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Important Resolutions Passed at Second Annual Meet- ing in Detroit—Plans Perfected for the Ensuing Year CHIEVEMENT was written A large in the proceedings of the second annual Great Lakes Waterways Conference at Detroit, Oct. 28 and 29. Many vital problems connected with the development of lake commerce were considered and the general subjects of port develop- ment and the improvement of internal waterways were discussed by eminent speakers. A number of important recommendations were embodied in the formal resolutions adopted at the close of the meeting. It was the sense of the conference that certain - sections of the seamen’s law, which are deemed injurious to navigation interests on the Great Lakes, should be amended or repealed, and the reso- lutions provided for appropriate ac- tion along this line, including the pre- sentation of a petition to congress. It was also decided, informally, to send a committee representing the Conrerence to Washington at the proper time to urge the necessary changes in the seamen’s act. The resolutions also recommended that the various Great Lakes cities appoint non-partisan, non-political harbor commissions for the purpose of fos- tering the development of Great Lakes ports. In addition, the regula- tions recommended the early com- pletion of the New York state barge canal owing to its great influence on freight rates and the growth of com- merce between the east and the west. Appropriate action also was taken looking toward petitioning the next speaker of the house of representa- tives to provide the Great Lakes with adequate representation on the rivers and harbors committee. Detroit Welcomes Delegates The conference opened Thursday morning, Oct 28, with a large number of influential men connected with lake transportation interests in attendance. An address of welcome was made by Charles B. Warren, president of the Detroit board of commerce. In the course of his remarks Mr. Warren touched on the plans of Detroit cit- izens to further develop the iron and steel industry in their district, involv- ing important harbor improvements and considerable port development for handling iron ore and other cargoes. At the present time the receipts of iron ore in Detroit are very light com- pared with other lower lake ports. -A. A. Templeton, Detroit Seamless Steel Tubes Co., Detroit, president of the conference, responded to the address of welcome. Mr. Templeton briefly traced the growth of lake com- merce and also outlined the history of the Great Lakes Waterways Con- ference which was organized in 1914 for the purpose of promoting com- merce and port development on the Great. Lakes. .Héd émphasized the necessity for co-operation among Great Lakes ports, pointing out that their interests are mutual and that the problems confronting the commerce of the lakes can be: solved satisfac- torily only through united action. The Great Lakes, he said, constitute the United States’ greatest natural asset. The principal address at. the Thurs- day morning session was made by Flarvey 1), Goulder, of Goulder, White & . Garry, attorneys, > Cleveland, on “The. importance. and Influence. of Lake Commerce”. Mr. Goulder’s po- sition as legal representative of the Lake °Carriers’ Association lent un- usual weight and interest to his re- marks. He pointed out that com- merce, which is the basis of all life and industry, depends upon trans- portation. He traced the development of navigation on the “Great Lakes in some detail, pointing out that the ton- miles of freight carried on the lakes during the eight months’ season of navigation was equal to 30 per cent of the freight tonnage handled by all the -tailroads, of -the United States, Most of the Great Lakes tonnage, he also pointed’ out, originates and ter- minates on railroads. The water rate is only 0.6 of a mill per ton-mile as contrasted with an average rail rate of from three to seven mills. He stated that over $200,000,000 is invested in ships on the Great. Lakes and pointed out how improvements during the past 25 years have reduced the gross earnings per ton carried from $1.09 to 69 cents, In a graphic manner he portrayed the influence of lake com- merce on the cost of living in the United States, pointing out clearly that the cheap transportation avail- able on the Great Lakes is of benefit to the whole country and a boon to 432 By H. Cole Estep communities located at distant inland points. The delegates and guests at the conference were entertained at lunch- eon on Thursday by the Detroit board of commerce. Charles B. Warren presided. The principal address was delivered by Ernest M. Loeb, presi- dent of the board of commissioners of the port of New Orleans, who covered the operations of the great Mississippi river port in a thorough and comprehensive manner. Mr. Loeb’s paper, which is published else- where in this issue, deals with the his- tory of port development in New Orleans, with the financing of port improvements, with the fixing of prop- er port charges and dues, with the organization and administration of the ports affairs and with the details of the harbor facilities at New Orleans, including wharves, warehouses, ele- vators, belt railroad, etc. In particu- lar he pointed out the necessity for balancing the trade of a port, provid- ing imports and exports as nearly as possible in equal volume. River and Harbor Pork Charles B. Smith, member of con- gress from Buffalo, discussed federal expenditures for ports and waterways. He stated that vital and necessary harbor improvements in the United States may suffer from the general public feeling against river and harbor appropriations, arising from the waste- ful and profligate manner in which these expenditures have been made in the past. Quoting from official rec- ords he gave many interesting details regarding certain appropriations for the improvement of rivers, on which commerce was conspicuous by its ab- sence. In this connection he pointed out that $4,550,000 had been spent by the government on the Trinity river in Texas, on which 27,000 tons of freight moves annually. He stated that $65,000 already had been appro- priated for the Suwanee river, possi- bly for sentimental reasons, inasmuch as the annual freight traffic on this Stream is less than 15,000 tons. The Clearwater river in Florida, he stated, had been dredged from a depth of 0.5 of a foot to 4.5 feet at a cost of $60,000, resulting in an annual freight, traffic of 3,500 tons. Congressman