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Show INLAND WATERWAYS. A convention will be held on October 4. at Memphis, Tenn., of the Deep Waterway association, associa-tion, the chief subject of consideration to be the work of improving the channel of the Father of Waters to the needs of trade. There will be about 3,000 delegates from all sections of the Mississippi valley in attendance; President Eoosevelt is expected ex-pected to be there, and the inland waterway commission com-mission and the governors of a number of states will lend their assistance to the success of the meeting. It used to be that when conventions of almost any character were held, there was a great deal of oratory and much fulsome praise of those who posed as the leaders, and a never-ending flow of benefits to follow the accomplishment of the objects ob-jects of the convention. The Deep Waterway association as-sociation has outlived that period of its existence, for the men composing it seem to be practical; they know all about the benefits to be derived from channel improvements, and they do not require any long-winded oratory to show where these benefits are coming from. They have these things all figured out. The improvement will cost so much, and the saving will be so much. The figures show where the people will profit. Besides the main channel of the Mississippi, there are various tributaries which will receive the attention of the association, and the proposition of a ship canal from Chicago to the river to connect con-nect the Great Lakes with the great central valley will be discussed. It is a vast enterprise, the figures fig-ures showing the cost to approximate $300,000,000. But it is estimated the saving on freight shipments ship-ments originating in the lake region and destined for inland points, or vice versa, will allow a fair margin of profit on the investment. Besides, the advocates of the scheme see in the' opening of this canal a chance to use something like $90,000,000 worth of steamboats the whole year round instead of having them tied up on account of weather conditions con-ditions from early fall to late spring in some lake port. The plans to develop our waterway facilities are said to be not only feasible but necessary to the economic welfare of the people. The Deep Waterway Wa-terway association is sure of its ground, but will confer and attempt to work out the details of its mammoth enterprises. The co-operation of the national government seems to be an essential feature fea-ture of the improvement plans, but whether this can be secured, whether congressmen and senators can be interested in so vast a scheme for internal improvement, remains to be been. j |