New-York tribune., 1907-10-03
BATTLESHIP FLEET
ON PRACTICE CRUISE.
NOT TO STAY IN PACIFIC,
PRESIDENT SAYS.
Federal Control of Railroads Id
yocated an st. Louis
Speech.
rsy r.:sersph to The rrlbun..,

advocated a strong anu elNClSDI navy,
declared (; the nations duty TO control centrally
,.terstate railroads and to restore the Mssis-
..;ppi River its proper place as a great artery
q commerce.. He termed the proposed fourteen
foo. channel from the lakes to the Gulf ma
,ional task" He warned against plans which
might "ertRi! reckless extravaganza or be faint
Cd With io5hery," but urged liberal waterways
policy.
The Presidents ardor WAS not diminished by
The fact that he was drenched by a sudden
downpour Of rain while en- route TO the tai alai
building. where his speech was delivered.
A tremendous cheering ana vhstng greeted
the Chief Executive when the steamer Missis-
fippi entered St. Louis Harbor TO make the first
stop on the voyage from Keokuk Iowa, to
Memphis where President Roosevelt will attend
the convention Of the Deep Waterways Associa-
ron on Friday Thousands of persons had con-
eregated on the levee to witness the Presidents
arrival.
Amid cIamor of shrieking whistles. Changing
bells and lusty cheers the President landed to
greet fifteen governors from states bordering on
the Mississippi River and some from distant
states members of Congress and officers repre-
senting the city of ST. Louis. Through a sudden
heavy downpour Of rain, the President stand
ing in an open carriage and bowling to the null
ttudes were driven to the jai aai building. five
miles from the river.
The President was introduced by Governor
Folk.
CAN CONTROL RAILROADS.
Mr.. Roosevelt especially emphasized his views
on the necessity for central control of interstate
corporations, and frequently departed from his
manuscript TO elaborate and make clear his
views on this point. His contention that
there must be some sovereign power that
control these institutions, especially railroads.
ing the corporations which are Incorporated in
one state and operate in another. He referred
especially to his experience in getting the South
ern Pacific Railroad to repair breaks in the
Colorado River.
That disaster occurred in California he said
but do you suppose I found il possible to deal
with the railroad there? No. The railroad is a
New Jersey corporation, and had to deal with
il SUCH
He oontended that the Constitution must be
interpreted to fit modern day conditions and
not conditions that existed when it was adopted
IT must be construed an instrument of
life, and not symbol of DEATH" he said. THE
Judges Of the courts should always stand against
popular clamor but they should also recognize
me necessity of a general conservation of the
public welfare under present conditions"
He said that in taking. this position he was
lighting the future fight for the rich; for II
the rich committed excesses now they invited
excesses against themselves and their posterty.
When the President rose TO speak the audi
ence. standing, cheered and waved flags for
three minutes.
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
President Roosevelt's address follows
1t is a very real pleasure 10 address this body
Of citizens OF Missouri here in the great city of
ST. Louis. have often visited ST Louis before
but always Dy rail. Now i visiting il in the
course Of a trip by water, trip on the great
natural highway which runs past your very
most abandoned. which I hope this nation will
see not only restored to all its former useful
ness but given lar greater degree of USE
funess to correspond with the extraordinary
growth in wealth and population Of the Mis-
sissippi Valley. We have lived in era Of
phenomenal railroad building AS routes for
merchandise, the iron highways have completely
supplanted the old wagon roads. and under their
competition the Importance of the water high
ways has been much diminished. The growth Of
The railway system has been rapid all over the
Eerld, but nowhere so rapid as in the United
states. Accompanying this there has grown III
1ne United States a tendency toward the prac-
ncally complete abandonment of the system Of
water transportation. Such tendency Is Ger
ial1iy not healthy. and | am convinced that it
VIII not be permanent. There are many classes
ot commodities, especially those which are per-
itshaDe IN their nature, and where the value is
nigh relatively TO the bulk. which will always
be carried by rail But bulky commodities
which are not of q perishab bic nature will alway vs.
be specially suited for the conditions of water
transport. To illustrate the truth of this state
ment IT would only be necessary TO point to the
use OF the canal system in many countries of the
Old World; but it be illustrated even better
py what has happened nearer home. The Great
Isaes orIer a prime example of the importance
OF a good water highway for mercantile traffic
AS the line of traffic runs through lakes the
cohoIUohs are In some respects different from
what must obtain on even the most irnnortant
river. Nevertheless. it is we'll to remember that
veg large part of this traffic is conditioned
upon an artifcial waterway. a canal-the ia
nous Soo- The commerce that passes through
the 500 far surpasses in bulk and in value thai
of the Suez Canal
IMPORTANCE OF RIVER HIGHWAYS.
From every standpoint IL is desirable to. .bo
nation TO join in improving the greatest svstem
of river highways within its borders a system
second only in importance to the highway af
forded by the Great Lakes; the highways Of
the Mississippi and its great tributaries such
as the Missouri and the Ohio. This river sve
TEN traverses too many states to render il pos
sble 10 leave merely to the states the task Of
hitting IL for the greatest of which II is
capable. II is emphatically national task for
THIS great river system is itself of our chief
national assets.
Within the last few years there has been an
awakening In this country TO the need OF both
the conservation and the development of our
national resources under the supervision of and
py the aid Of the federal government. This is
especially true Of all that concerns our running
waters. On the mountains from which the
springs start we are now endeavoring TO pre-
serve the forests which regulate the water sup
Ply ana prevent too startling variations between
drouths and freshets- Biow the mountains in
me high dry regions Of the Western plains we
thoeaVor 10 secure the proper utilization Of the
waters for irrigation. This is at the sources of
the streams Further down, where thew become
haxlgaoie our aim must be to try to develop
2oEcy which shall secure the utmost advantage
from the navgable waters. Finally. on the
over courses OF the Mississippi, the nation
shouid DO its full share in the work of levee
oaiiofng; and. incidentally TO it's purpose OF
serVlng navigation. this will also prevent the ruin
=. VI aIuvlal bottoms by foods. Our knowledge
~ not sullciently far advanced TO enable me TO
syea1 nennltely as to the plans which should