Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-05

Ciar1eS may pay portion OF the expenses
as Is now the custom regards certain
classes of improvements in our municipali-
ties: and measures should be taken to Sc
cure from the localities specially benefited
proper terminal facilities. The expense to
the nation of entering upon SUCH Scneme
of river improvement as that which believe
it should undertake will necessarily be
great. Many cautious and conservative
people will look askancc upon the project.
and from every standpoint it is necessary.
if wish to make it successful. that we
should enter upon it only under conditions
which will guarantee the nation against
waste of its money. and which Will insure
us against entering upon any PROJECT untii
after the most e aborate expert examination
arr reliable calculation of the proportion
between cost and benefit In any project
like this there should be definite policy,
and a resolute purpose to keep in mind that
the only improvements made should be
those really national in their character.
We should act the same principle in i'm
proving our rivers that we should follow in
improving harbors. The great harbors
ar, of consequence not merely to the lmme-
date localities, but to immense stretches
of country; and the same Is true of the
great rivers. 1t Is these great rivers and
great harbors the improvement of which Is
of primary national interest. The main
streams should be improved to the highest
practical degree of efficiency before inn
provements are attempted on the branches.
and work should be undertaken only when
completion Is in sight within reasonable
time. so that assured results may be gained
and the communities affected depend upon
the improvements. Moreover. an Incl
dent in caring for the river SO that 1t may
become an efficient channel of transporta-
ton, the United States government should
do its full part in levee building. which, in
the lower reaches of the river. will not only
give channel for commerce, but will also
give protection to the adjacent bottom
lands.
Sums Already Spent.
Immense sums have already been spent
upon the Mississippi by the states and the
nation yet much of it remains practically
unused for commerce The reason for this
fact are many. One Is that the work done
by the national government at least has
not been based upon definite and continu-
Gus plan. Appropriations by Congress, in
stead of assuring the steady progress ard
timely completion of each piece of work as
it undertaken. have been irregular and
uncertain. AS a direct consequence far
reaching plans have been discouraged and
continuity in execution has been made inn
possible. 1t Is altogether unlikely that
better results will be obtained SO long as
the method is followed of making partial
appropria tons at irregular intervals for
works which should never be undertaken
until it is certain that they can be carried
to completion within definite and reason
able time. Planned and orderly develop
ment Is essential to the best use OF every
natural resource and to none more than to
the best use Of our inland waterways. In
the case of the waterways 1t has been con-
spicuousiy absent Because such foresight
was lacking. the interests of our rivers
have been in fact overlooked. in spite of
the immense sums spent upon them 1t is
evident that their most urgent need is a
not with navigation alone. nor with irriga-
ton alone. but considering our inland
waterways as whole. and with reference
to every use to which they can be put. The
col nti ~ N Yx1o hon ha tn
get from the streams of the United States
not only the fullest but also the most per-
manent service they are capable of render
ing to the nation a whole.
The industries developed under the stimu-
lus of the railroads are for the most part
permanent industries. and therefore they
form the basis for future development.
But the railroads have shown that they
alone cannot meet the demands of the coun-
try for transportation. and where this is
true the rivers should begin to supplement
the railroads. to the benefit of both. by
relieving them of certain of the less profit
able classes of freight. The more far
seeing railroad men, 1 am glad to tell you.
realize this fact, and many Of them have
become earnest advocates of the improve
ment of the Mississippi. so that it may be-
come sort of inland seaboard extending
from the gulf far into the interior, and l
hope ultimately to the great lakes. An in
YeStigatiOn of the proposed lakeS-tO-the
gulf deep waterway is now in progress I'M
der an appropriation of the last Congress
We shall await its results with the keenest
interest The decision is obviously Of cap
ital Importance to our Internal development
and scarcely less so in relation to external
commerce.
This is but one of the many projects
which 1t Is time to consider, although a
most important one. Plans for the i'm
provement Of our inland navigation may
fairly begin with our greatest river and
its chief tributaries. but they cannot end
there. The lands which the Columbia
drains include a vast area Of rich grain
fields and fruit lands. much of which is
not easily reached by railways. The re-
moVal of distractions in the Columbia and
its chief tributaries would open to naviga-
ton and inexpensive freight transportation
fully 1900 miles of channel. The Sacra-
mento and San Joaquin rivers with their
tidal openings into San Francisco bay are
partly navigable now. Their navigation
should be maintained and improved so as
to open the mArvelously rich valley of Cali
fornia to inexpensive traffic, in order to
facilitate both rate regulation and the con-
troll Of the waters for other purposes And
many other rivers Of the United States de-
mand improvement SO as better to meet
the requirements of increasing production
from the soil. increasing manufacture and
a rapidly growing poulation.
Other Important Questions.
While thus the Improvement of inland
navigate is a vital problem. there are 9TH
er questions of less consequence con-
nected with our waterways. One of these
relates to the purity of waters used for the
supply of towns and cities. to the preven-
ton of pollution by manufacturing and 9TH
er Industries and to the protection of drain
age areas from soil wash through forest
covering or judicious cultivation. With our
constantly increasing population this ques-
ton becomes more and more pressing. be-
cause the health and safety of great bodies
of citizens directly involved.
Another important group of questions con-
Germs the irrigation of arid lands the pre-
vention of floods and the reclamation of
swamps- Already many thousands of homes
have been established on the arid regions
and the population and wealth of seventeen
states and territories have been largely in
creased by irrigation. Yet this means of
national development is still in its infancy,
and 1t will doubtless long continue to mui-
tiply homes and increase the productive
ness and power of the nation. The recla-
nation of overflow lands and marshes, both
in the interior and along the coasts. has
already been carried on with admirable re-
suits. but in this field too. scarcely more
than good beginning has yet been made
Still another fundamentally important
question is that of water power. Its sig
nificance In the future development of our
whole country. and especially of the west
iS hI,t met haU min ho md Tha