138 DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE FLOBIDA CANAL

 "With this in mind, I have introduced H. B. 2785, which is now before the
House Rivers and Harbors Committee, and upon which hearings will be held.
The bill gives the President full authority to acquire right-of-way and proceed
with the construction of this waterway, which will be adequate to provide for
substantially all vessels now using the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.
He is authorized to use all surveys and data of the Board of United States
Army nglneers and to utilize their splendid services for future surveys, if
necessary, and to carry out the construction of the project. The Federal Gov-
ernment, through its Board of Army Engineers is thoroughly equipped to
promptly begin the construction of the project. Under the provisions of the
bill, the President may utilize any existing or future Federal rivers and harbors
or other improvement funds or may issue bonds. It has been estimated by
competent engineers that the project can be completed in from 4 to 6 years and
will employ 25,00 men continuously over the period of construction.
 "As an unemployment-relief project alone, the project is justified. Between
75 and 80 percent of money expended on the project will go to labor and to the
relief of the unemployed. It will stimulate the great interest of industries of
the country-the manufacture of steel, copper, electrical equipment, exavation
equipment, cement, lumber, and all manner of heavy machinery in the basic
industries which are so sorely in need of stimulation at the present time. These
products will be drawn from every section of the country and relieve unemploy-
ment in practically every State of the Union. Likewise, the benefits to be de-
rived by the American people will be realized in every nook and corner of the
Nation, and will be directly felt in at least 87 States. The American people are
awake to these benefits, as i evidenced by the large number of oficals and
organizations who have whole-heartedly and enthusiastically endorsed the proj-
ect. Among these are Governors of many States, twoscore of United States
Senators, dozens of Members of Congress, boards of trade, and chambers of com-
merce of many States, and many large cities in the Union, including practically
all great seaport cities. Also such representative waterways and transportation
development associations as the Atlantic Deeper Waterway Association, the
Mississippi Valley Association, the National Rivers and Harbors Congress. This
latter great national body, representing every section of the United States, has
considered this project of such outstanding importance that it has recently en-
dorsed it for prompt construction in the public interest. The Honorable Henry
H. Buckman, who is vice chairman of the projects committee of that body,
recently said:
 This project probably more truly deserves to be termed national in character
than any other great public work now being contemplated by the Federal Gov-
ernment Its commercial benefits to the Nation will be greater and more wide-
spread than those of the Panama CanaL Throqgh it would pass more than
10,000 ships each year, representing the greatest flow of tonnage through any
canal in the world, and carrying the water-borne commerce of all the territory
between the Rockies and the Alleghanies to the Atlantic seaboard and overseas '
 "Mr. Buckman is an engineer of national reputation and authority. In com-
parison with the Panama Canal, the actual figures indicate that the tonnage
available to the Florida canal are more than one-third greater than that which
passes through the Panama Canal and approximately double that which transits
the Sues Canal. One ship every 45 minutes, night and day throughout the year,
will pass through this canal. The actual cost of the Panama Canal was near
$400,000,000, which is nearly three times the amount required to build the canal
across Florida. The Florida Canal will increase the tramil through the Panama
Canal and will have a stimulating effect upon the commerce of the Nation in
general. Every possible effort should be now exercised by the American Gov-
ernment to increase our foreign and domestic trade. There are now in our har-
bors countless numbers of vessels which will fnd their place in trade and trafme
as the result of the opening of a canal across northern Florida. This canal will
save to shipping craft on the average of 8 days round trip from New Orleans
to New York. It will eliminate storm hazards now incurred by vessels going
around the Florida Peninsula and will be a great saving to American shippers.
It will increase tonnage on every Atlantic and Gulf port of our Nation. The
existing water-borne tonnage now available to this canal is upward of
90,000,000 deadweight tons of ships per year.
 "It is imperative that America fully develop her natural arteries of commerce.
The benefits derived from the full development of waterways was centuries ago