Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1908-10-08


1t Il pleasing to note also that dur
Ing the past year great impetus has
been given to the increase Of our
forest reserves and. the conservation
Of our natural resources. The mag
nihcent work Of President Roosevelt
IN starting q movement that shall NOT
only increase the forests Of the West
but shall preserve the natural wealth
already possessed, should have tho
hearty commentator Of every West
ern citizen. It means great things
for our future. and the members OF
this Congress know better than any
one else how essential Is suca an I'M
dertakIng. It Is q part Of great
scheme that when worked out Will
transform the Trans-Mississippi sec
ton into marvellous picture Of
prosperity.
Mining.
But agriculture Is mot the only re-
source OF the states between the Pa
cific ocean and the Mississippi river.
The mining industry Of the mountain
commemorative has experienced a de-
velopment as marked as that Of the
farming communities. New machin-
cry and new methods have revolution
lied the mines. Every shaft is work
ed In a more systematic and profitable
manner than at any time since the
'49ers crossed the backbone Of the
continent.
Transportation 10 Chief Problem.
Out Of this remarkable advancement
Of the Trans-Mississippi country
comes one great problem that over
shadows all others now before US. I'm
portant as are the various interests
which we are trying to build up. and
close as are they to our national life,
the present day question before the
Trans-Mississippi country Is that OF
transportation for its constantly ris-
ing abundance of production. The ore
thing that the farmer and the miner
want to know today is how to get the
he produces most cheaply and
most directly to a world market. Only
two methods are open, by river trans
portation and by railway. There are no
vast inland seas, no great bays or
lakes to furnish a passage for all this
wealth Of grain and minerals. There
are rivers that flow for hundreds OF
miles, but offer only an Indifferent
method Of transportation. 1t is pleas
Ing to see that the government is yak-
ing an interest in the possibilities Of
this form Of transportation and that
the waterways are receiving attention.
It has been one of the efforts Of this
congress to urge and secure assist
ance along this line. The government
yves 1t to the people who occupy these
fertile acres to give every possible
lid in deepening and broadening the
,ivers that can carry our products to
leep waters. 1t owes to these states
Ind territories a more determined ef-
'ort than ever before to improve the
Western harbors to which may be
Ihipped Western products, The great
and mineral territory Of the
United States is going to have its
lights in waterway improvement, or
.now the reason why.
Waterways.
In making these improvements we
( the Trans-Mississippi country are !
1ost interested in those streams and
arbors that touch our own states. [
We are particularly DESTROYS that the
aylgation Of the Missouri and lower |
rivers be improved until
here shall be worthy advance to the {
Of our Western pro- 6
ucts. Along these streams are grow q
x cities and improved farms, and 4
lie government owes It to the men 3
no are making a prosperous country n
what. was once open plain that they D
} given every possible encourage d
ent. Il
only comparatively small G
,rtion Of the Trans-Mississippi coun- Ii
y can. be reached by navigable I
reams. We must depend upon the Il
on rail as a highway to market for |,
g greater portion of our products. ID
he railroads came into the Western n
ates and found them a trackless II