The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-27
Sends Special Message Trans
hitting Report of Inland Water
ways Commission.
MUST HAVE SYSTEMATIC PLAN

President Roosevelt sent n special mes
sage to Congress- to-day transmitting
the report OF the Inland Waterways
Commission The message follows:
TO the Senate and House OF Represent
tatives:
1 transmit herewith a preliminary
rapport from the Inland Waterways
Commission. which was appointed BY
mo last March In responce to wide
spread interest and demand from the
people. The basis of this demand lay
in the general and admitted inability
OF the railroads to handle promptly
the traffic OF the country, and especi-
ally the crops of the previous fall.
This report is well worth your atten-
ton. 1t is thorough, conservative, sane
and just. 1t represents the mature
Judgment of a body of men exception
ally qualified, by personal experience
and knowledge of conditions through
out the United States, to understand
and discuss the great problem of how
best to use our waterways In the IN
terest of all the people. Unusual care
has been taken to secure accuracy ana
balance OF statement II the report
errs at all 1t is by over-conservatism.
1t contains findings of statements OF
fact. number of specific Recommended
lions. and all account of inquiries sun
in progress. and IT is based In part on
statistics and other information con-
tanned in a voIumirous appendix. Tho
subject with which It deals Is of crit,
cal Importance both to the present and
the future of our country.
Our river systems are better adapted
to the needs OF the people than those
of any other country. In extent, dis
tribution. navigability and ease of use.
they stand first. Yet the rivers OF
no other civilized country are so poor
ly developed. so little used. or play so
small part In the Industrial life of tho
nation. as those of the United States.
In view Of the use made of rivers else
where, the failure to use our own Is
astonishing, and no thoughtful man
can believe that 1t will last. The &C
companying report indicates clearly the
reasons for 1t and the way TO end Ii.
Destroyed by UnrcguIatcI Competition.
The commission finds that 1t was
unregulated railroad competition which
prevented or Destroyed the development
of commerce on our inland waterways.
The Mississippi, our greatest natural
highway. is a case in point. At one
time the traffic upon 1t was without
n rival In any country. The report
shows that commerce was driven from
the Mississippi by the railroads. While
production was limited. the railways,
quicker and more satisfactory service
than the waterways. Later they pre-
vented the restoration of river traffic
by keeping down their rates along the
rivers, recouping themselves by higher
charges elsewhere. They also acqulr-
ed water fronts and terminals to an
extent which made water competition
impossible. Throughout the country
the railways have secured such control
Is,r ls or that
day inland waterway transportation Is
largely in their hands. Thi s was
natural and doubtless inevitable under
the circumstances. but 1t should not be
allowed to continue unless under care
full government regulation.
Comparatively little inland freight
is carried by boat which is not carried
a part of its journey by rail also. AS
the report shows. the successful devel-
opment and use of our interstate
waterways will require Intelligent re-
gulaton of the relations between rail
and water traffic. When this is done
the railways and waterways Will as
sist instead OF injuring each other.
Both will benefit. but the chief bere-
fit will accrue to the people in general
through quicker and cheaper Transport
tation
The report rests throughout on the
fundamental conception that every
waterway should be made to serve the
people as largely and in as many diff
ferent ways as possible. 1t Is poor
BUSINESS to develop a river FOR naviga-
tion I'll such way as to prevent its
use for power, when by a little fore
sight 1t could be made to serve both
purposes. We cannot afford needless
| ~ to sacrifice power to irrigation, or
| irrigation to domestic water supply,
when by taking thought we may have
| all three. Every stream should be used
to the utmost No stream can be SO used
unless such use is planned for in adj
| vance. When such plans are made we
shall find that instead of interfering.
one use can often be made to assist
another. Each river system. from It's
| headwaters in the forest to its mouth
on the coast, is singie. unit and
| should be treated as such. Navigation
of the lower reaches of stream can
not be fully developed without the con-
troll OF floods and low waters by stor-
age and drainage. Navigable channels
are directly concerned with the pro-
| lection of source waters, and with soil
erosion which takes the materials for
bars and shoals from the richest por-
| lions of our farms. The uses Of a
stream for domestic and municipal
water supply, for power, and In many
ca SEES for irrigation, must also be taken
into full account.
or Far Reaching Importance.
The development of our inland water
ways will have results far beyond the
Immediate gain to commerce. Deep
channels along the Atlantic and gulf
coasts and from the gulf to the Great
Lake will have high value for the
national defense. The use of water
power will measurably relieve the drain
upon our diminishing supplies of coal.
and transportation by water instead OF
rail only will tend to conserve our
iron. Forest protection. without which
river Improvement cannot be perman-
emit. will Mt the same time help to post
pone the threatened timber famine, and
will secure us against total dearth
Of timber by providing for the perpet-
uatton Of the remaining woodlands.