The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-10-04

try to the need OF both the conserva-
ton and the development OF our ma
tional resources under the supervision
of and by aid OF the federal govern
ment This is especially true Of all
that concerns our running waters. On
the mountains nom which the springs
start We are now endeayoring 10 pre-
serve the forests which regulate the
, water supply and prevent too start
ling variations between droughts and
freshets. Below the mountains. in the
high dry regions OF the western plains
We endeavor TO secure the proper
utilization of the waters for irriga-
ton. This is at the sources of the
streams. Farther down. where they
become navigable. our aim must oc
to try to develop n policy which shall
secure the utmost advantage from the
navigable walkers Finally, on the
lower courses OF the Mississippi. the
nation should do its full share in the
work of levee building; and. incident
ally 10 its purpose Of serving navigl-
| ton. this will also prevent the ruin
of alluvial bottoms by floods Our
i knowledge is not sufficiently advanced
to enable me to speak definitely as
to the plans which should be adopted
but let me say one word OF warning
The danger Of entering on any such
scheme lies in the adoption OF impos-
sible and undesirable plans. plans the
adoption OF which means an outlay
OF money extravagant beyond all pro-
portion to the return or which. though
feasible. are not. relatively to other
plans, Of an Importance which war
rant their adoption. 1t will not be
easy to secure the assent OF a funda-
mentally cautious people like our own
to the adoption OF such a policy as
that hope to see adopted; even if We
begin 10 follow out such a policy it
certainly will not be persevered in II
it is found TO entail reckless eXtrava-
gance or TO be tainted with jobbery.
The interests OF the nation as a whole
must be always the first consideration
This is properly Il national move
ment, because all interstate and for
eign commerce. and the improvements
and methods of carrying IL on. arc
subjects for national action More
over, while of course the matter OF tho
Improvement of the Mississippi river
and its tributaries is one which es-
peCally concerns the great middle por-
nP no
tween the Alleghenies and the Rockies
yet it is of concern to the rest of the
country also, for it can not too often
be said that whatever is really bene-
ffcial to one part OF our country is
ultimately Of benefit to the whole. EX-
actly as it is a good thing for the inte-
riOr of our country that the seaports
on the Atlantic and the Pacific and the
Gulf should be safe and commodious,
so it is to the interest OF the dwelIers
on the coast that the interior should
possess ample facilities for the trans
pOrtation of its products. Our inter-
ests are closely interviewer, and in the
long run it will be found that we go
up or go down together.
Take for instance, the Panama Canal
If the Mississippi is restored TO its
former place of Importance as a high
way Of commerce, then the building
Of the Panama Canal will be felt as
an immediate advantage to the bust
ness of every city and country district
in the Mississippi Valley. think that
the building Of that canal will be OF
especial advantage to the states that
lie along the Pacific and the states that
are along the Gulf; and yet, after all.
] feel that the advantage will be shar-
ed in an only less degree by the states
of the interior and OF the Atlantic
coast. In other words IL Is a thor
Oughly national work. undertaken Tor
and redOunding TO the advantage OF
all Of us-tO the advantage Of the
nation as a whole. Therefore / am
glad to be able to report to you how
we'll we are doing with the canal
There is bound TO be a certain amount
OF experiment. a certain amount OF
feeling our way, in task 50 gigantic
task greater than any Of its kind
L1ldI I1clS ever il4AItl ~ btfli hhN@i NA n
en- in the whole history OF mankind:
but the success so far has been as
tOnishing. and We have not met with
single one OF the accidents or draw
backs which I freely confess expected
we should from time TO time encOult-
er. We, in the first place. laid the
foundation for the work by securing
the most favorable possible conditions
as regards the health. comfort, and
| safety Of the men who are TO do 1t;
| and now the Canal Zone is in point OF
! health better off than the average die
/ trict OF the same size at home. Then
we went at the problem Of the actual
digging and dam building. For over
a year past we have been engaged IN