Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-06-29

{ he promised 70 hand II on 10 an
( other generation.
the recent past when the improve
ment OF many rivers IN Texas FOR
transportation purposes vas pro-
posed. and we may also remember
the derision with which the pro-
posed improvement Of such rivers
as the Trinity and the BrazoS was
received. Numerous proposals OF
this sort were emphatically turned
down by congress 20 years ago. and
the public generally. I think. at the
time was inclined to agree with the
congressional attitude.
New Day Is Dawning
But a new day has davned. With
the rapid development OF the great
Southwest land what Is true Of this
section is true almost everywhere
throughout the country. demands
for adequate and economical
transportation have brought about a
marked change in public sentiment.
Witness, for instance. the Missouri
river. Although adopted as a prof.
ect more than 20 years ago. the Sec
ton OF the river from its mouth
on the Mississippi above st. Louis
to Kansas City is just now in proc
ess Of completion. and, in fact. the
work will not be finished until next
year. Meantime, the grain producer
in the great Northwest. who be-
cause OF higher costs Of transport
tation by rail since the World war
has c e his freight bill increased by
more than 500. OOO. 10000 annually,
has been crying for relief.
While I hold no brief for any par
ticular project, I believe the time
has come when serious considera-
ton should be given to the improve
ment OF many OF the streams Of the
Southwest which will serve as feed
ers either TO the I~ntracoastal canal,
or, like the Red River and the Ar
kansas, as tributaries Of the great
Mississippi river. which will bring
the benefits OF cheap water trans
portation into the interior Of our
country.
With the rapid growth OF our for
eign trade and as we, through such
conferences as this. do what we can
TO stimulate our commercial rela-
tons with foreign lands. our in
land waterways are certain TO play
an increasingly important part. In
this connection, and lest I should
be misunderstood. permit me TO de-
clare that I am not one Of those who
advocate special favors for any par
ticular form or method of trans
portation. I do believe. however.
that the producer and the consum-
er are entitled 70 the most conven-
lent and economical forms Of trans
portation that can be provided for
their use. No n deniess Tor
should anyone attempt to minimize
the outstanding service which has
been rendered by our railroads in
the development Of Jul country and
in the promotion Of its unexampled
prosperity. In my judgment, they
viii always constitute not only the
backbone Of III transportation sys-
tenn but the very foundation Of our
national commercial and industrial
structure.
Need All Of Them
Looking ahead for only a few
years. however. he is blind to the
vision Of a glorious future who fails
to see the time when every conceiv-
able form and method Of transport
tation. each In its proper place and
each rendering the service for which
il is best suited, Will be needed TO
meet our commercial requirements
and to insure continued progress in
the development of our foreign
trade. We shall need not only rail-
ways and waterways. but the fullest
possible utilization Of our highways
and airways as well.
We must bear in mind that our
commerce is growing with far great
er rapidity than our population. At
the end OF the Civil war. American
railways handled a total Of only n
hundred million tons Of commerce
annually. In 1900. only thirty years
ago. the total. though IL had in
creased ten times in thirty-five
years, was q billion tons. while now
the total has reached the tremend-
Gus figure Of approximately two and
one-half billion tons annually.
1t is interesting to note that while
our population during the past so
years increased 800 per cent. our
commerce increased 1900 per cent.
or. in other words, six times as rap
idly as our population. No less an
authority than President Hoover
himself predicted Some two years
ago. when he was secretary Of COM
merce. that by 1910, only a decade
hence, u population would exceed
lao millions, and that our total
commerce would amount TO more
than four billion tons annually. In
the face of these facts. no one can
deny the wisdom or the soundness
Of the policy which proposes that
wherever possible our great natural
heritage Of inland streams and riv-
ers shall be translated into instru-
mentalities Of service to the Ameri-
can people.
Must Have Cooperation
There must be helpful and under
standing cooperation between and
among the many agencies and fac
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