The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1907-05-23
president WILL
MAKE RIVER TRIP
WILL SPEND THREE OR FOUR
DAYS ON MISSISSIPPI.
INVITED BY GOVERNOR S
He Has Been Invited to Make the
Trip BY Number Of Governors
in Order That He May AcQuaint
Himself Personally With the Con-
ditions.

Himself Personally With the Con-
ditions.
Washington. President Roosevelt
intends if possible to take three
or four days trip next fall down
the Mississippi river from some point
in middle Illinois or Iowa to Missis-
sissippi. It will, if made, be with the
members of the inland waterways
commission Of which Representative
Burton Of Ohio is chairman, and who
like the president will be the guest
Of the Lakes to the Gulf Deep Water
ways Association.
President Roosevelt will leave his
summer home at Oyster Bay in time
to be at Canton to attend the dedica-
ton Of the Mckinley monument Sep
TENDER 10, and the voyage down the
Mississippi river will, if nothing pre-
vents, Immediately follow that event.
The president has been strongly
urged to make the trip because the
opportunity it will afford to acquaint
himself personally with the iinpor-
tance of the work the inland water
ways commission has in hand. Re-
Gently he received an urgent invita-
tion to do so from number Of
governors in various parts Of the
country. Responsive to the invita-
tions from the state executives the
president has sent to each one an
identical letter promising to make the
trip outlined unless something I'M
foreseen occurs to cause him to alter
his plans.
The following, addressed to Cover
nor Cummins, of Iowa, is a copy:
Washington, D. c., May 16.-My
Dear GOVERNOR have received the
invitations kindly sent me through
the governor Of Arkansas, Florida,
Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana,
Maine, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklaho-
ma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennes-
see, Texas and Wisconsin, asking me
to accompany the inland waterways
commission for trip on the Missis-
sippi so that I may personally famil-
iarize myself with certain features
Of the situation which the commits
sion has been appointed to consider.
deeply appreciate the invitations.
Let me say special word Of
appreciation of the invitations which
come from the governors of Maine,
Florida and Oregon, all Of whom, al
though the states Of which they are
governors, are not on the Mississip-
pi river, show their realization of the
enormous Importance of improving
this great natural highway because
of the benefit that easy and cheap
transportation thereon will mean to
all the union and because they believe
that the improvement of the Missis-
sippi river and its tributaries will
tend to bring about the improvement
OF the other navigable waters of the
country as factors in commercial
and industrial development and as
affording one Of the beEt possible
methods Of reducing railroad rates.
Others Of the governors who have
written me dwell upon the fact that
the people Of the west feel peculiar
interest in the project Of the improve
ment not only Of the Mississippi but
Of other navigable rivers fitted t,
be public highways Of commerce, be-
cause they think that such improve
nents will help toward the solution
OF many of the problems attaching
to railway transportation.
Observation-Disclosures m. IN
The basin Of the Mississippi taken
as whole from the gulf to the
great lakes, from the Alleghenies to
the Rockies constitute the greatest
agricultural empire that men ever
cultivated and an equally great sys-
tenn Of water highways is needed
to supply any inadequacy Of land car
riage for the products Of this region
Unless something unforeseen oc-
ours to make me alter my plans, +
intend to accompany the members Of
the inland waterways commission on
three or four days trip at the
beginning Of next October down the
Mississippi from some point in mid
die Illinois or Iowa to Memphis. I
feel that the problems before the
commission concern vitality not only
the people Of the Mississippi valley,
but the people Of our entire country
and anything I can do to forward