The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-03-17

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opment of power, the irrigation of arid
lands, the protection of low lands from
foods, or to supply water for domestic
and manufacturing purposes.
Would Establish Merger.
'tWhile the rights Of the people to
these and similar uses of water must
be respected, the time has come for
inland waters in a comprehensive plan
designed for the benefit of the entire
country Such q plan should consider
and include all the uses to which
streams may be put, and should bring
together and coordinate the points of
involved in the full and orderly devel-
opment and control Of the river systems
of the United States is great one, yet
1T Is certainly not too great for us to
approach, The results which it seems
TO promise are even greater.
"lt is common knowledge that the
railroads of the United States are no
longer able to move crops and manu-
features rapidly enough to secure the
prompt transaction of the business of
the Nation, and there is small prospect
of immediate relief Representative
railroad men point out that the products
of the Northern interior States have
doubled IN ten wears, while the railroad
facilities have increased but one-eighth
and there is reason to doubt whether
any development Of the railroads in the
near future will suffice to keep trans
portation abreast Of production. There
appears to be but one complete remedy
the development of a Complementary
system of transportation by water, The
3fT oh 1oflt rb.,
people of the Mississippi valley and
thev demand relief When the conges-
ton Of which they complain is relieved
the whole Nation viii share the good
results.
Guard Life and Property.
"WhiIe rivers are natural resources
Of the first rank they are also liable TO
become destructive agencies, endangcr-
ing life and property; and some Of our
most notable engineering enterprises
have grown ont of efforts to control
them. 1T was computed by Generals
Humphreys and Abbott half a century
ago that the Mississippi alone sweeps
into its lower reaches and the gulf
io0,000,G 100000 tons of floating sedi-
ment each year (about twice the
amount Of the material TO be eXcavated
| in the opening of the Panama canaD
besides an enormous but unmeasured
amount of earth salts and soil matter
carried in solution This vast load not
only causes It's channels to close and
/ flood the low lands of the lower river.
/ but ren:lers the flow capricious and
| difficult to control. Furth ermore, the
greater part Of the sediment and soil
matter is composed of the most fertile
material of the fields and pastures
drained by the smaller and larger tribu-
| taries. ANY plan for utilizing our in
! land waterways should consider floods
] Il,N,,. r,1 l,,
means; the protection of bottom lands
/ from injury by overtows and uplands
from loss by soil wash; the physics
of sediment charged waters and the
/ physical or other WAYS of purifying
them; the construction of dams and
locks. not only to facilitate navigation,
! but to control the character of the
waters. and should look to the full use
and control of our running waters and
the complete naturalization Of cur
. waterways for the benefit of our peo-
pie as Il whole.
Develop Other Resources.
''It is not possible properly to frame
. so large Il plan as this for the control
Of Onr rivers without taking account
Of the orderly development Of other
natural resources Therefore | ask that
the Inland Waterways commission shall
consider the relations of the streams
y
natural resources and their conscrva
tiou for the making and maintenance OF
prosperous homes.
ANY plan for utilizing our inland
Waterways. 10 be feasible, should rec
oguizc the means for executing it al
ready in existence both IN the Federal
departments of war, interior, agricu!
furc and commerce and labor. and i'll
The states and their subdivisions; and
it must not involve undnly burdensome
expenditures from the National treas
urY. The cost Will necessarily be large
in proportion to the magnitude of the
benefits - be conferred, but it would
be small in comparison with the Sll,
900 100000 of capital now invested In
steam railways in the United States
an amount that would have seemed en-
ormous aud Incrcditable half century
ago. Yet the investment has been d
constant source of profit to the people
and without II our Industrial progress
would have been impossible.
Many Interests Affected
"The questions which will come be
fore the Inland Waterways commission
must necessarily relate 10 every par
of the United States and affects every
interest within its borders. Its plans
should be considered in the light OF tht
widest knowledge of the country anc
its people and from the most divers
POINTS Of view Accordingly when ii:
work is sufficiently advanced, | shal
add TO the commission certain consult
ing members with whom l shall asl
that recommendations shall be fully