Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-10-04

| ON
POSSIBILITY OF DEVELOPMENT
In THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.
The Heart Of the Country.
| Such being the case and this val
| ley 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
TRIBUTARIES OUGHT BY ALL
MEANS TO BE UTILIZED TO
THEIR UTMOST POSSIBILITY.
FACILITY OF CHEAP TRANSPOR-
TATION Is AN ESSENTIAL IN
OUR MODERN CIVILIZATION,
AND WE CAN NOT AFFORD ANY
GREAT HIGHWAYS WHICH Ma
TURE HAS PROVIDED FOR US.
These natural highways, the water
ways, can never be monopolized by
any corporation. They belong to all
the people, and II is In the power OF
no one to take them away WHER-
EVER A NAVIGABLE RIVER
RUNS BESIDE RAILROADS THE
PROBLEM OF REGULATING THE
RATES ON THE RAILROAD BE,
COMES FAR EASIER. BECAUSE
RIVER REGULATION is RATE
REGULATION. When the water
rate sinks, the land rate can not be
kept at an excessive height. There
fore Il Is of national importance to
develop these streams as highways
to the fullest extent which Is genu-
lnely profitable. Year by year trans
portatlon problems become more
acute. and the time has come when
the rivers really ft to serve as arter
les OF trade should be provided with
channels deep enough and wide
enough to make the investment OF
the necessadv money profitable to
the public
PLANS FOR THE IMPROVE
MENT OF OUR INLAND NAVIGA-
TION MAY FAIRLY BEGIN WITH
OUR GREATEST RIVER AND IT'S
CHIEF TRIBUTARIES, But THEY
CAN NOT END THERE. THE
LANDS WHICH THE COLUMBIA
DRAINS INCLUDE A VAST AREA
OF RICH GRAIN FIELDS AND
FRUIT LANDS, MUCH OF WHICH
IL NOT EASILY REACHED BY
RAILWAYS. The removal OF OBJ
structions in the Columbia and its |
chief tributaries would open to navi- |
gatlon and inexpensive freight |
transportation fully 1000 miles OF |
channel. The Sacramento and San |
Joaquin rivers with their tidal |
opening into San Francisco bay are |
partly navigable now. Their navi- |
cation should be maintained and |
80 as TO open the marvel |
ously rich valley of California to i'm !
expensive traffic. In order 10 faclli. |
tate both rate regulation and tho |
control OF the waters for other pur-
poses. And many other rivers OF
the United States demand improve
ment. so as better to meet the re-
of increasing production
from the SOIL increasing manufact-
urc, ana rapidly growing popula-
ton
Other Water Problems.
While thus the Improvement OF
inland navigation Is vital problem.
here are other questions of no less
connected with our
waterways. One of these relates 10
he purity of waters used for the
supply of towns and cities, TO the
prevention of pollution by manufac-
uring aud other industries, and 10
he protection of drainage areas
rom soil wash through forest COW
ring or iudicious cultivation. With
lur constantly increasing population
his question becomes more and
more pressing, because the health
md safety of great bodies of citi
ens are directly involved.
Another important group of ques.
ions concerns the irrigation of arid
ands, the prevention of floods, and
he reclamation of swamps. Al
'eady many thousands OF homes
rave been established on the arid
'eglons, and the population aud
wealth of seventeen states and ter
'itories have been largely Increased
through irrigation. Yet this means
II national development is still In
Is Infancy. and Il will doubtless
ong continue 20 multiply homes and
Increase the productiyeness and
lower of the nation. The reclama-
lon OF overflow lands and marshes.
10Th In the interior and along the
casts, has already been carried on
With admirable results, but I'm this
Ield, too. scarcely more than all
ood beginning has yet been made.
till another fundamentally impor-
ant question is that OF water power.
$ significance In the future devol-
pment of our whole country. aud
specially of the west, Is but Just
eginning 90 be understood. The
Ian OF the city OF Los Angeles, for
Nample TO bring water for It's use
distance OF nearly ESQ uiles-per-
APPS the boldest project OF the kind
a modern times--promises not only
. achieve its purpose, hut In addi-
lon 20 produce water power suffi-
ienuy valuable TO pay large inter-
ST on the investment OF over S9S,-