Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-19
WILL co TO MEMPHIS
President Roosevelt's Plan for
Trip Next Fall.
DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI
TO Accompany the Inland Waterways
Commission.
PROMISE MADE TO GOVERNORS
Identical Responses Sent to State
Executives Who Had Invited
His Presence.

FreSldent Roosevelt intends, IL possible,
to make a three or four days trip next
fall down the. Mississippi river from some
point in middle Illinois or Iowa to Mem
phis. 1t will, if made, be with the mem
bers Of the inland waterways commission,
of which Representative Burton of Ohio
Is chairman, and who. like the President,
will be the guest of the Lakes-to-the-
Gulf Deep Waterway Association. Presi-
dent Roosevelt will leave his summer
heme at Oyster Bay in, time to be at
Canton, Ohio, to attend the dedication Of
the Mckinley monument September 80.
and the voyage down the Mississippi river
will, If nothing prevents, Immediately fol-
low that event.
Urged to Make the Trip.
The President has been strongly urged
to make the trip because of the oppor-
tunity it will afford to acquaint himself
personally with the Importance of the
work the waterways commission has III
hand. Recently he received an urgent
invitation to do so from a number Of gov
ernors in various parts OF the country,
who referred to the great interest the
President has taken in the improvement
Of the waterways, and some of whom adj
vanced the suggestion that the proper
improvement of the Mississippi and its
tributaries would solve many of the per-
picking problems now attaching to rail-
way transportation. The invitations were
presented to Mr.. Roosevelt through ]. H.
Smith, president of the Business Mems
League OF st. Louis.
Responsive to the invitation from the
state executives the President has sent to
each one an Identical letter, promising to
make the trip outlined unless something
unforeseen occurs to cause him to alter his
plans. The following, addressed to Gov.
Cummins Of Iowa. Is a copy:
The Presidents Response.
washington, D. c., lday 16, 1907.
"My dear governor-I have received the In
vitations kindly sent to me through the
governors of Arkansas. Florida, Illinois,
Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Missouri,
Nebraska, North Dakota. Oklahoma, Ore
gon. South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and
wisconsin, asking me to accompany the In
land waterways commission. for trip on
the Mississippi 30 that may personally
famfliarize myself with certain features Of
the situation which. the commission has
been appointed to consider. deeply appre-
ciate these>invitations. Let me say spe-
cial word Of appreciation of the tnvitations
E Ehid and oregon, ali Of whom. although
the states Of which they are governors are
not on the Mississippi river, show their
realization of the enormous importance OF
cause of the benefit that easy and cheap
TRANSPORTATION thereon will mean to all the
Union, and because they believe that the
Improvement of the Mississippi river and
it's tributaries will tend to bring about the
Improvement of the other navigable waters
of the country as factors in commercial
and Industrial development and as AFFORD
ing one OF the best possible methods OF
regulating railway rates.
May Solve Many Problems.
"others OF the governors who have writ
ten me dwell upon the fact that the people
of the west reel a peculiar interest in the
project of the improvement not only Of the
Mississippi. but Of other navigable rivers
fitted to be public highways of commerce,
because they think that such improvements
will help toward the solution of many OF
the problems attaching to railway trans
portation. The basin of the Mississippi
taken as a whole, from the gulf to the great
lakes, from the Alleghenies to the Rockies,
constitutes the greatest agricultural empire
that men have ever cultivated, and an
equally great system Of water highway SIS Is
needed to supply any inadeauacy OF land
carriage for the products Of this region.
..Iynless something unforeseen occurs to
make me alter my plans, intend TO accom-
pany the members OF the inland waterways
commission on a three or four days trip the
beginning Of next October down the MIS-
issippi, from some point In middle Illinois
or Iowa to Memphis. feel that the PROP
lens before the commission concern vitality
not only the people of the Mississippi val
ley, but the people of our entire country,
and anything can do to help forward the
"a MD solution of these problems and the
proper utilization of our great waterways
am glad indeed to do. Very truly yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVE IT.'
''don Albert s. Cummins,
Governor of lowe,
"Des Moines, Iowa..