The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-04-21
SECRETARY OF WAR ENDORSES
NEWLAND's BILL.
HARMONY ! Y Is NEEDED
Provides fer Appointment Of Inland
h Waterway Commission and General
Improvement Of Water Courses Of
the Country.

Washington, April Is. Secretary
Taft filed today with the senate com
mittee on commerce and labor his en-
.dorsement Of Senator Newland's bill,
which provides for the appointment Of
an inland waterway commission and
the general improvement Of the water
courses Of the country.
i. Provisions OF the bill deemed o1
special merit to Secretary Taft were
pointed out by him.
s Among these is the provision for CO
ordination between navigation and
other uses Of the waters in connection
with their improvement for the pro
motion Of commerce among states
This is recognized by the war depart.
ment "as wise and necessary"
The cooperation with states, mu
inequalities, communities, corporations
and individuals provided by the bill is
commended. In this connection Sec
retary Taft says:
Overlapping OF Conflict.
"This provision seems to be based
on the constantly Increasing utiliza-
tion of the streams, not only for nav
igation but for other purposes which
has accompanied extension of settle
ment and increase Of population.
with sparse settlement, largely
confined along water ways, there was
little overlapping of conflict Of inter-
ests connected with the running
waters; but with the present compar-
atively dense population not only all
uses of the streams. but all conflict
ing interests must be brought into
harmony in order that the water ways
may be made generally beneficial.
/! "This cannot be done without care
full regard for interests Of all the peo-
pie and for all the faWful means that
may be employed to protect them.
The aim appears to be that Of promot-
ing union Of interests through mutual.
ly beneficial cooperation, and thus
meeting the requirements for our
growing population and increased in
dustries. This feature Is recognized
by the way as highly desirable"
i Power Of Commission.
The proposition for the initiation Of
projects BY q board Of experts meets
with the approval Of the war depart
ment to which was referred testimony
OF the fact that it trespasses on some
of the functions of that department
which are prescribed by existing
Jaws. x.
No opinion is expressed by Secre-
tary Taft as to how far the power put
jim the proposed commission in the
matter Of the expenditure OF money
should be limited.
I The bill makes an appropriation Of
$5O,00O,O 900 to carry on the work and
provides for the issuance OF bonds
when this fund should fall below $780,
100000. The suggestion Of a limita-
.tion on the commission is thought to
indicate some doubt in the mind Of the
officials Of the war department as to
the wisdom Of placing too much power
in Its hands.
/ Secretary Taft suggests that pro-
vision should be adopted requiring
that the chief engineer OF the army
shall be a member Of the commission
and for the detail Of military engln-
eering to the service Of the commits
sion whenever such detail shall be
consistent with their military duties.
The secretary suggested certain
changes in the form Of the bill to
meet constitutional and legal ob5ec-
tions that occurred to him.