Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-03-27
Broad Considerations of National Pol
icy Influence the President to Act
Railroads no Longer Able to
Keep Up With our Industrial De
Velopment.

river systems oil the United States.
Eight public men have been asked to
serve, and Representative Theodore
e. Burton of OHIO, chairman of the
rivers and harbors committee in the
last congress, is to be chairman.
In a letter which he has addressed
to each the president sets out that he
is influenced in creating the comInis
sion by broad considerations of nation
al policy; that the railroads are no
longer able to move crops and manu-
features rapidly enough TO secure the
prompt transactions of the business OF
the nation and that there appears to
be but one complete remedy-the de
velOpmeEt of complimentary system
of transportation by water.
The following gentlemen have been
asked to act:
Theodore e. Burton, chairman.
Senator Francis G. Newlands.
Senator William Warner.
Congressman John H. Bankhead
General Alexander Mackenzie.
Dr. W. ]. Niece.
F. H. Newell
Clifford Pinchot
Herbert Knox Smith
In creating the commission the pres
ident says he is influenced by broad
cons. derations of national policy
The control Of our navigabe water
ways lies with the federal govern
ment. and carries with it correspond
ing responsibilities and obligah MS.
The energy of our people has hitherto
been largely directed toward incCs
trial development connected with field
and forest and with coal and ircn.
and some Of these sources Jf material
and power are already largely depict
ed, while our inland waterways as a
whole have thus far received scant at
tention. 1t is becoming clear that
our streams should be considered and
conserved as great natural resources.
ways have thus far usually been Untjer-
taken for 4 single purpose. such as
the improvement Of navigation, tho
development of power. tne irrigation OF
arid lands, the protection of low lands
from foods, or to supply water for 10
mestc and manufacturing purposes
While the rights Of the people to
these and similar uses of water must
be respected, the time has come for
merging local projects and uses of
the inland waters in a comprehensive
plan designed for the benefit of the
entire country. Such a plan should
consider and include all the uses 70
which streams may be put, and
should bring together and coordinate
tue points of view of all users of wa
ter. The task involved in the FIJI
and orderly development and control
of the river systems of the United
States is great one yet it is certain
~ not too great for us to approach.
The results which it seems to promise
are even greater.
ut is common knowledge" adds
the president that the railroads are
no longer able to move crops ard
manufactures rapidly enough, and
there is small prospect of immediate
relief. Representative railroad men
point cut that the products of the
northern interior states have doubled
in ten years. Winnie the railroad facil-
tiles have increased but one-eighth.
and there is reason to doubt whether
any development of the railroads Us
sible in the near future will suffice to
keep transportation abreast of produc-
ton. There appears TO be but one
complete remedy-the development Of
"a complementary system of lranspor-
tation by water. The present con-
gestion affects chiefly the people Of
the Mississippi valley, and the de-
mand relief When the congestion Of
which they complain IS relieved. the
whole nation will share the good e
suits"
1t was computed by Generals
Humphreys and Abbott half century
ago that the Mississippi alone sweeps
into its lower reaches and the gulf
40G,000.000 tons of floating sediment
each year (about twice the amount -
material to be excavated in opening
the Panama canaD. besides an enor-
nous but unmeasured amount OF
earth-salts and soil-matter carried in
solution. This vast load not only
causes its channels to clog and food
the lowlands of the lower river de-
clares the president, but rende. the
flow capricious and difficult to control
Furthermore, tho greater part OF the
sediment and soil matter is composed
Of the most fertile material of the
fields and pastures drained by the
smaller and larger tributaries. any
plan Tor util zing our inland water
ways should consider floods and ,heir
control bv forests and other means:
the protection of bottomlands from In
jury by overflows, and uplands from
loss by soil-wash; the physics of sedi
ment-charged waters and the physical
or other ways of purifying them: the
construction of dams ard locks, not
only to facilitate Navigation but 70
control the character ana movement
of the waters: and should look to .de
fun use and control of our running
waters and the complete artificializa-