The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-10-10
WOULD CURB ROADS.
Constitution Held Broad Enough 10
Deal with New Conditions.
GREAT WATERWAY ADVoCA
Mississippi River Route Exploited as
Ally Of Panama Canal.

kh12i Interpretation or the CONSTITUTION
With special reference to the control Of
fke railroads.
Mr. Roosevelt touched upon many sub
5ects which he made it plain he considers
sital to the well-being of the nation He
gave unqualified approval TO the plan for
nyer improvement: said word for
strong fighting navy, and gave the reason
zE dispatching the feet to the Pacific
OF the Constitution and its interpreted
ion in accordance with Living condi-
Cons" the President said: The Con-
efitution is now and must remain what it
always has been but it can be interpreted
shy as a living organism, designed TO
meet the conditions of life and not of
dezfh: in other words, interpreted as
Marshall interpreted it. as Wilson de
saared IT should be Interpreted"
OF the Mississippi river and the pro-
znssd improvements he said: "A high
Jay once SO important. now almost ADAM
1saed, which l hope this nation will see
- only restored 70 all its former use
fshex, but given far greater degree OF
ssefuIness 20 correspond with the extraor-
binary growth in wealth and population
- the MISSISSIPPI Ndlley-
After speaking of the place the country
lad taken as a world power and the rapid
Husress in the work of digging the Pan
ana canal, the President said:
Therefore, unless we are willing 10
abandon this place, to abandon our IN
sisfeuce on the Monroe doctrine. to give
I'D the Panama canal and TO be content 10
aeknowledge yourselves a weak and timid
nafion. we must steadily build up and
naintain a great fighting navy.
Address of the President.
Mr.. Roosevelt said in part:
have often visited st. Louis before,
Al always by rail Now / am visiting 1t
N the course OF trip by water-a trip on
the great natural highway which runs past
yuur very d0ors-a highway once so lmpor-
fant now almost abandoned. which hope
nh nation will see not only restored 10 all
as former usefulness, but given far greater
aexres of usefulness TO correspond VIII
fhe extraordinary growth In wealth AMI
population of the Mississippi Vaiey.
We have lived In an era OF phenomena
rxslroad building. As routes for merchan-
dfxe. the iron highways have completely
suppfznted the old wagon roads. and under
fheir composition the Importance or the wa
Ter highways has been much diminished
RxscA 4 tendency Is certainly not healthy.
ana 4 am convinced that IL will not be per-
nxnenf There are many classes OF COM
.zzz1fties, especially those which are per-
Ekzble In their nature and where the value
d hixh relatively to the bulk, which will
always be carried by rail. But bulky COM
nsdffies which not Of a perishable ma
fsre viii always be specially suited for the
cundItions o. water transport.
To Illustrate the truth Of this statement
= would only be necessary to point TO the
90 OF the canal system In many countries
ef the Old World: burt 1t can be Illustrated
s..n better b what has happened nearer
smpse OF the Importance Of good water
hkhway for mercantile traffic. As the
me- OF trafic runs through lakes, the con-
151tuns are In some respects different from
vhnf must obtain on even the most impor
kAn2 river Nevertheless. IL is well to
nznnher that a very large part of this traf-
he b conditioned upon an artificial water
ssy. q canal-the famous 500. The COM
aerce that passes through the 500 far sur
pHues In bulk and In value that of the
ksn canal.
Prom every standpoint 1t Is desirable for
- aztfon to join In improving the greatest
sy.1sm OF river highways within It's Dor
"a q system second only in importance
- The highway afforded by the Great
uAkes. the highways OF the Mississippi and
M great tributaries. such as the Missouri
,znd Ohio. This river system traverses too
Sneely to the States the task Of fitting IL
fer the greatest use Of which 1t Is capable.
n s. emphatically a national task for this
sxssat river system is itself one Of our chief
Axxxouzl assets.
Our knowledge Is not sufficiently far ad-
vxrred to enable me to speak definitely as
- the plans which should be adopted I:
kua let me say one word Of warning The
Danger Of entering on any such scheme lies
- the adoption Of impossible and undesir-
sAfs plans
Properly a National Movement.
This Is properly a national movement,
Rec1uSe all Interstate and foreign CON-
1erre. and the improvements and methods
AZ carrJing it on. are subjects for national
.efzpn- Moreover. while of course the
after of the Improvement Of the Missis-
z<ppi river and its tributaries Is one which
0ssectaliy concerns the great middle por-
sx.u Of our country. the region between
fke Aneghenies and the Rockies, vel Il IS
~ concern 10 the rest Of the country also.
FAR Il cannot too often be said that ' hat
sser b really beneficial TO one part Of our
osuEtry Is ultimately of benefit to the
ghDie Exactly Us IL Is a good thing for
0nrfs on the Atlantic aud the Pacific and
tina gulf should be safe and commodous
- q Is to the interest Of the jewellers on
ake coast that the interior should possess
@yke fRcilities for the transportation of
N products
rzke. Tor instance, the Panama canal.
n the Mississippi Is restored to Its former
pEnre or Importance as a highway ~ COM
zerr., then the building Of the Panama
canal will be felt as an immediate ad-
Ezntzge to the business Of every city and
enztry district In the Mississippi valley.
4 think that the building Of that canal
uu be Of especial advantage to the States
nAf lie along the Pacific and the States
<nnf ffe along the gulf; and yet, after all.
u S>ef that the advantage will be shared
IN m only less degree by the States Of the
interior and Of the Atlantic coast
In other words, IL Is a thoroughly ma
un.at work, undertaken for and rebound
10 60 the advantage Of all Of us--to the
advantage Of the nation a whole.
Therefore | am glad to be able to report
% you how well we are doing with the
cnnal
There is bound to be certain amount of
experiment.. a certain amount Of feeling our
gay. In a task so gigantic task greater
x1nn any Of Its kind that has ever hitherto
1era undertaken In the whole history of
Exnkind, but the success so far ms been
diminishing, and we have not met with a
dExIe one Of the accidents and drawbacks
shxch freely confess / expected we should
tD0 time to time encounter
Yer over year past we have been en-
gagged I'm making the dirt fly In good ear
nesx- and the output Of the giant steam
stoveds has steadily increased. 1t Is now
tn rainy season, when work Is most diff
en1f On the lstsmus, yet In the month of
A.gIa last we excaVated over million
Al two hundred thousand cubic yards OF
easth and rock. greater amount than In
xuy preyfous month
Now gentlemen, this leads me up to an
efAer matter for national consideration, and
tAnf Is navy.
Takes Up Navy Question.
This country Is definitely committed to
rerfain fundamental policies-to the Mon
roe doctrine, for instance, and to the duty
not only OF building. but, when IL is built,
~ policing and defending the Panama canal
We have definitely taken place
xr1ng the great world powers, and II would
~ xign or ignOble weakness, having taken
SUCH place. TO shirk its responsibilities
rx4<rfnre. unless willing to aban-
1tzn t.f's place. to abandon our insistence
s.rsn the Monroe doctrine, 10 give up the
E,znzS:A canal and TO be content 70 ac-
Hss sedge ourselves a weak and tfmid na-
sHn, Se must steadily build up and main
kftn great fighting navy.
Our navy IS already efficient as to
Ne matter Of just pride to every Ameri-
ssa- So long as our navy Is no larger
1trn2 at present, 1t must be considered as
elementary principle that the bulk OF
battle fieet must always be kept to-
sefhrr
When the Panama canal Is built 1t can
- transferred without difficulty from one
xzxz ~ our coast 10 the other; but even
hazsra that canal is built lt ought 10 be