Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-10-08
RIVER IMPROVEMENTS
URGED BY PRESIDENT
ROOSEVELT SPEAKS TO ENoR.
NOUS CROWD AT MEMPHIS
WATERWAY CONVENTION.
CITY NEARLY WILD
WITH ENTHUSIASM
Speech by the Nations Head Shows
Necessity of Improving Natural
Highways to Regulate Rates and
Prevent Congestion of Traffic.

Memphis, Tenn, Oct 5.-When the
presidents steamer, Mississippi, hove
in sight Friday, the air was rent with
the blowing of whistles, the changing
of bells and the shouting of crowds.
A sea of handkerchiefs waved from
the shore, and people came running
from all parts Of the city to join the
mighty throng that had waited since
noon along the river front. Every
steamboat and yacht in the river,
every locomotive in the city and every
mill. factory and other continuance
that had whistle attachment, let
forth peal of noise with all the en-
ergy that full charges of steam could
produce.
President Roosevelt and party ar
rived in the harbor of Memphis at
1880 p. m. Friday and Immediately
landed amid the screeching of whis-
ties and the cheers of thousands of
of the early morning had ceased and
the parade Immediately formed.
Headed by a squad of police and three
companies of militia, the march to the
Auditorium began. President Roose-
welt, Gov. H. r. Patterson of Tennes-
see and Mayor James H. Malone of
Memphis occupied seats in the first
carriage. President Roosevelt re-
ceived cordial reception from all
sides. People cheered, waved flags,
and greeted the president with friend
ly cries and hurrahs.
the steamer with the president. Much
preparation had been made to care
for the city's guests.
After his speech he returned to a
special train which had been waiting
at the union station and started at
once for the hunting grounds in nor
thern Louisiana.
Speaks to Vast Audience.
The president spoke to a vast and
enthusiastic audience on the subject
of a lakes to the gulf waterway, an
audience composed of delegates to
the convention representing every
state in the Mississippi valley. or rep
resentative business men, public Of
ficials, including the governors of more
than twenty states, and thousands Of
citizens of Memphis and the south.
He said in part:
"The Mississippi valley is a magnifi-
cent empire in size and fertility. 1t
is better adapted to the development
of inland navigation than any other
valley in either hemisphere; for there
are 10000 miles of waterway now
more or less fully navigable, and the
conditions are so favorable that it
will be easy to increase the extent of
navigable waterways to almost any
required degree by canalization.
The Mississippi Valley.
In wealth of natural resources no
kingdom of Europe can compare with
the Mississippi valley and the region
around the great lakes, taken to-
gether, and in population this huge
fertile plain already surpasses all save
| one or two of the largest European
kingdoms. The valley of the Missis-
sippi is politically and commercially
more important than any other valley
on the face of the globe. Here more
than anywhere else will be determine
ed the future Of the United States
| and indeed of the whole western
world. No man can forsee the limit
of the possibility of development in
the Mississippi valley.
Waterways Needed.
Such being the case, and this valley
being literally the heart of the United
States, all that concerns it's 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 posi-
bility. Facility Of cheap transporta.
| ton is as essential in our modern civ
ilization, and we cannot afford to
longer neglect the great highways
which nature has provided for us.
These natural highways, the water
ways, can never be monopolized by
any corporation. They belong to all
the people, and it is III the power OF
no one to take them away
Wherever navigable river runs be.
side railroads the problem of regulat-
ing the rates on the railroads becomes
far easier, because river regulation is
rate regulation. When the water rate
sinks. the land rate cannot be kept