Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1908-02-26
President Submits Report Of
Commission. Calling At
tentiOn to Past
Neglect.
COMMERCIAL GAIN IS
ONLY ONE BENEFIT
Water Transportation Would Save
Coal and Iron and Benefit Ma
terially Every Citizen In Uni
ted StdteS--COmmiSSlOn
Urges Congress to Act.

Washington. Feb. 26.-Presdent
Roosevelt today submitted to Con-
gress the preliminary report of the
Inland Waterways commission. In
transmitting the report he took oc-
caslon to call attention to the unim-
proved waterways of the country and
in his message, said in part
"Ou river systems are better
adapted TO the needs of the people
than those of any other country. In
extent distribution, navigability and
ease Of use. they stand first. Yet the
rivers of no other civilized country
are so poorly developed, so little used
or play so small a part in the indus
trial life of the nation as those of the
United States In view of the use
made of rivers elsewhere, the failure
to use our own is astonishing, and
no thoughtful man can believe that it
will last. The accompanying report
indicates clearly the reasons for it
and the way to end it.
THE development of our inland
waterways will have results far be-
yond the immediate gain to COM
merce Deep channels along the At
lantic and gulf coasts and from the
gulf to the great lakes will have high
value for the national defense. The
use of water power VIII measurably
relieve the drain upon our diminish
ing supplies of coal and transporta-
tion Oy water instead of by rail only
will tend to conserve our iron.
Forest protection, without which
river Improvement cannot be perma-
nent, will at the same time help to
postpone the threatened timber fam
inc, and will secure us against total
dearth Of timber by providing for the
perpetuation of the remaining wood
lands. Irrigation will screate the
means Of livelihood for millions of
people, and supplies of pure water
viii powerfully promote the public
health.
IF the policy of waterway inn
provement here recommended is car
ried out, it will affect for good every
citizen Of the republic. The national
government must play the leading
part in securing the largest possible
use Of our waterways; other agencies
can assist and should assist, but the
work is essentially national in it,
scope"
TO Improve Streams
The report OF the commission re-
views the organization, Investigations
and findings of that body and makes
number of recommendation II
says in part
The possibilities of inland uaviga-
tion are indicated by the fact that
there are in mainland United states
some 25,00O miles of uavigated riv-
ers and at least an equal amount
which are naviga Bile or might be made
so by Improvement; there are also
some $500 miles of navigable canals
ana over $500 miles of sounds, bays
and bayouS readily connectable on
canals aggregating less than l.OOt
miles in length to form inner pas
sages paralleling the Atlantic and gull
coasts
1t is conservative TO estimate thai
judiciOuS improvement of the water,
ways of the country will confer direct
benefits through increased transpor,
tation facilities which will exceed tn,
cost, while the collateral benefits will
be at least comparable with the gair
to commerce Under a co-ordinate(
plan, such collateral benefits as tn,
enhanced value of lands reclaimed by
irrigation and drainage, the value o,
NAAiI l''N'l ANNtl' Itlr the lntIelSeN
values due 10 the prevention of flood,
and low waters, and the great bene
fits of purified and clarified water
will more than balance the cost Of tn,
works.
We recommend that the Congress,
De asked to make suitable provision
for improving the inland waterway,
of the United States at a rate com
mcnsurate with the needs Of the peo
pie as determined by competent au
thority, and We suggest that sucl
provision meet these requisites, viz.
Expert framing of d definite policy
certainly # continuity and co-ordina,
non of plan and work. expert initia.
tive In the choice of projects and the
succession of works freedom i'm selec
tiou Of projects I'm accordance with
terms Of cooperation. and the wides
opportunity for applying modern bust
ness methods.