The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1908-02-29
esuits To Be Gained by the De-
veIopment Of Our Inland
Waterways.
Commerce Driven from the Mississippi
River by Unregulated
Railways
Duties of the Government In Securing
the Largest Possible Use OF Our
Waterways-Commi
Report Praised.

President Roosevelt sent 20 con-
gress a message accompanied by the
preliminary report OF the inland water.
Ways commission. the substance OF
which has already been published. The
president tells congress that unusual
care has been taken In compiling the
report and that the subject with which
II deals is OF the utmost Importance
both TO the present and the future OF
our country. The message follows:
To the Senate and House OF Repre-
senatives: ~
i transmit herewith n Preliminary
Report from the Inland Waterways
Commission. which was appointed by
me last March In response TO n wide
spread interest and demand from the
people. The basis OF this demand lay
In the general and admitted inability
OF the railroads 20 handle promptly
the traffic OF the country. and espe.
clally the crops OF the previous Fall
This report Is well worth your Mt
tention IL Is thorough. conservative
sane and just IL represents the ma.
ture judgment OF a body OF men ex-
ceptionally qualified. by personal ex.
perience and knowledge OF conditions
throughout the United States, TO
understand and discuss the great
problem OF how best 60 use our water.
ways in the interest OF all the people
Unusual care has been taken 10 secure
accuracy and balance OF statement
If the report errs M all II Is by over.
conservatism. II contains findings or
Efments OF fact. number OF specl-
Recommendations. and an account
OF inquiries still in progress, and II Is
based In part on statistics and other
Information contained In n volumnous
appendix. The subject with which Il
deals is OF critical importance both TO
the present and the future OF our
country.
Rivers Poorly Developed
Our river systems are better adapted
20 the needs OF the people than those
OF any other country. In extent, dIstrl-
button. nnvigablity. and ease or use.
they stand first Yet the rivers OF no
other civilized country are so poorly
developed. so little used, or play so
small part In the industrial life or
the nation ns those OF the United
States In view OF the use made OF
rivers elsewhere. the failure 10 use our
own is astonishing. and no thoughtful
man can believe that II VIII last The
accompanying report indicates clearly
the reasons for II and the way 20
end t.
The Commission finds that II was
unregulated railroad competition which
prevented or destroyed the develop
| ment OF commerce on our inland
| waterways. The Mississippi. our great.
est natural highway, Is case I'm point.
At one time the traffic upon II was
4 without n rival In any country. The
report shows that commerce was
\ driven from the Mississippi by the
railroads. While production was
limited the railways, with their con
venient terminals. gave quicker and
more satisfactory service than the
waterways Later they prevented the
! resignation OF river traffic by keeping
down their rates along the rivers. re-
! coupling themselves by higher charges
elsewhere. They also acquired water
fronts and terminals 90 an extent
| which made water competition impos.
sIble. Throughout the country the
railways have secured such control OF
canals and steamboat lines that 20
day inland waterway transportation
In largely In their hands. This was
natural and doubtless inevitable under
the circumstances. but IL should not be
allowed 10 continue unless under care
ful Government regulation.
Requires Intelligent Regulation.
Comparatively little inland freigh,
h carried by boat which Is not carried
d. OF It's journey by rail also As
X Export shows. the successful de
Kmcnt aud use OF our Interstate
SnrAays will require intelligent
Population Of the relations between
|ail ana water traffic, when this Is
lone the railways and waterways vii
hsslst Instead OF mJurr each other
Both win benefit but the chief benefit
wlll accrue to the people IN general
through quicker and cheaper trans
poftation.
The report rests throughout on thl
Fundamental conception that every
waterway shoud be made 70 serve tbs
PEOPLE as largely and In rs many dlf