Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-15
A A YEAR.

CONGRESSMAN 10eOQOT6 Burton VI
Ohio, without question the best in
formed man in America on the ma
tons waterways, makes the some
what startling assertion that the
United States could save $1,000, 0OO,-
600 a year by making provision for
the proper conservation of the ma
tons waterways. Mr.. Burton is not
a radical, but, on the contrary, is
recognized as one Of the most con-
sentative men in public life. He has
been chairman of the house commit
tee. on rivers and harbors for many
years and has personally inspected
every important stream in the coun-
try and has given years of study and
investigation to existing conditions
and feasible plans for their improve
ment. His views must, therefore, be
given much greater weight than would
be accorded the expressions of an en-
thusiast.
Mr.. Burton's conclusions are based
on statistics compiled in the gather
ing Of data for the report of the In
land Waterways commission, of which
he is chairman. He argues that the
Improvement of the waterways would
effect a direct savings to the people
of $25O,0O0, 900 a year in freight
charges; an annual saving in flood
damage Of $3.50, 600, 900; a saving in
forest fires of at least $25, 600, 900; an
annual saving through c~heapened
power of SIS, 900, 900, and an annual
saving in soil erosion Cor correspond
ing benefit through increased farm
production) of 100000, 900; al total
of 100000 900 a year, or about
$3.50 per capita. To these benefits
Mr.. Burton adds the other advantages
added by the extension OF the irri-
gated districts, the draining of swamp
lands and from a purified and cheap
ened water supply with consequent
diminution of disease and saving of
human life.
While exception may be taken to
some Of Mr.. Burton's figures and esti-
mates, he must be given credit for
first having placed in tangible form,
placing a money value thereon, the
benefits to be derived from an sintelli-
gent and systematic improvement OF
the nations rivers. He shows that
the saving certain to result from the
work would be twenty times greater
than the cost Of the improvement,
which has been placed at $500, 000,-
900 a year for ten years. But Mr.
Burton uses figures gathered from
official sources to support his esti-
mates. He shows that the cost OF
water transportation averages about
one-fourth of that of rail carriage
and, based on the tonnage figures OF
the railroads for 1906, would result
in a saving of $25O,OO0, 900 a year
The $500 100000 which he asserts is
lost each year by soil erosion is based
on statistics of the geological survey
showing the amount Of soil annually
washed into the rivers by foods and
freshets. To this must be added the
reduction In crop production caused
by the loss of this top soil. He shows
that there are nearly $4,000, 900 acre.
of most fertile lands in the natior
that are now valueless because of the
flooded condition of the territory IL
which they are located. This would
make a wonderfully rich addition t.
the crop-producing area of the coun
try If the waters were properly con
served and the foods prevented.
A significant feature Of the repor
is Mr.. Burton's estimate that the In
come derived from power developed
for the Improvement OF navigation
would, at the current market rates
amount to $500, 200 a year, o
enough to pay the cost of the pro
posed improvements. Mr.. Burton
report makes it evident that nothing
could be done that would effect
larger net profit to the whole peopl
than the carrying out of the plans O
the Inland Waterways commission.