and Portland and
Los Angeles, east to Norfolk, Nir-
ginia, transferring merchandise there
onto ocean going steamers bound
through the Panama Canal and up
to these western cities.
Empty Cars Hauled Westward
''Ihc Northern Pacific Railroad,
which runs through the City of Bis
marck. is hauling thousands Of empty
cars to the western scaboard right
now as Il result Of this unfair dcci-
sion on the part Of the Interstate
Commerce Commission; and all of as
here in the Middle West arc paying
in freight rates the additional cost
resulting from the inability OF the
railroads to receive Il return, on the
west bound empty cars. Al !; matter
Of fact. there are industries today
in the Middle West that can afford
to scrap their plants ard move TO
the eastern or western araboard.
there To build new plants. the cost
Of which could bc paid in a very
short period Of time by the saving
IN freight rates J.. reason Of their
establishment in places where they
have direct contact with the ocean
gong steamers.
In Minnesota and in other states
through which the upper Mississippi
River passes, we have been interest
cd for many years in the develop
mcnt Of river navigation. Congress
several years ago agreed to appro-
PIRATE fifty million dollars TO make
that river navigablc; hut Il small
amount has been spent during the
past several years to do 50, and set
during the same period more than
one hundred million dollars has been
expended in the building Of nine
dams and other work on the Ohio
River to make it possible To Ship the
steel prodscts Of Pittsbu rgh and
other communities in Pennsylvania,
down the river to Cairo to be dis
tributcd in the South. The uppcl
Mississippi IS tar better situated
from physical standpoint and other
wise to be used for river navigation
than the Ohio River ever was; ana
yet, We in this section have not bee,
able to obtain sufficient appropri2-
tions to do what is necessary to max,
possible Il full and complete use OF
! tnat avenue OF transportation.
Mississippi River c,clopmcnt
THE business interests Of Mime,
apolis and st. Paul and other upper
river cities have within the past yea,
put up six hundred thousand dollars
to build barges and tow boats q
operate between the Twin Cities and
st. Louis. The War Department has
entered into il contract with tn,
business men under which il IS agreed
that during the coming spring rive,
navigation will he reiiftatcd. 81!
thousand dollars to build Il river ter
miEa. Minneapolis is spending :
similar amount, and other cities north
~
al Of that cheap method Of transpol
tation.
ION Il trip down the ri.er 70 New
Orleans in February with a delera-
ton from the Twin Cities, We were
astounded to find SO large an amour,
OF merchandise shipped up the rive,
Oh barges to st. Louis and trans
ferrcd there to the railroads destined
not only for st. Paul and Mime
apolis but for Bismarck and Minot
and Aberdeen, and other cities
throughout the Northwest all at !,
saving of twenty per cent in freight
rates. With the further development
Of the Mississippi River. industry in
this section will again have some
opportunity to compete OF Il more
even basis with industry on the east
cfn seaboard.
'All Of u here are interested in
the Development Of the Great Lakes
ST. Lawrence Waterways. We want
Duluth made Il port on the Atlantic
Ocean. The engineers Of the United
States Government rcpor: that it is
feasible Former President Harding.
was for il, President Coolidge is in
favor Of it. Mr.. Hoover and other
members of the Presidents cabinc,
believe .hoic ncnrtrdly in il; ard
get by reason Of opposition OF east
.rn industry in New York, it has
been impossible to arrange for the
necessary treaty with Canada TO carry
the project through. Aud the city Of
Enlfalo, New York, which with New
York city il the most persistent OBJ
lector, l. taking toll of III the neigh
borhood Of five cents on e.ery bush
cl Of the farmers grain from this
part Of the country shipped east
through the Great Lakes and destined
for foreign points.
Farmer Not Protected
'.As we in the Northwest have been
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