Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-26
PRESIDENT SPEAKS
FOR WATERWAYS
Congress Receives Long Mes
sage on the Subject.
REPORT OF COMMISSION
Transmitted With Comments and
Recommendations.
DEVELOPMENT IS URGED
First Condition of Successful Work
Definite and Progressive Policy.
Adeo,,a}o E,,pdc Nococcorv
REPORT OF COMMISSION
URGED
DEVELOPMENT Is U

President Roosevelt today sent to Con-
gress the following message. dealing with
the inland waterways of the country:
To the Senate and House of Representa-
tives:
| transmit herewith a preliminary re-
port from the inland waterways commits
sion. which was appointed by me last
March in response to widespread inter-
est and demand from the people. The
basis of this demand lay in the general
and admitted inability of the railroads to
handle promptly the traffic of the country,
and especially the crops of the previous
fall
This report is we'll worth your attention.
1t is thorough. conservative, sane and
just. 1t represents the mature Judgment
or body of men exceptionally qualified.
by personal experience and knowledge of
conditions throughout the United States.
TO understand and discuss the great prob
lem OF now best to use our WATERWAYS
In the interest of all the people. Unusual
care mas been taken to secure accuracy
ana balance of statement. If the report
errs at all it is by overconservatism 1t
contains findings or statements Of fact,
number of specific recomme ndations
ana an account of inquiries still in prog
feSS. and II is based in part on statistics
and other information contained in a vol
luminous appendix. The subject with
which it deals is of critical Importance
both to the present and the future of our
country.
Our river systems are better adapted
10 the needs of the people than those
or any other country. In extent. distribu-
ton. navigabilty and ease of use they
stand frst. Yet the rivers of no other
0~n Il
so little used or play so small a part in
the Industrial life of the nation as those
of the United States. In view Of the use
made or rivers elsewhere. the failure to
thoughtful man can believe that it will
last The accompanying report indicates
clearly the reasons FOR 1t and the way
to end it.
What Prevented Development.
The commission finds that it was un-
regulated railroad competition which pre-
vented or destroyed the DEVELOPMENT of
commerce on our inland waterways The
Mississippi. our greatest natural highway
Is case in point. At one time the traffic
upon II was without rival In any coun-
Try. The report shows that commerce
was driven from the Mississippi by the
railroads. While production was limited
the railways. with their convenient termi-
nails, gave quicker and more satisfactory
service than the waterways. Later they
prevented the restoration of river traffic
by keeping down their rates along the
rivers, recouping themselves by higher
Charges elsewhere. They also acquired
water fronts and terminals to an extent
which made water competition impossible
Throughout the country the railways have
secured such control OF canals and steam
boat lines that today inland waterway
transportation is largely in their hands
This was natural and doubtless inevitable
under the circumstances. but it should
not be allowed to continue unless under
careful government regulation.
Comparatively little inland freight is
carried by boat which is not carried d
part Of its journey by rail also. AS the
report shows. the successful develop
ment and use of our Interstate waterways
will require intelligent regulation of the
relations between rail and water traffic.
When this is done the railways and
waterways will assist instead of injuring
each other. Both will benefit, but tho
Chief benefit viii accrue to the people in
general through quicker and cheaper
TRANSPORT alton.
The report rests through out on the
fundamental conception that every water
way Should be made TO serve the people
as largely and in many different ways
as possible. 1t Is poor business to develop
river for navigation in such a way as
TO prevent its use for power when by a
little foresight ii could be made TO serve
both purposes. We cannot afford need
lessly to sacrifice power TO irrigation. or
irrigation TO domestic water supply, when
by taking thought we may have all three.
Every stream should be used to the
utmost. No stream can he so used unless
such use is planned for in advance. When
such plans are made we shall find that.
instead OF interfering. one use can often
be made TO assist another Each river
system, from its headwaters in the forest
to its mouth on the coast. is a single unit
and should be treated as such Naviga-
fion Of the lower reaches OF a stream
cannot be fully developed without the con-
troll Of foods and low waters by storage
and drainage. Navigable channels are d-
rectly concerned with the protection OF
source waters and with soil erosion which
takes the materials for bars and shoals
from the richest portions or our farms.
The uses OF stream for domestic and
municipal water supply. for power and in
many cases for irrigation must also be
taken into full account
The development of our inland water
ways will have results far beyond the
immediate gain 10 commerce. Deep chan
neis along the Atlantic and gulf coasts
and from the gulf to the great lakes will
have high value for the national defense.
The Of water power will measure bly,
relieve the drain upon our diminishing
supplies of coal. and transporta ton by
water instead of rail only VII, tend TO
conserve our iron. Forest protection,
without which river improvement can
not be permanent, will at the same time
help to postpone the threatened timber
famine and will secure us against a total
.dearth of timber by providing for the
perpetuation of the remaining woodlands
Irrigation will create the means of liveli-
hood for millions of people. and supplies
of pure water will powerfully promote
the public health. If the policy of water
way improvement here recommended is
carried out, ii will affect for good every
citizen of the republic. The national gov
ernment must play the leading part In
securing the largest possible use OF our
waterways: other agencies can assist and
should assist. but the work is essentially
national In its scope.
Bureaus in Four Departments.
The various uses of waterways are now
dealt with by bureaus scattered through
four federal departments. At present
therefore, II is not possible to deal with :.
river system as single problem. But
the commission here recommends policy
I(.opt;puad on Eighth pa