Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-10-01
ROOSEVELT
ON RIVERS
Addresses People at KeOkuk
Ia, on Big River
Systems.

KEOKUK, Ia, Oct. President
Roosevelt and party are the guests of
Keokuk today. The reception was most
cordial, and amid the waving of flags
and cheering of thousands President
Roosevelt mounted the platform and
addressed the people upon the great |
waterways.
In speaking of the rivers and their |
Importance to the commerce of the
country, Mr.. Roosevelt said.
"Since 1 have been president I have
travelled in every state of this Union,
but my travelling has been almost en-
tirely on railroads, save now and then
by wagon or on horseback. Now I
have the chance to try travelling by
river; to go down the greatest of our
rivers, the Father of Waters. A good
many years ago, when I lived in the
Northwest, I travelled occasionally on
the upper Missouri and its tributaries;
but then we went on a f1atboat and did
our own rowing and padding and pol
! ing Now am to try a steamboat.
I am a great believer in our railway
system; and the fact that I am firm
in my belief as to the necessity of the
government exercising proper super
vision and control over the railroads
does not in the least interfere with
the other fact that I greatly admire
the large majority of men in all posi-
lions, from the top to the bottom, who
W. r1,sJa 0f
course I am anxious to see these men,
and therefore the corporations they
represent or serve, achieve the fullest
measure of legitimate prosperity. new
ertheless as this country grows I feel
that we can not have too many high
roads. and that in addition to the iron
highroads of our railway system we
should also utilize the great river high
ways which have been given us by ma
ture From a variety of causes these
highways have in manv parts of the
country been almost abandoned This
is not healthy. Our people. and espe-
ciallv the representatives of the neonle
in the national congress. should give
y their most careful attention to this
subject. We should be prepared to out
. the nation collectively back of the
movement to improve them for the ma
TONS use. Our knowledge at this time
I is not such as to permit me 70 90 into
details. or 70 saw definitely lust what
the nation should do: hut most assur-
edlv orr great navioahle rivers are ma
tional assets. lust as much as our great
seacoast barhors Fvactlv &C It is 70,
the interest If all the country that oul
greet harbors should be fitted to re,
4 ceive in safety the largest vessels o
q the merchant fleets of the world so
y Nv deenenine and otherwise orr, riv.
! ers should he fitted to hear their mar
\ in the movement of our merchandise
and this is especially true of the Miss
issippi and it's tributaries which drail
n the immense and PROSPEROUS regiol
which makes in verv fact the heart o
our nation; the basin of the Grea
Lakes being already united with tn
basin Of the Mississippi. and both re
gions being identical in their product
and interests. Waterways are pecu
liarly fitted for the transportation Q
the bulky commodities which com
from the soil or under the soil: and n
other part of our country is as fruitfr
as is this in such commodities.
'You in Iowa have many manufacture
ing centers, but you remain, and
hope you will always remain, a grea
agricultural state. 1 hope that tn
means of transportating your com
modities to market will be steadily i'm
proved; but this will be of no use un
N less you keep producing the commodi
ties, and in the long run this wi
"A largely depend upon your being abb
to keep on the farm a high type
citizenship. The effort must be
make farm life not only remuneratiI
but attractive, so that the best youn
men and girls win feel inclined
stay on the farm and not to go to til
city, Nothing is more important
"A this country than the perpetutaion
our system of medium-sized farm
worked by their owners. We do M
want to see our farmers sink to II
condition of the peasants of the o.
World, barely able to live on the
small holdings, nor do we want to Sc
4 their places taken by wealthy me
owning enormous estates which The
work purely by tenants and hire
servants.
eat present the ordinary farmer hold
his own in the land as against ar
possible representative of the lanC
lord class of farmer-that is, of II
men who would own vast estates-b,
cause the ordinary farmer unites h
capital. his labor and his brains wit
the making of a permanent fami
home. and thus can afford to hold h
land at value at which it cannot
held by the capitalist, who would ha,
to run 1t by leasing 1t or by cultiva