Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-10-04
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY THE
HEART OF UNITED STATES

political equality, was originally Il
western idea.
Demand is Exceptional.
"The wonderful variety of resources
in different portions of the valley make
the demand for transportation alto
gether exceptional. Coal, lumber, corn.
wheat. cotton, cattle-on the surface Of
the soil and beneath the soil the riches
are great. There are already evident
strong tendencies to increase the car
rying of freight from the northern part
of the valley to the Gulf. Throughout
the valley the land is so fertile as 10
make the field for the farmer peculiar
ly attractive; and where in the west
the climate becomes dryer we enter
upon the ranching country; while in
addition to the products of the soil
there are also the manufactures sup
piled in innumerable manufacturing
centers, great and small.
"Cities of astonishing growth are
found everywhere from the Gulf to the
Great Lakes, from the Alleghenies to
the Rockies; most of them being stu,
ated on the great river which flows by
YOU doors or upon some of its NUM-
erOus navigable tributaries. New min
eral fields are discovered every year;
and the constantly increasing use #
all the devices of intensive cultivation
steadily adds to the productive power
of the farms. Above all. the average
man is honest, Intelligent. self-reliant
and orderly. and therefore good Cit
iZen: and farmer and wagewOTkeI
alike-in the last analysis the two
most important men in the community
enjoy a standard of living. and have
developed a standard of self-respectina
self-reliant manhood, which are OF
good augury for the future of the en-
tire republic. No man can fOresee the
limit of the possibility of development
III the Mississippi valley.
Heart of United states.
"Such being the case. and this vail ~
being literally the heart of the United
States. all that concerns its welfare
must concern likewise the whole coun
try. Therefore! the Mississippi river
and its tributaries ought by all means
to be utilized to their utmost possibil
ty. Facility of cheap transportation
is an essential in our modern civili
Zatiou. and we can not afford any
longer to neglect the great highways
which nature has provided for us
These natural highways, the water
Ta IA y1rnnnnlizQ6 h.
any corporation. They belong to al
-ttfret- -pJUOT1TTt. and II is in the power q
on one TO take them away. Wherever
navigable river runs beside railrOai:
the problem of regulating the rates o,
the railroads becomes far easier. be
cause river regulation is rate regu
lation. When the water rate sinks. tbs
! land rate can not be kept at an excess
i've height Therefore it is of nationa
importance to develop these streams
| as highways to the fullest eXten
which is genuinely profitable.
Year by year transportation prob
lens become more acute, and the tins
has come when the rivers really fit :,
serve as arteries of trade should b.
provided with channels deep enoug'
and wide enough to make the inves,
ment of the necessary money prof
able to the public.
The national government shOult
undertake this work, Where the in
mediately abutting land is markedl
benefited, and this benefit can he dei
initely localized | trust that there wi
be careful investigation to see whet'
er some way can be devised by whic
the immediate benefciaries may pa
a portion of the eXpenses-as is no'
the custom as regards certain classe
of improvements in our municipalities
and measures should be taken to st
cure from the localities specially ben
fitted proper terminal facilities. TIL
expense TO the nation of entering upO
such a scheme of river improvement
as that which | believe it should unde
take. will necessarily be great.
Many to BE Convinced.
MANY cautious and conservative
people will look askance upon the pr,
ject, and from every standpoint it
necessary, if we wish to make it SUI
cessful, that We should enter upon
only under conditions which will qua
antee the nation against waste of il
money, and which will insure I
against entering upon any project u
{ til after the most elaborate expert e
animation. and reliable calculation :
the proportion between cost and ben
, fit. In any project like this thel
should be a definite policy, and a re
olute purpose to keep in mind that Il
only improvements made should