The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-23
Attitude Of Congress
 TouUards WaterIDays

i, their means and energies to construct ing and extending dry land transpor. tation system, and they have worked wonders In that behalf. though that en- terprise Is scarcely half finished.
 But public thought in our country is now contemplating our waterways, rivers, harbors, and canals, and It would promote the intelligent study of the gigantic undertaking If the Senate would print as 8 Senate doc- ument the speech that extraordinary man, the late John T. Morgan, of Ala bama, made on the subject some years ago. His proposal was to construct numerous canals along the Atlantic from the coast of Maine to the coast of Florida to add to the safety and save time in the conduct of the coast wise trade. Incidentally, he spoke of the factor these Improvements would be ia case of foreign war, making defense of the coast an infinitely cas- fer task. Admiral Melville, at Balu- more, on Tuesday last elucidated this phase of the enterprise in an admir- able speech.
 "But Morgan's conception embraced the Gulf of Mexico as well as the Atlantic Ocean. He suggested a ship canal across Florida, which would make water transit between the gule and Atlantic ports much, ,speediers There is not a doubt that Morgan's dream will some day be realized. and the sooner the better. ~s .,s t..
 Then there Is deep water from the lakes to the gulf and a fourteen foot channel in the Ohio from sP Pitts burg to Cairo, to. say nothing of tm- provements of great streams like the Tennessee. James J. Hill says our railroads require &6.000,000 for im- nA FrAn6aA AKfAa1- sions. Our waterways require &le,- 000, 900. '-
 Thomas B. Reed was right when he declared that the development of the United States had not fairly be- gun in 1sss."
 Senator MorRam's Report.
 In this connection 1t shS uld be re. lated that Senator Morgan also left behind the most comprehensive and iH- tereSting report that was ever made on the possibilities in reference to the improvement of the Tennessee river. It will be recalled that the Senate appointed a special committee of three to investigate during the re- cess of Congress the whole subject of improving the Tennessee, and General Morgan was made chairman of the committee, He devoted months of hard work to the task. He has previously studied every point that could be ob- tained in a general sort of water. lie collected material to show that the watershed of the Tennessee is the greatest of any stream ,iE the United States. and always contendel that if properly improved the Tennessee would bring untold benefits to com merce In the States through which its waters roll.
 Senator Morgan also consulted emil nent engineers who assured him that the waters of Russell Shoals were capable of furnishing 8 vast amount of power which eventually will add millions of dollars to the wealth of Alabama. The matter of securing leg islation with reference to the deveop- ment of this power at the shoals has occupied the close attention of Repre- sentative Richardson for the past eight years and in spite of the vexa- tious delays and the clashes with the War Department 1t looks now as if this question is about to be settled definitely and on lines which the peo- pie of Alabama will consider satis- factory.
 The chances are that the Alabama and the Coosa rivers will receive more substantial recognition in the next river and harbor blll that is passed. for the reason that the engineers have been working out plans that appeal more strongly to the national legis- lature Besides several large corpor- ations are willing for the sake of power plant privileges to join with the government in the expense of im- proving navigation. the projects being to establish the big dams and plants on the Coosa. and experts claim that if this work is carried out 1t will completely solve the problem of se- curing a requisite depth of water in the two streams. Bills along these lines were introduced during the last sessions by Representatives Burnett and Craig. the main features of which were given in dispatches to The Ad- vertiser at the time.