East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-06-18

one or the prominent NUMBERS or
the program of the recent graduating
exercises OF the Walla Walla high
school was an grafton by Miss Flor
ence Reeder, member Of the senior
class on 1.-THE Open Columbia says
the Walla Walla Union. In her re.
marks Miss Reeder showed close
and careful study of the situation or
which she was speaking and delivered
her words with force and conviction
Pertaining as 1t does to one Of the
most vital questions in the develop
ment of the northwest her address was
especially appropriate. Following is
the grafton, In part:
people of Washington are interest
ed as never before In the opening OF
the Columbia river. The lack OF irriga-
ton, the conditions OF the waterways
and navigation, demand that this
should be done for the best interests
of the people.
"Rlver systems Of this country are
better adapted to the needs OF the peo-
pie than those Of any other. Rivers
In no civilized country are so poorly
developed or play so small a part in
the Industrial life as do the rivers OF
the United States.
plans should be considered to Sc
cure to the people the use of these
waterways for power, irrigation and
domestic water supply as we'll as nav
igation. In fact there are five allied
interests in the opening Of the rivers
navigation, irrigation, power, forest
ization and sanitation.
mot one but every waterway should
be made to serve the people as large
ly and in as many ways as possible.
1t is poor business to develop a river
for navigation in way to prevent its
use for power. BY little foresight,
/. could be made to serve both pur-
poses. 1t is needless to sacrifice pow.
er for irrigation or irrigation to do
mestic water supply, when we may
have all three. All streams should be
used to their utmost. No steam can be
used to their utmost. No stream can
be so used II use is not planned for in
advance. One plan can be made to
assist another. Each river system
from its head-waters in the forest to
its mouth on the coast is single unit
and should be treated thus.
Much has been done but more
must be done, before a detailed plan
of development can be made. Addi-
tlonal information is needed on the
flow of the streams. conditions for
channels, amount and cost of water
traffic, requirements for terminals,
but 1t is not necessary to postpone the
beginning of the work until all the
facts are obtained.
Eighty million acres Of arid lands
lie in the northwest. One million
acres, under irrigation. are found as
fertile as any soil.
mot one-tenth of the irrigable land
of the inland empire Is under irriga-
tion. Even now railroads are con-
gested and not able to handle traffic.
With the other nine-tenths farmed, as
II all must be in the next few years,
railroads will prove absolutely made
quate. Traffic in this country has
increased over 100 per cent in the past
five years. Railroad facilities have
increased less than 20 per cent I'm
regulated railroad completion has de-
stroyed the development Of the COM
merce.
Corporations or monopolies should
be prohibited from the use of per-
petual power, irrigation franchises Of
inland waterways. These franchises
should be held for the benefit OF the
people.
"a bill is before congress urging the
necessity OF building a dam at Priest
Rapids in the Columbia. The power
developed is immense for either elec-
trical ways or other purposes. These
rapids are the biggest distractions to
on the upper river. A ca
nal around would mean open navi-
CATION on that river.
There is also a movement for the
OF dam at Five Mile
Rapids in the Snake river BY means
Of this thousands OF acres of arid lands
in Walla Walla, Franklin and Benton
counties could be irrigated.
Prospects for substantial appropri-
ations to aid the open Columbia are
bright. The fact that the Columbia
river was mentioned in the presidents
augers well for liberal gift
from the federal government.
ga hIll hos haan nronoSad for a co,n-