Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1907-10-10

the future of the entire republic No
man can foresee the limit of the posi-
bility of development in the Missis.
| sippi valley.
Waterways Needed.
| Such being the case, and this valley
being literally the heart of the United
States, all that concerns it's welfare
must concern likewise the whole coun-
try. Therefore, the Mississippi river
| and its tributaries ought by all means
to be utilized to their utmost posi-
bility. Facility of cheap transporta-
ton is an essential in our modern CIV
| ilization, and we cannot afford to
longer to neglect the great highways
which nature has provided for us.
These natural highways, the water
ways, can never be monopolized by
the people, and it is in the power of
no one to take them away.
Wherever navigable river runs be-
side railroads the problem of regulat-
ing the rates on the railroads becomes
far easier, because river regulation Is
rate regulation. When the water rate
sinks, the land rate cannot be kept
at an excessive height. Therefore it
is of national Importance to develop
these streams as highways to the full
est extent which is genuinely profita-
Bile. Year by year transportation
problems become more acute, and the
time has come when the rivers really
fit to serve as arteries of trade should
be provided with channels deep
enough to make the investment of the
necessary money profitable to the
public. The national government
should undertake this work. Where
the Immediately abutting land is
markedly benefited, and this benefit
can be definitely localized, l trust
that there will be careful investigation
to see whether some way can be de-
vised by which the immediate benef-
Charles may pay portion of the ex-
penses-as is now the custom as re-
CARDS certain classes of improvements
in our municipalities; and measures
should be taken to secure from the To-
calities specially benefited proper
terminal facilities.
Much Money Wasted.
Immense sums have already been
spent upon the Mississippi by the
states and the nation, yet much of it
remains practically unused for COM
merce. The reasons for this fact are
many. One is that the work done by
the national government at least has
not been based upon a definite and
congress, instead of assuring the
steady progress and timely completion
of each piece of work as it was under
taken, have been irregular and uncer-
tain. AS a direct consequence, far
reaching plans have been discouraged
and continuity in execution has been
made impossible. 1t is altogether I'M
likely that better results will be OBJ
tanned so long as the method is fol-
lowed of making partial appropria-
tons at irregular intervals for works
which should never be undertaken I'M
I'll it is certain that they can be car
ried to completion within definite
and reasonable time. Planned and or
derby development is essential to the
best use of every natural resource,
and to none more than to the best use
of our inland waterways. In the case
of the waterways it has been conspic-
uously absent. Because such fore
sight was lacking, the interests of our
rivers have been in fact overlooked, in
spite of the immense sums spent up
on them. 1t is evident that their
most urgent need is a farsighted and
comprehensive plan, dealing not with
navigation alone, nor with irrigation
alone, but considering our inland
waterways as whole, and with ref
erence to every use to which they
can be put. The central motive of
such plan should be to get from the
streams of the United States not only
the fullest but also the most perma-
nent service they are capable of rem
dering to the nation as whole.
Railroads Inadequate.
The industries developed under the
stimulus of the railroads are for the
most part permanent industries, and
therefore they form the basis for fu-
ture development. But the railroads
have shown that they alone can not
meet the demands of the country for
transportation, and where this is true
the rivers should begin to supplement
the railroads, to the benefit of both,
by relieving them of certain of the
less profitable classes of freight. The
more farseeing railroad men, / am
glad to tell you, realize this fact, and
many of them have become earnest
advocates of the improvement of the
Mississippi, so that it may become a
sort of inland seaboard, extending
from the gulf far into the interior,
and I hope ultimately to the great
! lakes.
Other Interests to Care For.
There is an intimate relation be-
| tween our streams and the develop
ment and conservation of all the 9TH
er gssst permanent sources of wealth.
1t is not possible rightly to consider
| the one without the other. No study
of the problem of the waterways could
hope to be successful which failed to
| consider also the remaining factors in
the great problem of conserving all
our resources. Accordingly, / have
asked the waterways commission to
take account of the orderly develop