The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-11
CANALS VERSUS RIVERS.

According to the dispatches, a mum.
Der of western congressman are not
satisfied with that portion of the
waterways commissions report which
makes the construction Of canals the
principal feature of contemplated i'm
provements. They believe natural
waterways should first receive atten'
ton, especially in the west where there
is urgent demand for river transpor.
tation facilities.
In discussing this feature of the
proposition, the Kansas City Journal
expresses the belief that river i'm
provement will be delayed for many
years, should canal construction be
given the preference, its remarks be-
ing in part to this effect:
1t does not require the vision of a
seer to see the blighting hand Of poll
tics in this scheme for q vast system
Of canals. The rivers and harbors
bill has always been VIGOROUSLY a
matter OF political logrolling, in which
the eastern harbors and rivers-rivers
by courtesy-have invariably been
benefited at the expense of the great
navigable rivers of the west. Under
this canal building scheme it is NOR.
ally certain that practically all the
revenues available for waterway inn
provements, and many hundreds of
millions more, will be required for
the canals, and the western rivers will
wait, as they have w%aitedsin the past,
until these artificial waterways are
completed.
1t has been estimated: that at least
$500, 600, 600 will be required to put
the Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio
rivers in proper condition to carry
the commerce of the states which they
and their tributaries border. 1t is
urged by the rivers and harbors con.
gress that continuing appropriations
Of $50, 0O0, 900 q year be made for ten
years to accomplish the work OF i'm
proving these rivers. 1t is reasonably
certain that the Of the ma
tiOnal treasury will be strained to the
utmost to admit Of such appropria-
tions for waterways, and the chances
are that congress will reduce them to
a much smaller figure. In view of
these facts it would seem the height of
folly and injustice to project new
schemes, involving vast sums of
money, for artificial waterways until
the great navigable rivers Of the
country are properly provided for.
The annual congestion of traffic,
which entails a loss of hundreds OF
millions Of dollars upon the producers
of the country, occurs chiefly in the
west. The eastern states suffer com
paratively little on that account.
Consequently, it is manifestly fair
and just that the western waterways
should o only have the preference,
but If necessary the undivided atten,
ton of the federal government, until
they are in a condition to bear their
share Of this congested trat,lc.
The only way, however, by which
there is a reasonable hope this will
be done is for the people Of the Mis-
souri,, Mississippi and Ohio valleys
to combine their political forces ani
organize a concerted movement t
bring the necessary pressure to beal
upon congress and the administration
More than half the statcs in the Uniol
are vitality interested in the improve
ment of these great rivers, and if the,
will organize and exert their intluenc
al is done in the east, justice will b
secured. But not before.