The Washington times., 1907-11-12
PROTECT RESOURCES.
COMMISSIONS PLAN
Viii Develop Country for
Benefit of People as
Whole.
Inland Waterways Commits
sion Will Extend Its
Work.

A scheme Of constructive legislation
looking TO the conservation and restora-
ton Of national resources. more compre-
hensiye and sweeping in its scope than
anybody has yet suspected, IS under
consideration by the unofficial inland
waterways commission. That body has
in mind, and viii probably decide to
prepare, a report including such proPo-
sltiOns as.
Preservation OF what is left OF the
public domain. and its development IN
the interest OF the whole people.
Especially careful preservation Of for
ests and mines on public lands.
Reclamation Of arid and swamp lands.
Measures TO prevent coal, iron, and
forests from being further mOnopOlized
and, If deemed practicable, steps TO com
pei restoration TO the public Of much
now monoPolized.
Careful preservation to the public, and
from mOnOpOlisuC corporations, of water
rights. power privileges, etc, on navi-
gable streams and In public lands.
Improvement Of navigable rivers. con
strucdon OF canals. etc. 10 develop an
internal waterways system that shah
at once complement and help regulate
the railroads.
Extend It's Duties.
Thus the commission is likely to travel
far outside the bounds Of the original
commission given it by the President
But its members have become immensely
impressed with the opportunity, at this
time and A view Of the aroused public
opinion, to say an effective word for
a.
resources.
For instance, the proposition TO pre-
vent private Interests further acquiring
control OF water powers unless on terms
guaranteeing protection OF public inter-
ests, is likely TO develop immense inter-
est 1t has been figured out that the
great water power at keOkuk, which a
private company is developing and which
win harness the Mississippi at one Of its
most available points VIII produce so
great a horsepower that, If converted
into electricity and sold at current COM
meTcia1 rates for electric power. the
proceeds would pay the annual fixed
charge on the entire project of con-
stTuCting a fOurteen-fOOt waterway from
the lakes to the gulf. The possibilities
or wafer power are IN fact found to
be almost unlimited Their develop
meut VIII be urged-indeed Il Will be
demanded-On the ground that early
steps should be taken to conserve the
disappearing coal supply Of the
land,
Disappearance of Coal.
That the progressive disappearance Of
coal really is already affecting its price
IS going to be argued with tremendous
force. The increase in coal cost in re-
cent years viii be only one point. Dis
cussion will be presented Of conditions
in particular regions where depos-
its have beeu worked out. and coal
coming from long distances. is already
decidedly more expensive. That this is
The widespread tendency will be shown.
Concerning the iron ore supply. the
like situation win be taken up and de-
velOped IN its most startling aspects
Iron ore comes nearer to being mOnopO-
liked than any other great national re-
source except anthracite
There are some Influential forces at
work in favor Of policy Of having the
Government frankly step in and con-
denim a good share OF the iron ore lands
now held by corporations and then es-
tablish them as Government reserves,
and would pay the Government price.
Thus would conservation of the iron
supply and regulation Of the Steel trust
be brought about at the same time.
This general scheme OF conservation
of resources is attracting much attention
and Is Of great interest in all parts OF
The country. The East wants forest
reserves and swamp land drainage; the
West wants preservation OF water
powers forests, irrigation; everywhere
theT5 is powerful sentimental demand in
all sections for protecting coal and iron.
The scheme. In short. is so expansive
that. by sheer force of bringing every
body in. it seems likely to crystallize
into important legislation