Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-03-04
PRESIDENT SUBMITS REPORT or
COMMISSION TO NATIONAL
CONGRESS
MANY PHASES OF THE QUESTION
ARE PRESENTED AND
DISCUSSED.
WOULD CONSERVE ALL REsouR.
cEs CONNECTED WITH RUN
MING WATERS.

igation and at the same time coordin-
ate the agencies and means of trans
portation, develop the collateral be-
nefits of waterway improvement, adapt
all natural and industrial conditions re
lated with waterways to the attain
ment of maximum benefits at the min
imum cost, and perfect means for dis
tributing the cost equitably between
federal agencies, states, municipalities,
communities, corporations, and indiyi-
duals in a prompt and efficient AID
economical manner, it is desirable to
maintain an administrative agency
with large powers for the investiga-
ton and elaboration Of projects under
suitable legislative regulation"
Such. in concrete, is the view Of the
| inland waterways commission in re-
port submitted to the president and
! by him sent to congress yesterday.
The commission was appointed year
ago and its members are Theodore f.
Burton, chairman, Senator Francis G.
Newlands, Senator William Warner
John H. Bankhead, General Alexander
Mackenzie, Mr.. w. ]. MCGEE, Mr.. P.
H. Newell Mr. Clifford Pinchot, Her
bert Knox Smith.
The commission, after year of in
vestigation, makes an exhaustive re-
port of the conditions together with
recommendations among them.
That hereafter plans for the inn
provement of navigation in inland
waterways, or for any use of these
waterways in connection with inter
state commerce, shall take account OF
the publication of the waters, the de
yelopment of power, the control of
floods, the reclamation of lands by ir-
rigation and drainage, and all other
uses of the waters or benefits to be
derived from their control;
THAT both local and general bene.
fits to the people shall be fully con-
sidered in any such plans for the i'm
provement of navigation in inland
waterways in connection with inter
state commerce.; and that wherever
practicable federal agencies shall CO
operate with States, municipalities,
communities, corporations, and indi-
yiduals with view to an equitable
distribution of costs and benefits;
THAT any plans for the navigation
or other use of inland waterways in
connection with interstate commerce
shall take full account of transfer ia
ciHties and sites, and of the location
of tracks, grades, bridges dams de-
and source streams with view TO
equitable cooperation between water
way and railway facilities for the pro
motion of commerce and the benefit
of the people;
THAT plans for improveing the in
land waterways shall take account OF
the present and prospective relation
of rail lines to such waterways, and
shall ascertain so far as may be
whether such waterways when inn
proved will De effectively used in the
face of railway competition; and that
the relations between railways and
waterways be further examined with
the purpose of devising means of rem
dering the two systems complement.
tary and harmonious and making such
fair division of traffic that rates and
management may be coordinated eco
nomically and with benefit to the
country
'9Fhe adoption Of means for ascer-
tanning regularly all facts related to
traffic on the inland waterways. and
for publishing the same in form
suitable for genral use.
"The adoption of means for ascer-
tanning and rendering available, at
such rate as to meet public necessities,
ali requisite data related to the phys
cal character and general utility OF
the navigable and source streams OF
the country.
THAT any plans for the use of in
land waterways in connection with In
terstate commerce shall regard the
streams of the country as an asset OF
the people shall take full account
of the conservation of all resources
connected with INNING waters, and
shall look to tn, protection Of these
resources from monopoly and to their
administration in ire interests OF the
people"
During the progress Of deliberation
by the committee plan was proposed
to President Roosevelt for the call Of
conference upon the waterways
question and on November 10 he ~
sued invitations to the governors Of
he states and territories to meet a.
the white house May 1915, 1908 the
conferees to con, prise also three az
sistants or advisors to be selected by
each governor; the senators and rep
reeentatives in the sixtiet. congress;
tht members Of the inlhnd waterways
commission: and representatives OF
certain national organizations dealing
with natural resources. The commits
sion tic,pates from the deliberations
Of this conference results Of the nj
most value as regards both tons
and policies
In a supplemental report Francis c.
Newland. a member of the commission
and notable authority upoD the sub.
ject under consideration, said:
Il concur in the report Of the corn
omission, but desire 10 emphasize my
| haIfaF that q &c ~ che Highest fyonr,..