New-York tribune., 1908-02-27

the .onomnnities corporations and individuals
beneficiaily affected heartily , concur ana ~ snch
cooperation should result IN united eiLor . rr -,
carrying out the great duty OF improvihs .us ous
inland waterways. While We delay our fFoIo
/ remain unused our traffic is periodically con-
gested and the material wealth and naturai re- re-
sources of the country related TO WATERWAYS '
| being steadily absorbed by great monopohes.
WATER POWER MoNoPoLIEs.
Among these nlonopolies. as the report OF
the commission points out there is no otheL
which threatens, has ever threale SUI,
jntolerable interference with the daily iiIe Oh
tho neonle as the consolidation of companies
controlling water power. l call your SD spe
cial attention to the attempt or the po@ea NJ
CORPORATIONS through bills introduced at hhe
nresenr session to escape from the possibility
Of government regulation in the interests VI .tle
people These bills are lntendeo 10 ttv ellauit IF
corpsration TO take possession in perpeluity oL
national forest lands for the purposes OF ceii i
business. where and as they please wholy VII VII
out COMPENSATION to the public Yet the eIIsSe
of granting such privileges taken together with
rights already acquired under state laws, . Moulu
be TO give away properties ol @ eiioa t,ed the
habit of granting without conpensd lIol 81
tremely valuable rights amounting 10 lhouUpG ,rG
lies on pavigable streams and on the pupiiC
domain The repurchase at great expense oI
water rights thus carelessly given away ~ ~Witloul
return has already begun IN the Las; anu iu
long will be necessary in the west also NO
rights involving water power should De grahtea
to any corporations in perpetuity, put o.llS 10 Iul
length of time sufficient TO allow theih u oot,
duct their business profitably. A reaSondpie
charge should OF course be made Tor faludple
rights and privileges which they obtain from
the nationaI government. The values for which
this charge is made will ultimately through the
natural growth and orderly development OF out
population and industries, reach enormous
amounts A fair share of the increase snoulo
be safeguarded for the benefit of the people,
from whose labor II springs. The proceeds thuS
secured, after the cost of administration ana ana
Improvement has been met. should natuIaly
be devoted TO the development OF our lilafu
The REPORT Justly calls attention to the fact
that hitherto our national policy has been one
of almost unrestricted disposition and waste OF
natural resources and emphasizes the funda-
mental necessity for conserving these resources
upon which our present and future success as
most valuable natural asset of the people, and
there is urgent need for conserving 1t sfr naSl-
cation, for power for irrigation ana loF 40
mestc and municipal supply.
The commission was appointed to obtain IN
formation concerning our waterways as reia1ed
to the general welfare Much work was done,
but more remains to be done before a plan Tor
their development can be prepared IN deta1l:
We need additional information on the flow ot
orr streams the condition of channels, the
amount and cost of water traffic. the require
ments for terminals the area in each watershed
which should be kept under forest ana the
means of preventing soil waste and the conSe-
quent damage to our rivers. But 1t is neltneI
necessary nor desirable TO postpone the begln-
ming Of the work until all the facts are obtained
We have suffered heavily in the past from the |
lack of adequate transportation facilities ana
unless a beginning is made promptly we snail
suffer still more heavily in the future
MAKE MISSISSIPPI SEA LOOP
Being without funds or expert staff, the
commission has confined itself to principles at
fecting the whole problem and the entire coun-
try Its report is a plea, in the Hght OF actudl
facts for simplicity and directness IN dealing
with the great problem of our inland waterways
in the interest of the people. 1t submits no
specific plans or recommendations concerning
even the most important projects. The hrst or
these Of course concerns the Mississippi and its
tributaries. whose commercial development VIII
directly affect half our people. The MISSISSIPPI
should be made q loop of the sea and work upon
it should be begun at the earliest possible mo- !
nent Only less important is the Atlantic inner
massage. parts of which are already under way. |
Tine inner passages along the Gulf Coast should |
be extended and connected with the Atlantc
waters. The need for the developing OF the
Pacific Coast rivers is not less pressing. our |
people are united in support of the immediate
adoption of progressive policy of inland water
way development.
way development has been largely negative
No single agency has been responslote uIloer ene
Congress for making the best use of our rivers
or for exercising foresight in their development
In the absence of a comprehensive plan the
only safe policy one of repression ana
procra tination Frequent changes of plan and
piecerneaI execution of projects have still fur
Their hampered improvement. A channel is no
deeper than its shallowest reach, and 10 I'M
prove a river short Of the point of effective
navigability is a sheer waste of all 1t cost IN
spite of large appropriations for their improve
rnent our rivers are less serYiCeable for inter
state commerce to-day than they We're half a
century ago, and in spite or the vast increase
in our population and commerce they are on the
whole less used.
The first condition of successful development
Of our waterways is definite and progressive
policy. The second is a concrete general plan,
prepared by the best experts available, cover
ing every TO which our streams can be put
we shall not succeed until the responsibility for
administering the policy and executing and eX-
tending the plan Is definitely laid on one man
or group of men who can be held accountable |
Every portion Of the general plan should con-
slider and far practicable secure 10 the
people the of water for power, irrigation
and domestic supply. as well as for naVlgatlon |
No project should be begun until the funds !
necessary TO complete 1t promptly are provided |
and no plan once under way should be changed |
except for grave reasons. Work once begun
should be prosecuted steadily and vigorously to
completion. We must make sure that projects
are not undertaken except for sound business
reasons and that the best modern business
methods are applied in executing them. The !
decision to undertake any project should rest
actual need, ascertalned by investigation and !
judgment of experts, and on its relation to great
river systems or 10 the general plan and never |
mere Clanlor.
The Improvement of our inland waterways
can and should be made to pay for itself SO far
practicable from the incidental proceeds from
water power and other uses. Navigation should |
OF course be free. But the greatest return viii !
come from the increased commerce, growth and
prosperity of our people For TINS we nave al
be provided, by bond issue if necessary, and the |
work should be delayed no longer The develop |
ment of our waterways and the conservation OF
cur forests are the two most pressing physical |
needs of the country. They are interdependent, |
and they should be met vigorously together and |
at once The questions of organization, powers |
and appropriations are now before the Congress
There is urgent need for prompt and decisive |
action.
COMMISSIONS REPORT
The report Of the commission set forth the |
existing conditions and the recommendations |
for improvement fellows
The possibilities of inland navigation are indicated