The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-02-28

orderly development Of our population
and Industries, reach enormous
amounts. A fair share of the increase
should be safeguarded for the benefit
of the people, from whose labor 1t
springs. The proceeds thus secured,
after the cost Of administration and
Improvement has been met, should
naturally be devoted to the develop
ment Of our inland waterways.
Valuable Natural Asset.
The report justly calls attention to The
fact that hitherto our national policy
has been one of almost unrestricted
disposition and waste Of natural re-
sources, and emphasizes the funda-
mental necessity for conserving these
resources upon which our present anu
future success as Il nation primarily
rests. Running water is 4 most valu-
able natural asset of the people, ana
there is urgent need for conserving it
for navigation, for power, for irriga-
ton, and for domestic and municipal
supply.
The Commission was appointed to
obtain information concerning Cur
waterways as related to the general
welfare. Much work was done, Tut
for their development can be prepared
in detail. We need additional III
formation on the flow-of our streams,
the condition of channels, the amount
and cost of water traffic, the require
ments for terminals, the area in each
watershed which should be kept I'M
der forest, and the means of prevent
ing soiiwaste and the consequent
damage to our rivers. But it is neither
necessary nor desirable to postpone
the beginning of the work until all
the facts are obtainable. We have
suffered heavily in the past from the
lack of adequate transportation faciii-
ties. and unless a beginning is made
promptly we shall suffer still NOR.
heavily in the future.
Mississippi Loop of Sea.
Being without funds or an expert
staff, the Commission has confined il.
self to principles affecting the whole
problem and the entire country. lis
report is plea, in the light Of actual
facts, for simplicity and directness in
dealing with the great problem of our
inland waterways in the interest of the
people. 1t submits no specific plans
or recommendations concerning even
the most important projects. The
firSt nf fhoca of oo,1rco oonoorpc thu
Mississippi and it's tributaries, whose
commercial development will directly
affect half our people. The MISSISSIPPI
pi should be made loop of the sea
and work upon it should be begun at
the earliest possible moment. Only
less important is the Atlantic inner
passage, parts of which are already un-
der way. The inner passages along the
Gulf coast should be extended and
connected with the Atlantic waters.
The need for the developing of the
Pacific coast rivers is not less pressing
Our people are united in support of tn,
immediate adoption of a progressive
policy of inland waterway develop
ment.
Hitherto our national policy of in
land waterway development has been
largely negative. No single agency
has been responsible under the con
gress for making the best use of our
rivers, or for exercising foresight in
their development. In the absence of
a comprehensive plan, the only safe
policy was one of repression and
Frequent changes of
plan, and piecemeal execution OF
projects have still further hampered
Improvement A channel is no deep
err than its shallowest reach, and to
improve river short of the point of
effective navigability is sheer waste
of ali it's costs. In spite of large an-
for their Improvement,
our rivers are less serviceable for in
terstate commerce today than they
were half century ago, and in spite
of the vast increase in our population
and commerce they are on the whole
less used
The first condition of successful de-
Of our waterways is a
poiiNy' AhH I
second is a concrete general plan, pre-
pared by the best experts available
covering every use to which our
streams can be put. We shall not sue
,eed until the responsibility for admin
stering the policy and executing and
the plan is definitely laid
On one man or group of men who can
be held accountable. Every portion
Of the general plan should consider
md so far as practicable secure to the
people the use of water for power, IT.
rigation, and domestic supply as we'll
rs for navigation. No project should
be begun until the funds necessary to
it promptly are provided, and
no plan once under way should be
hanged except for grave reasons.
Work once begun should be prosecuted
steadily and vigorously to completion.
We must make sure that projects are
not ndertaken except for sound bust
ness reasons. and that the best modern
business methods are applied in ex-
ecuting them. The decision to under
AXE any project should rest on actual
need ascertained by investigation and
Judgment of experts and on it's reia-
ion to great river systems or to the
general plan, and never on mere