The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-02-26

Navigation of the lower reaches OF a
stream can not be fully developed
without the control OF floods and low
waters by storage and drainage. Nayi-
gable channels are directly concerned
with the protection OF source waters,
and with soil erosion which takes the
materials for bars and shoals from the
richest positions of our farms. Tbs
use of stream for domestic and mu-
nicipal water supply. for power, and
in many cases for irrigation must also
be taken into full account.
For National Defense.
The development OF our inland
waterways will have results far be
yond the immediate gain TO commerce.
Deep channels along the Atlantic and
Gulf coasts and from the Gulf TO the,
Great Lakes will have high value for
the national defense. The use Of wafer
power will m-aSurablv relieve the
drain upon our diminishing supplies Of
coal. and Transports ton by water in
stead OF rail only will tend TO conserve
our iron. Forest protection, without
which river Improvement cannot be
permanent. will at the same time help
to postpone the threatened timber
famine. and will secure US against a
total dearth Of timber by providing
for the perpetuat!on OF the rema ming
woodlands. Irrigation will create the
means of livelihood for millions of
people. and supplies of pure water will
powerfully promote the public health.
II the policy OF waterways improve
ment here recommended is carried out.
1t will affect for good every citizen
OF the Republic. The National Gov
trnment must play the leading part in
securing the largest possible use OF
our waterways: other agencies can
assist. and should assist but the work
Is essentially national in its scope.
What Congress Should Do.
The various uses Of waterways are
now dealt with by Bureaus scattered
through four federal Departments. At
present. therefore, ii is not possible to
deal with a river system as a single
problem. But the Commission here
recommends a policy under which all
the commercial and industrial uses Of
the waterways NAV be developed at
the same time. To that end, Congress
should provide some adminstr tive
machinery for coordinating the work
OF the various Departments so far as
it relates to waterways. Otherwise
there will not only be delay, but the
people as a whole will fail to get from
our streams the benefits to which they
are justly entitled.
The Commission recognizes that the
cost of improving our inland water
ways will be large. but far less than
would be required to relieve the con-
gestion of ira ffic by railway extension.
The benefits OF such improvement will
be large also, and they will touch the
daily life of our people at every point.
uniting the interests of all the States
and sections of our country. The cost
and the benefits should be equita bly,
distributed, by cooperation with
the States and the communities, cor
porations. and individuals henefically
affected I heartily concur in the Com
missions recommendation to this end.
Such cooperation should result in
united effort in carrying out the great
duty OF improving our inland water
ways. While we delay. our rivers re
main unused. our traffic is periodically
congested, and the material wealth
and natural resources Of the country
related to waterways are being stead
lily absorbed by great monopolies.
Schemes of Corporations.
Among these mOnopolies. as the re
, port of the Commission points out
there is no other which threatens, or
has ever threa tened such intOlerabe
Interference with the daily life of the
people as the consolidat ton OF com
panies controlling water power. | cal
YOUR special attention to the attempt
of the power corporations, through
/ bills introduced at the present session
to escape from the possibility Of Gov
eminent regulation in the interest OF
the people These bills are intended
to enable the corporations TO take pos
session in perpetuity Of national forest
/ lands for the purposes Of their bust
ness, where and as they please, wholly
without compensation to the public
Yet the effect of granting such priv
! ready acquired under States laws
would be to give away properties Of
enormous value. Through lack of fore
| sight We have formed the habit Of
granting without compensation ex
! tremely valuable rights amounting Il
Tuonopolies on navigable streams ant
on the public domain. The repurchas s.
at great expense OF water rights thu.
carelesSly given away without return
has already begun in the East, and be
fore long will be necessary in the Yves
also, No rights Involving water powe
should be granted TO any corpora tom
in perpetuity. but only for length o
time sufficient TO allow them to con
duct their business proftably. 4
reasonable charge should of course b.
made for valuable rights and privilege
which they obtain from the Nationa
Government. The values for which
this charge is made viii ultimately
through the natural growth ant
orderly development OF our population
and industries, reach enormous
. amounts A fair share of the incTea =,