Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-05-23
WILL MAKE TRIP
ON MISSISSIPPI
PRESIDENT PLANS A VOYAGE
DOWN THE GREAT RIVER.
WILL RUSH IMPROVEMENT
Strongly in Favor of Establishing the
Father of Waters as Great High
way of Commerce to Help Regulate
Railroad Rates-Repies to Cover
nor's invitation.

! Washington. May 19.-President
Roosevelt intends if possible to make
a trip of three or four Jays next fill
down the Mississippi river, from some
point in middle Illinois or Iowa to
Memphis 1t will, if made, be with
a member Of the inland waterways
commission. President Roosevelt will
leave his summer homo at Oyster Bay
| in time to We at Canton, Ohio, to at
tend the dedication of the Mckinley
moncment September 80, and the Yoy-
age down the Mississippi will, if moth
ing prevents, Immediately follow that
! event.
The president has been strongly
! urged to make the trip because Of the
opportunity it will afford to acQuaint
himself personally with the Importance
| Of the work the inland waterway com
mission has in hand. Recently he re
ceiyed an urgent invitation to do so
! from a number Of governors in various
parts Of the country, who referred -
| the great interest the president has
| taken in the improvement of the Mis-
| sissippi and it's tributaries, and that
| it would solve many of the perplaxing
problems now attaching to railway
! transportation. Responsive to the in
vitation from the governors, the prasi-
dent has sent each one an identical
letter as follows:
| Il have received the invitations
! kindly sent to me through the COVER
nOrs of Arkansas, Florida, Illinoi ;,
| Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Mis-
souri,, Nebraska North Dakota, Okla
homa, Oregon, South Dakota, Tonnes
see, Texas and Wisconsin, asking me
to accompany the inland waterways
commission for a trip on the Missis-
sippi, so that [ may personally famil-
iarize myself with certain features Of
the situation which the commission
! has been appointed to consider.
deeply appreciate these invitations,
Let ne say special word of my ap-
probation Of the invitations which come
| from the governors of Maine, Flori-
da and Oregon all of whom, although
the states of which they are COVER
nors are not on the Mississippi, show
! their realization of the enormous i'm
portance of improving this great ma
tional highway because of the benefit
easy and cheap transportation there
on will mean to all the union, and be
cause they believe the improvement
Of the Mississippi and it's tributaries
will tend to bring about the improve
ment of other navigable waters Of the
country, as a factor n commercial
and industrial development and as at
! fOrding one Of the best possible meth
DDS Of regulating railway rates.
Others of the governors who have
written me dwell upon the fact that
the people of the west feel a peculiar
interest in the project of improvement
not only of the Mississippi, but of 9th
| er navigable rivers fitted to be public
| highways of commerce, because they
think such improvements will help
! toward the solution of many problems
attaching to railway transportation,
The basin of the Mississippi, taken as
Il w ttOlC, l1OItl IIlC sun - llAC 81 NeSI
lakes from the Alleghanies to tIf
| Rockies. constitutes the greatest ag:--
cultural empire men have ever cult
waited, and an equally great system Of
water highways is needed to supply
any tnadeqdIcy of land carriage for
tho products of this region.
Unless something unforeseen oc-
ours to make me alter my plans. I in
tend to accompany the members Of
the inland waterways commission on
a trip of three or four days at the be-
ginning Of next October down the
Mississippi, from some point in mid,
die Illinois or Iowa to Memphis. !
feel that the problems before the CON-
mission concern vitality not only the
people Of the Mississippi valley but
the people of our entire country and
anything l can do to forward the rapid
solution of these problems and the
proper utilization of our great water
ways l am glad indeed to do"