Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-07
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS


by way of the ST. Lawrence as opposed
to the Erie Canal, or to railway trans
portation And unless we can do some
thing to build up this agricultural in
dustry to expand our food products.
New York as a food-shipping port will
disappear at any event, and she will
have been deprived of the enormous
business and commerce that results.
from the expanding agricultural in
dustry. We have a problem all
over the United States in railway
transportation. Our railway trans
portation has not kept pace with the
growth of our population and busi-
ness. At the period of peak load In the
Fall of every year. we arrive at grow
ing crisis with every year that passes.
This year We have had such a shortage
in transportation facilities that at many
points there has been a differential,
premium upon cars, differential be-
tween wheat in the elevators seeking
TRANSPORTATION and wheat one hundred
miles away in the terminals differ
entail OF upward Of 20 cents bushel.
That is penalty taken from the
American farm: it only represents one
small charge imposed upon the COM
munity by the inadequacy Of our rail-
roads. I believe that any group Of
engineers who sit down to consider
the problem of the expansion OF these
railways to meet the growing needs OF
our people and to develop it to the
point Of handling even our present prod
uctivity will agree that one OF the
most economic directions in which
that transportation can be expanded is
through the construction of this
canal.
II have regretted very much TO see
the local opposition in New York City
10 this project. have indeed felt that
it was based somewhat upon the same
attitude of mind that objects to the
introduction Of labor-saving machinery.
Every item that We can introduce into
our tools of production that decreases
the cost Of production and serves TO in
crease the standard of living of the
American people is something that we
should aspire TO achieve. / believe
that this project will increase the
volume of our production, and that 1t
will increase the standard of life. n II
we can lower the cost of transportation
from the inland ports of the United
States, We will have contributed direct
~ TO the welfare of the whole people
and New York depends vitality, and
lives solely. upon the prosperity otsthe
-. i
crease the productivity OF the United
States by the measure that We can Rive
opportunity to the farmer to enable
him to use fertilizers to increase his
production ZIP
A New York advocate OF the barge
canal, Mr. Hill, queried: Then Ii Is a
question of the supply of fertilizers 10
the farmer rather than the increased
facilities for transportation that Twill
help the farmer in Ohio and Nebraska?'
Mr., Hoover--Not solely. because there
Is 4 large area of land not vet brought
INTO production in the United States.
and by every cent that we can increase
the value of produce We increase the
area. Nv }TFFf
Mr.. Hill-Do you apprehend that
there viii be q time when the total ton
mage will be exhauSted-that is. in time
of peace?
MFR. Hoover--I expect 10 see that de-
crease gradually until 1t is exhausted,
unless We can give return 10 the
farmer In the United States that brings
more profit and larger WELD per acre.
Mr. Hill-That brings the point forci-
bly, before me. Is ii not a fact that we
gradually are absorbing all the cereal
products of this country?
Mr., Hoover~-Geuite. and New York will
soon disappear as cereal port unless
we can give the farmer reimbursement
Nh, Hill--We viii need all the prod
actS In the country to supply q grow
ing population of los, 900 600.
Mr. Hoover-Not necessarily, This
country has agricultural productivity
mat can be made 10 keep ahead OF its
growing people
Mr., Hoover demonstrated his eontin-
ting appreciation Of the importance of
ne st. Lawrence ship Canal and It's
electric power production, when he de-
cared in speech in New Haven March
IL, 1927:
But cur major purpose is to open a
sreat ana cheaper transportation route.
The development of power is n for
innate and valuable hy-prodt,ct while
he total cost of the works on the ST
.awfence Will amount to about SSO0.-
100000, our engineers estimate that
'tter we deduct that portion OF the
works which will be taken over by tire
>ower development by other agencies
We are left ON various estimates with a
oSt 10 TIE Federal and Dominion Gov
rnmentS OF from $500 900 600 10 5000
'ooooo, which Itself may some day be
eeovered from power. This IL not a
tupendouS sum 1ug two natianS~
II must be remembered that the
'atge canal across New York cannot
'roducc any electric power.
In the same speech Mi Hoover sum-
ned ap the ease,
our Army engineers have made ex-
'austlNe examination Of the New York
cute, II 1t were constructed wholly
pom American soil, 1t would cost over
nSo 100000 II II We're constructed on
ne shorter route from Oswego 10 AL
any, it would not be an al!~Anseriean
quite, for ships would then need pass
trough the Canadian Welland Canal
round Niagara, In this ease Ii would
ast $500 Geo 600, In neither case would
mere Ne any electrical power developed "a