Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-05
President Speaks on Respon-
SibiIity of Nation.
NO PARTY LINE DIVISION
Declares We Must Maintain Navy of
High Efficiency.
PLEADS FOR FIXED POLICY
Measures More Important Than Men.
Public Projects Under Way.

ITOJcCIS OuOcT " dy.
MEMPHIS Tenn. October 5.-The ad-
dress of the President before the lakes-to
gulf waterways convention yesterday after
noon was follows:
Under any circumstances I should well
come the chance of speaking at Memphis.
in the old historic state of Tennessee, rich
In its glorious past and in the certainty of
even greater future: but l especially
congratulate myself that 1 am able to speak
here on an occasion like this. when l meet
not only the citizens of Tennessee. but
many of the citizens of Mississippi and Ar
kansas and of other states as well: and
when the chief executives of so many states
are gathered to consider subject of mo-
mentous interest to all. The Mississippi
valley is magnificent empire in size and
fertility. 1t is better adapted to the devel-
opment of inland navigation than any other
valley in either hemisphere. for there are
1000 miles of waterway now more or less
fully navigable. and the conditions are so
favorable that 1t will be easy to increase
the extent of navigable waterways to al
Early in our industrial history this valley
was the seat of the largest development of
inland navigation In the United States, and
perhaps you will pardon my mentioning
that the fist steamboat west of the Allie
ghenies built by Roosevelt, my
great -grandfather's brotherr. In 1911. for
the New Orleans trade. and in that year
made the trip from Pittsburg to New Or
leans. But from various causes river and
canal transportation declined al over the
United States the railroad systems came
to their full development 1t Is our business
to see that the decline is not permanent;
and it is of interest to remember that near
ly a century ago President Madison advo-
Gated the canalization of the Mississippi.
Wealth of Natural Resources.
In wealth of natural resources no king
dom of Europe can compare with the Mis-
sissippi valley and the region around the
great lakes. taken together. and in popu-
lation this huge fertile plain already sur
passes all save one or two of the largest
European Kingdoms. In this empire a Pc
culiarly stalwart and masterful people finds
Itself in the surroundings best fitted for
the full development of its great powers
and faculties. There has been a great
growth in the valley of manufa curing CEN
tiers; the movement is good if it does not
go too far: but l most earnestly hope that
this region as whole will remain predom-
inantly agricultural. The people who live
In the country districts, and who till the
small or medium sized farms on which they
live. make up what is the whole the
most valuable asset in our national life
There can be Just as real progress and cul-
ture in the country as il the city; espe-
cially in these days of rural free delivery
trolleys. bicycles. telephones. good roads
and school improvements. The valley Of
the Mississippi Is politically and CONNER
cially more important than any other valley
on the face of the globe. Here more than
anywhere else will be determined the future
of the United States. and. indeed of the
whole western world and the type OF ciyili-
cation reached in this mighty valley. In
this vast stretch of country lying between
the Alleghenies and the Rockies the great
lakes and the gulf. will largely fix the type
of civilization for the whole western hemi-
sphere. Already. as our history shows the
west has determined our national political
DEVELOPMENT. and the fundamental principle
OF present American politics. political equal
ity was originally western idea.
The wonderful variety of resources in
different portions of the valley make the
demand for transportation altogether ex-
tEplloiidi SudI, corn, wheat, cot
ton. cattie-on the surface of the soil and
beneath the soil the riches are great
There are already evident strong tendencies
to increase the carrying of freight from the
northern part of the valley to the gulf
Throughout the valley the land is so fer
tile as to make the field for the farmer
peculiarly attractive: and where in the
west the climate becomes dryer we enter
upon the ranching country: while in addi-
ton to the products OF the soil there are
also the manufactures supplied in innumer-
able manufacturing centers. great and
small. Cities OF astonishing growth are
found everywhere from the gulf to the
great lakes. from the Alleghenies TO the
Rockies; most of them bsIng situated on
the great river which flows by your doors
OF upon some or It's numerous navisable
tributaries. New mineral fields are diseov-
cred every year: and the constantly in
cressing use OF all the devices of intensive
cultivation steadily adds to the productive
power of the farms. Above ALL the average
man Is honest. Intelligent. self-reliant and
orderly. and therefore a good citizen; and
farmer and wageworker aIike-in the last
analysis the two most important men in
the community-enJoy a standard of living
and have developed a standard OF salf-re-
OF good ausury for the future of the entire
republic. No man can foresee the limit of
the possibility of development in the Mis-
sissippi valley
Concerns the Whole Country.
Such being the case. and this valley being
literally the heart of the United States all
that concerns its welfare must concern
likewise The whole country Therefore the
Mississippi river and its tributa les ought
by al! means to be utilised TO their utmost
POSSIBILITY Facility of cheap transporta-
tor an essential in our modern civilian
ton. and We cannot afford any longer to
neglect the great highways which nature
has provided for These natural high
ways. the waterways, can never BE- monop-
olized by any corporation. They belong TO
all the people. and IL is in the power of no
one to take them away
Wherever nayigabl. river runs beside
railroads the problem of regulating the rates
on the railroads becomes far easier because
river regulation is rate regulation. When
the water rate sinks the land rate cannot he
Kept at an excessive height. Therefore Il ia
Of national Importance to develop these
CT rea ms as frhvu ~