The Washington times., 1908-02-26
URGES RIVER DEVELOPMENT
TO HELP CARRY COMMERCE. or COUNTRY

=
same time. To that end, Congress
should provide some administrative ma
chinery FOR cO-OrdiI ating the work or
the various departments so far as It re-
lates 10 waterways. Otherwise there
will not only be delay but the people as
a whole Will fail to geg from our streams
the benefits to which they are justly en-
titled.
The commission recognizes that the
cost Of improving our inland waterways
viii be large, but far less tnan would
be required 10 relieve the congestion or
tTaftic by railway extension. The bene-
hts of such improvement VIII be large
also, and they viii touch the daily life
of our people at every point, uniting
the interests of all tie States and sec
tons of our c0Hntry. The cost and bene-
nts should be eqUitaby distributed, by
cooperation WITH the States and the
communities, corporations, and fndivid-
uaIs benefcially affected 1 heartily
concur Ia the commissions recommended
ton to this end. Such cooperation
should result in united effort In carry
ing out tho great duty Of improving our
inland waterways. Willie we delay. our
rivers remain unused our traffic is peri
odiCally cOngested and the material
wealth and natural resources OF the
country related to waterways are being
steadily absorbed by great monopolies.
Grab of Power Companies.
Among these m0nopoIies, as the report
OF the commission points out. there is
no other which threatens. or has ever
threatened. such into cradle interfer-
ence with the daily life OF the people
as the consolidation OF companies con-
trolling water power. call your special
attention TO the attempt Of the power
corporations. through bills introduced at
the present session, TO escape from the
possibility Of Government regulation IN
the interests OF the people These bills
are intended TO enable the corporations
70 take possession In perpetuity Of na-
tlonal forest lands fOr the purposes OF
their business, where and as they please
wholly without compensation 10 the pub
nc. 1et the effect OF granting such
privileges, taken together with rights
ALREADY acquired under State laws.
would be 20 give away properties of
enormous value Through lack Of fore
sight we have formed the habit Of grant
ING without compensation extremely val
liable rights amounting To monOpolies
on navigable streams and on the D,,1-
Tic Domain. The Tepurchase az great ex-
PsnSe or water rights thus Careleggly
gwen away without return has already
Desun IN the East, and before long will
be necessary in the West also.
No rights involving water povysr
should be granted to any corporatior1s
IN peFpeIuity. but only for a lengfh ~
lifne sufficient 10 allow them to cSnduct
Lnelr business prOfitably A reasona.bIe
charge should OF course be made. Tor val
liable rights and privileges -yvbfc6 tba,,
OBTAIN from the National Covernr7eyf
me values for which this CHARGE fs
made viii ultimately. through tie ~
ulat CROWN and orderly DEVELOPMENT OF
our population and industries reach
enormous amounts A faf~ share - -
ihcI easS should be safeguarded for +Le
Deheht or the people, from whose labo-
II springs. The proceeds thus secured
. s.tesL Ine cost OF administration and i'm,
h, -, - rs oeen met, should natural
- =, 70 devoted 10 The Improvement OF our
inland waterways. 14
Peoples Most Valuable Asset.
The report Justly calls attsp,fo, -
the fact that hitherto our ,stfa,,s1
policy has been one of almost 49,
stncted disposition and waste OF -
tural resources. and emphasize ~
fundamental necessity for .conser,-f-,s-
tLese resources upon which our nrasapt
ana future success as a nation pfinaarfIy
rests Running water is a most vsI,-
abe natural asset OF the peopIa and
mere L Is urgent need for conserving 81
Tor navigation. for power Tor f--9fs -
supply. anu MUNICIPAL
Inc commission wa. appointed IN oh
IAN information conc ATnfng orr Meter
ways as related to the General v,eIfsrs
Much work was done b1Tf 49, =
mains 10 be done before a Dia1 FOR
theIr development can be preDarAd n,
oetalI. We need additional information
on the flow of our streams an co,,5f I
uon Of channels, the amount ana 800
OF water traffic, the requirements FOR
terminals. the area In each vVafersbsd
s WtLlch should be kept under forest, and
me means Of preventl->,- sofl-wagte and
tne consequent damage to olIr rivers
OUT IL Is neither necessary nor de-
stFdb!e 70 postpone the BEGINNING Of
me WORK until all the facts are OBJ
taIueu- we have 81 Tered heavily IN
the past from the lock OF adeouate
transportation facilities. and unless q
Deelnhlng Is made promptly we shall
9uIcI sun more heavily in the future.
belh8 without funds or an expert
stan. the commission has confined Itself
70 principles affecting the whole Drot-
lem and the entire country. It's report
- a plea in the light Of actual facts.
lot simplicity and directness in dealing
with the great problem OF our inland
waterways in the interest Of the r,eoDle
" submits no specific plans or recon-
IONS concerning even the most
important projects. The first of these
or course concerns the Mississippi and
IT'S tributaries. whose commercial de-
velopment will directly affect half our
Begin on Mississippi.
The Mississippi should be made 2. loop
OF the sea and work upon IT should
be begun at the earliest possible mo-
ment Only less important is the At
lantic inner passage, parts of which
are already now under way The m
Ter passages along the Gulf coast
should be extended and connected with
the Atlantic 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 fn-
land waterway development
hitherto our national policy Of inland
waterway development has been largely /
negative. No single agency has been |
responsible under the Congress for max
ing the best use OF our rivers. or for |
exercising foresight in their development. |
In the absence OF a, comprehensive plan
the only safe policy was one OF repres-
sion and prOcrastination. FREQUENT (
changes OF plan and piecemeaI execu-
ton of projects have still further ham, /
pered Improvement. A channel is no
deeper than its shallowest reach, and 70
improve q river short OF the point of eG-
fectiVe navigability is a sheer waste OF
ali il costs. In spite OF the large appro-
priatiOns for their Improvement. our
rivers are less seFViceable for inter
state commerce today than they were
half century age, and in spite OF the /
vast increase in our population anu