Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-26
gress. There is urgent need for prompt
and decisive action.
February &c. 1908.
The Report.

| gress. There is urgent need for prompt
and decisive action.
February g 1908.
The Report.
| The report submitted by the President
| is a preliminary one made nearly month
| ago by the inland waterways commission,
composed of Representative Burton, Sena-
| tor Newlands, Senator Warner. Senator
Bankhead, Gen. Alex Mckenzie. w. ].
| MCGEE. F. H. Newell, Clifford Pinchot ana
Herbert Knox Smith.
The President created the commission
last March. He named it in long letter
| telling Of the great necessity or inlano
waterway Improvement to afford trans.
portation for products Of the country
when. in times of prosperity. railroads are
| unable to take care of all the freight
offered them. He said that there ap-
peared to be but one remedy for the con.
restion of freight-"the development of a
complementary system of transportation
by water" ,..ou,,o.
its organization and various inspection
| trips hearings and sessions. there peing
over thirty meetings, at which many ex-
merits were examined. The commission
finds that there are in the mainland OF
the United States $1,000 miles OF navi.
gated rivers and an equal NUMBER ina!
can he made navigable by Improvement;
I'M
miles of sounds. bays and bayous readlly
connnectible by canals aggregatns less
than 1000 miles in length to form inner
passages.
Recommendations.
The commission concludes its report
with the following recommendations:
Plans for Improvement.
1--WE recommend that hereafter plans
oP n
land waterways, or for any use OF these
waterways in connection with interstate
commerce, shall take account Of the puri-
fication Of the waters, the development
of power, the control of floods, the recla-
nation Of lands by irrigation and drain
age, and all other uses OF the waters or
benefits to be derived from their controi.
1--WE recommend that hereafter both
local and general benefits to the people
shall be fully considered in any such plans
for the improvement of navigation in In
land waterways, or for any use OF these
waterways in connection with interstate
commerce; and that wherever practlca pie
federal agencies shall cooperate with
states, municipalities communities. cor
porations and individuals with a view to
an equitable distribution Of costs and ben
ef1ts.
I'VE recommend that hereafter any
plans for the navigation or other use OF
terstate commerce shall take full account
Of transfer facilities and sites. and of the
location of tracks, grades. bridges. dams.
depOts and other works on navigable and
source streams with asview to equitable
cooperation between waterway and rail-
way facilities for the promotion of COM
merce and the benefit of the people.
I'VE recommend that any plans for i'm
proving the inland waterway shall take
account account Of the present and prospective
ways. and shall ascertain so far as may
be whether such waterways when i'm
proved will be effectively used in the
face of railway competitions; and that
the relations between railways and wa
terways be further examined with the
purpose Of devising means Of render
ing the two systems complementary
and harmonious and making such
fair division of traffic that rates and man:
agement may be co-or6inated economic
ally and with benefit to the country.
I'VE recommend the adoption of means
for ascertaining regularly all facts related
to traffic on the inland waterways, and
for publishing the same in a form suit
able for general use.
I'VE recommend the adoption of means
for ascertaining and rendering available,
at such rate as to meet public necessities.
all requisite data related to the physical
character and general utility of the navi-
gable and source streams of the country
I'VE recommend that hereafter any
plans for the use of inland waterways in
connection with Interstate commerce shall
regard the streams of the country as an
asset Of the people. shall take full ac-
connected with running waters, and shall
look to lne protection Of these resources
from monopoly and to their administra-
ton In the interests Of the people
we recommend that the Congress be
asked 10 make suitable provision for i'm
proving the inland waterways of the
United States at rate commensurate
with the needs of the people as deter
mined by competent authority, and we
suggest that such provision meet these
requisites, viz: Expert framing Of a
definite policy; Of continuity
and coordination Of plan and work; ex-
pert initiative in the choice of projects
and the succession Of works: freedom in
selection OF projects in accordance with
terms Of cooperation. and the widest
opportunity For applying modern bust
ness methods.
I'VE recommend that the Congress be
asked to authorize the coordination and
proper development of existing public
services connected with waterways, and
we suggest that such enactment might
provide that the President Of the United
States be authorized. with the advice
and consent of the Senate, to appoint and
organize a national waterways commits
sion to bring into coordination the corps
OF engineers Of the army, the bureau of
soils, the forest service, the bureau Of
corporations. the reclamation service and
other branches of the public service in so
far as their work relates to inland water
ways, and that he be authorized to make
such details and require such duties from
these branches of the public service in
connection with navigable and source
streams as are not inconsistent with
law, the said commission to continue the
investigation Of all questions relating to
the development and improvement and
utilization of the inland waterways Of
the country and the conservation of its
natural resources related thereto, and
to consider and coordinate Herewith all
matters of irrigation, swamp and over
flow land reclamation. Qualification and
publication Of streams, prevention Of
lsoil-waste, utilization Of water power.
preservation and extension of forests,
regulation of flow and control of floods.
transfer facilities and sites and the reg
ulation and control thereof, and the re-
lations between waterways and railways.
and that the commission be empowered
to frame and recommend plans for de-
veloping the waterways and utilizing the
waters, and as authorized by Congress to
carry out the same, through established
agencies when such are available, in CO.
operation with states. municipalities,
com rounffies c0rDOratiOnS and individ-