The Washington times., 1908-02-26

The report Of the Commission in
part is as follows:
There are in mainland United States
some $500 miles OF navigated rivers
and at least an equal amount which
are navigabls or might be made so by
Improvement; there are also some 900
miles OF navigabIe canals. and over $500
miles OF sounds. bays and bayous read
lily connectabls by canals aggregating
less than 1900 miles in length TO form
inner passages psraIleliGg the Atlantic
and Gulf coasts-these being additional
to some thousands OF miles Creckoned
between leading ports) Of regularly
navIgated waters IN lakes and land
locked bays.
The assured growth OF the country
and the capacity OF these waters not
only for navigation but for other uses
render imperative the necessity for their
control and utilization as an asset OF
almost unlimited value
While navigation OF the inland water
WAYS declined with the increase in rail
TRANSPORTATION during the later decades
of the past century, il has become clear
that the time is at hand for restoring
and developing such inland navigation
and water transportation as upon eN-
pert examination may appear TO confer
q benefit commensurate with the cost 20
be Utilized both Independently and as a
necessary adjunct 10 rail- transportation.
II is clear that railway interests have
been successfully directed against the
normal maintenance and development
Of water traffic by control of water
fronts and terminals, ny acquisition or
control OF competing N.-aals aud vessels.
BY discriminating tariffs, by rebates, by
adverse placement of tracks and struc-
tures. and by other means.
Adjust With Rail Routes.
Any complete or practically successful
plan for the general Improvement OF wa
terways must eventually provide for sat
fsfactory adjustment OF the relation OF
ran lines 10 such waterways. So large
a portion OF railway traffic Is free from
water cUmpe dtion that railways can
readily afford 10 so reduce rates on those
portions affected by such competition as
to destroy the profits of the water lines
without appreciably affecting the profits
of the rail systems which recoup these
reductions by higher rates elsewhere.
Hence It IS obvious that relief from
the eXis ing congestion by waterway
effective only through such co-ordina-
ton OF rail and water facilities as VIII
insure harmonious cooperation rather
thin Injurious opposition.
1t Is desirable that more detailed in
formation be collected concerning the
effects Of foods and low waters and
their prevention by engfneesfa works
and other devices.
The annual soil-wash in mainland
United States IL estimated at about a
thousand million tons Of which the
greater part IS the most valuable poT
tiols Of the soil It is desirable that
n.
the view of devising means for reducing
the loss 10 the land and preventing the
impairment of the streams for purposes
of commercs.
Means should be devised and applied
for co-ordinating forestry, farming.
mining and related Industries with the
use OF streams for commerce and for
other purposes.
The effect OF wide variations in the
level OF uavigable streams is to render
difficult the establishment of necessary
terminals for the handling Of traffic.
md thus 90 interfere seriously with
na utilization of our inland waterways.
The prevention or mitigation Of such
variations would be most helpful to
the revival Of river traffic, and means
TO this end should be adopted in plans
for waterway Improvement
There have already been put under
IRRIGATION over 100000 acres of fertile
land, adding a quarter Of a million
homes and several hundred million dol
lars OF LaAADle W%Hilt1s aIu II II BoIi~
mated that by fully conserving the
waters and by utilizing the w'ater-power
developed In connection with storage
aad other works, fully three times as
much land can be reclaimed in the
western half OF the United States.
Water Used for Power.
Information concerning water-pOwer
IN the several States and sections is in
complete. yet It is known to be a vast
and intrinsically permanent asset which
should be utilized for the benefit of the