The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-10-04

shoullSbe taken to secure from the To-
calitles specially benefited proper ter
ninal facilities. The expense to the
lnatlon Of entering upon such scheme
LOT river Improvement as that which
| Tbeliere It should undertake, will nee.
essarify be great. Many cautious and
conservative people Will look askance
upon the project, and from every
standpoint 1t is necessary,tif we wish
TO make 1t successful, that We SHOULD
enter upon It only under conditions
which will guarantee the nation
against waste gifts money: and which
will insure us against entering upon
amy project until after the most elah.
crate expert examination. and rella.
Bile calculation OF the proportion be.
tween cost aud benefit. In any pro.
iect like this there should be a def.
mite policy, and resolute purpose 20
Keep in mind that the only improve.
ments made should be those really
national In their character We should
act on the same principle in improy-
ing our rivers that we should follow
in improving our harbors. The great
harbors are OF consequence not mere.
ly to the immediate localities, but to
immense stretches OF country; and
the same Is true of the great rivers.
1t is these great rivers and great har.
bors the Improvement Of which is OF
primary national interest. The main
streams should be improved to the
highest practical degree Of efficiency
before improvements are attempted on
the branches, and work should be IN.
dertaken only when completion Is In
sight within reasonable time. SO that
assured results may be gained ana the
communities affected depend upon tho
improvements. Moreover, as an In;
tcident in caring for the river so that
It may become an efficient channel OF
transportation, the United States Gov
ernment should do its full part In &c
iyee building. which in the lower reach
es: OF the river, will not only give :.
channel for commerce, but will also
give protection to the adjacent bot
tom lands. q.
Much 10 BE Done. .,s;.5
Immense sums have already been
spent upon the Mississippi by the
States and the nation, yet much Of It
remains practically unused for com.
merce. The reasons for this fact are
many. Ono is that the work done BY
The National Government Mt least has
not been based upon a definite AMI
continuous plan. Appropriations b:
Congress, instead OF assuring thf
steady progress and timely completion
of each piece OF work as It was under.
taken, have; been irregular and uncer
tain. AS direct consequence, far.
reaching plans have been discouraged
and continuity in execution has ,been
made impossible. 1t is altogether I'm.
likely that better results will be oh.
talned SO long MS the method is fol.
lowed Of making partial approprla.
tons at irregular intervals for works
which should never be undertaken. un.
til It is certain that they can be car.
riel to completion within definite
and reasonable time. Planned and or;
derby development is essential to the
best use, Of every natural resouce. and
4 to none more than 10 the best use OF
Our Inland waterways. In the case
Of the waterways 1t has been conspicu.
iiouslyS absent. Because such foresight
was lacking, the interests OF our riv-
ers haze been In fact overlooked, in
spite Of the Immense sums spent upon
them. 1t is evident that their; most
urgent need Is a farsfghted and COM.
prehenslye plan, dealing not with nav
legation alone, nor with irrigation
|
alone, but considering our inland wa.
terways as a whole, and with refer.
cnce to every use to which they can
betput. Tho central motive Of such a
plan should be to get from the streams
Of the United States not only, the full.
est but also the most permanent ser.
vice they are capable Of rendering to
the nationlas a whole.
Lakes to the Gulf. II
The industries developed under the
stimulous Of the railroads arc for tic
most part permanent industries; and
Therefore they form the basis for fl-
|,tnres development. But the railroads
Ehaye shown that they alone can not
meet the demands OF the country for
4 tran5po rtation. and where this is trrs
she lyers should begin 10 supplements
the railroads, TO the sbeneflt Sof both,
hg esfng them of certain De the
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