The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-04

nj TO serve as arteries of trade should
| be provided with channels deeI
| investment of the necessary money
profitable to the public. The national
| government should undertake thts
work. Where the Immediately abut-
| ting land is markedly benefited, and
| this benefit can be definitely localized
| 1 trust that there will be careful in
vestigation to see whether some way
can be devised by which the imme-
date beneficiarieS may pay a portion
| of the expenses-as is now the Gus
tom as regards certain classes OF i'm
provementS in our municipalities; and
measures should be taken to secure
from the localities specially benefited
proper terminal facilities. The ex-
pense to the nation of entering upon
such a scheme of river improvement
as that which I believe it should un-
dertake, will necessarily be great.
Many cautious and conservative peo-
pie will look askance upon the pro-
ject, and from every standpoint 1T Is
necessary If we wish to make 1t sue
cessful that we should enter upon IL
only under conditions which will
guarantee the nation against waste or
its money, and which will insure US
against entering upon any project un-
til after the most elaborate expert ex.
animation, and reliable calculation of
the proportion between cost ana pene-
fit.
A Definite Policy.
In any project like this there should
be a definite policy, and resoIute pur-
pose to keep in mind that the only I'M
provements made should be those
really national in their character. We
should act on the same principe IN
improving our rivers that we snoulo
follow in improving our harbors. Inc
great harbors are of consequence not
merely to the immediate Iocantles' nus
to immense stretches of country; and
the same is true of the great rivers.
1t is these great rivers and great mar
bors the Improvement OF Whlch Is OF
primary national interest. Ine main
streams should be improved to the
highest degree of efficiency before i'm
proyements are attempted on the
branches, and work should be under
taken only when completion Is IN
sight within a reasonable time, SO tnAt
assured results may be gained and the
communities affected depend upon the
improvements Moreover, as an in
cident in caring for the river so that 1t
may become an efficient channel OF
TRANSFORMATION, the United States gov
eminent should do it's full part in
1evee building, which, in the lower
reaches of the river, will not only give
a channel for commerce, but will also
give protection to the adjacent bottom
lands.
Immense sums have already been
spent upon the Mississippi by states
and the nation, yet much of it remains
practically unused for commerce The
reasons for this fact are many. one Is
that the work done by the natlonai
government at least has not been
based upon a definite and continuous
plan. Appropriations by congress, IN
stead of assuring the steady progress
and timely completion or each piece
of work as it was undertaken, nave
been irregular and uncertain AS a
direct consequence, far-reaching plans
have been discouraged and continuity
in execution has been made 1mpossl-
BILE 1t is altogether unlikely that bet
ter results will be obtained SO long as
the method is followed of making par
tiaI appropriations at irregular inter-
walls for works which should never be
until it is certain that they
can be carried to completion within
definite and reasonable time. Planned
and orderly development is essential
to the best use of every natural re-
source, and to none more than to the
best use of our inland waterways In
the case of the waterways 1t mas been
absent.
Lack of Foresight.
Because such foresight was lacking, |
the interests of our rivers have been
in fact overlooked, in spite of the i'm
mense sums spent upon them. 1t is !
evident that their most urgent need is |
q 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 |
IF such a plan should be to get from
the streams of the United States not
only the fullest but also the most per-
service they are capable of
rendering to the nation as a whole.
The industries developed under the
stimulus of the railroads are for the
most part permanent industries, and
therefore they form the basis for
future development. But the railroads
nave shown that they alone can not
meet the demands of the country for
transportation, and where this is true
he rivers should begin to supplement
he railroads, to the benefit of both,
)y relieving them of certain of the less
profitable classes of freight. The more
arseeing railroad men, I am glad to
ell you, realize this fact, and many
# them have become earnest advo-
,ates of the improvement of the Mis-
issippi, so that it may become sort
# inland seaboard, extending from
he Gulf far into the interior. and I
lope ultimately to the GreatLakes. An
investigation of the proposed Lakes
deep waterway is now in
under an appropriation of
he last congress. We shall await it's
esults with the keenest interest. The
Iecision is obviously of capital i'm
,ortance to our internal development
nd scarcely less so in relation to ex-
ernal comm cree.
This is but one of the many projects /
which 1t is time to consider, although
!. most important one. Plans for the
of our inland navigation
nay fairly begin with our greatest river
nd its chief tributaries. but they can
lot end there. The lands which the
Columbia drains include a vast area
f rich grain fields and fruit lands,
much of which is not easily reached by
The removal of Instructions
n the Columbia and its chief tribu-
aries would open to navigation and
freight transportation fully
900 miles of channel. The Sacra-
nento and San Joaquin rivers with |
heir tidal openings into San Francisco