New-York tribune., 1907-10-05

national Importance to develop these streams
highways to the fullest extent which Is
genuinely profitable Year by year transpOrta-
tion problems become more acute, and the time
has come when the rivers really fit to serve as
arteries of trade should be provided with chan-
neiS deep enough and wide enough 10 MAKE tIie
investment of the necessary money prontapie
TO the public. The national government shouid
undertake this work. Where the Immediately
abutting land is markedly benefited, and this
beneht can be definitely localized, l trust thdt
there will be careful investigation TO see
whether some way be devised by which the
immediate beneiciaries may pay portion OF
the eXpenses-as is now the custom as regards
certain classes of improvements in our mu-
inequalities; and measures should be taken 10
secure from the localities specially benefited
proper terminal facilities. The expense to the
nation of entering upon such scheme of river
improvement that which I believe 1t should
undertake will necessarily be great. Many
cautious and conservative people will look
askance upon the project, and from every
standpoint il is necessary, If we wish TO make
1t successful that should enter upon II
only under conditions which will guarantee the
nation against waste of its money, and which
Will insure us against entering upon any project
until after the most elaborate expert eXa1nina-
tiOn and reliable calculation of the proportion
between cost and benefit. In any project like
this there should be q definite policy and
resolute purpose TO keep in mind that the only
improvements made should be those really ma
uonal in their character.
IMPROVEMENT OF GREAT RIVERS.
We should act the same principle in i'm
proving our harbors. The great harbOrs are of
consequence not merely to the immediate local
ities, but to immense stretches of country, and
the same is true of the great rivers. II is these
great rivers and great harbors the Improvement
OF which is of primary national interest The
main streams should be improved to the high
est practical degree of efficiency before i'm
provements are attempted the branches. and
work should be undertaken only when compile
uon is in sight within a reasonable time
that assured results may be gained and the
communities affected depend upon the improve
ments Moreover, as an incident in caring for
the river SO that il may become an efficient
channel of transportation, the United States
government should do its full part in levee
building, which, in the lower reaches OF the
river will not only give a channel for com
merce, but will also give protection TO the ad-
jaCent bottom lands.
Immense sums have already been sDent r1pOn
the Mississippi by the states and the nation vet
much of 1t remains practically unused for COM
merce. The reasons for this fact are many.
one Is that the work done by the national gov
ernment at least has not been based upon a
definite and continuous plan. Appropriations
by Congress, instead of assuring the steady
progress and timely completion of each Niece
OF work. as ii was undertaken have been irreg-
ular ana uncertain. As a direct consequence,
far reaching plans have been discouraged and
continuity in execution has been made impos-
sible 1t is altogether unlikely that better re-
suits will be obtained long as the method is
toHoWed or making partial appropriations at ir-
regular intervals for works which should never
he undertaken until II is certain that they can
De carried 10 completion within definite and
reasonable time. Planned and orderly devel-
opment 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 ii has been conspicuously alb
sent Because such foresight was lacking the
interests of our rivers have been in fact over
looked IN spite Of the immense sums spent upon
them. II is evident that their most urgent need
is farSighted and comprehensive plan, dealing
not with navigation alone, nor with irrigation
alone, but considering our inland WATERWAYS as
a whole, and with reference to every use TO
which they can be put The central motive of
get frGTY, s1a
of the United States not only the fullest but
also the most permanent service they are cap
able Of rendering to the nation as a whole
PERMANENT INDUSTRIES
The industries developed under the stimulus
OF the railroads are for the most part permanent
industries, and therefore they form the basis OF
1uture development. But the railroads have
shown that they alone cannot meet the de-
mands of the country 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 farseeing
railroad men, am glad to tel, you realize this
fact, and many of them have become earnest
advocates of the improvement of the Mississippi
so that IT may become q sort Of inland seq
board, extending from the Gulf far into the
interior. and l hope ultimately TO the Great
Lakes An investigation of the proposed Lakes
to-the-Guf deep waterway is now in progress
under an appropriation OF the last Congress We
shaH await its results with the keenest interest.
Ihe decision is obviously of capital Importance
to our internal development and scarcely less
so in relation to external commerce.
rms Is but one of the many projects which 1t
is time to consider, although a most important
one. Plans for the improvement of our inland
may fairly begin with our greatest
river and its chief tributaries but they cannot
end there The lands which the Columbia
drains include vast area Of rich grain fields
and fruit lands, much of which is not easily
reached by railways. The removal of obstruc-
uons in the Columbia and its chief tributaries
would open to navigation and inexpensive
freight transportation fully two thousand miles
of channel. The Sacramento and San Joaquin
rivers with their tidal openings into San Fran
cisco Bay are partly navigable now. Their navi-
cation should be maintained and improved so
as TO open the marvellously rich valley of Cali
forna to inexpensive traffic in order to faciIi-
tate both rate regulation and the control of the
waters for other purposes. And many other
rivers Of the United States demand improve
ment, so as better TO meet the requirements OF
increasing production from the soil, increasing
and a rapidly growing popula-
tion.
While thus the Improvement Of inland naviga-
ton is vital problem, there other questions
Of no less consequence connected with our water
ways. One of these relates 10 the purity OF
waters used for the supply OF towns and cities |
to the prevention Of pollution by manufacturing |
and other Industries, and to the protection Of |
drainage areas from soil wash through forest |
covering or judiciOus cultivation. With con- |
stantly increasing population this question be- |
comes more and more pressing because the |
health and safety Of great bodies of citizens are
directly involved
Another important group Of questions con- |
Of floods and the reclamation Of swamps AL |
ready many thousands of homes have been es- |
-abshed on the arid regions, and the population |
and wealth Of seventeen states and territories |
nave been largely increased through irrigation. |
Yet this means Of national development is still IN
is infancy and II will doubtless long continue !
% multiply homes and increase the productive !
less and power of the nation. The reclamation |
If overflow lands and marshes both in the in |
erior and along the coasts. has already been |
,arred on with admirable results but in this
1eld too, scarcely more than a good beginning
las yet been made Still another fundamentally
important question Is that of water power. It's
significance in the future development Of our