The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1909-11-01
WAR SECRETARY
URGES CAUTION
Lakes-to-Gu Waterway Too Vast
and Costly to be Improvi-
dently Undertaken
DICKINSON GIVES AN ADDRESS
Tells Deep Waterway Association
There is Conclusive Evidence Some
thing Should be Done on Large
ScsIeN But T-ere Should be DELHI
Grafton and Care in Making Plans.


New Orleans, La. Nov. Jacob NJ.
Dickinson, secretary of war, was a
speaker at the convention OF the
Lakes to-the- Gulf Deep Waterway AS
sOciation to-day. Mr.. Dickinson urged
that caution be exercised in the plan
for the proposed Lakes-to- the-Gulf
waterway. saying the work was too
vast and costly TO be improvidently
undertaken. "It so vitally affects the
fortunes of so large a territory that
no immature plan, nor one that will
not be acquiesced in by the country
should have your advocacy" the
speaker declared.
He added, "Our people will under
take any expenditure that they are
convinced is well justified
There is conclusive evidence that
something should be done as early as
possible on large scale. for
utilizing the transportation facilities
with which nature has provided us"
In beginning his address, Secretary
Dickinson said
THE proposed improvements to
navigation that now absorb our in
terest are of stupendous magnitude.
and present questions involved in
much controversy Heretofore, the
work has been detached, spasmodic.
intermittent. 1t has largely depended
upon the activity of merely local in
huences. Now all the forces of the
public sentiment i'm the states border
ing on the Mississippi and its tribu-
taries have converged and there is a
conclamatory cry for inaugurating and
carrying to prompt execution COM
prehensive and permanent plan that
will give to that region the highest de-
velopment that it's natural transporta-
tion facilities, aided by the best en-
gineering skill. can afford.
"Hasty and unsound conclusions will
be discredited by sober second thought
1t would be a calamity of the mag
nificent enthusiasm behind this move
ment. which it has taken so many
years to evolve and concentrate, should
be a mere brutum fulmen, as ii will
expression carry the conviction that
they are sound. and promise results
commensurate with the proposed ex-
penditure.
'"rhe government has already devot-
ed approximately six hundred millions
for the Improvement of the waterways.
of which two hundred and eight mil
lions were expended in the Mississip-
pl valley. The advocates Of the intra-
Coastal waterway from Boston TO
Florida: and thence to the Rio Grande,
covering distance of about twenty
six hundred miles. connecting up nav
igable streams in esse and posse of ap-
27.6OO miles, are not
hut i'm a state of the high
est activity. They will be insistent
Tor appropriations. The aggregate cost
of internal Improvement now advocated
is estimated at about five hundred
millions of dollars. Those that assure
outlay viii come to the front. There
may be cooperation, but there will
probably be rivalry for appropriations.
"The resolutions of the Atlantic
Deeper Waterways association. while
expressing sympathy with all meritor-
ious movements for the Improvement
of the waterways. specifically refcrr-
ing to that proposed from the lakes to
the gulf. pledges cooperation only up
on a plan within reasonable limits of
cost. We can carry ourselves off our
own feet by enthusiasm. but cannot
stampede the judgment of the country.
We must meet the test of cool critical
Resolutions and assertions
will not carry the day. The opinions
Of the unscientific, however loudly
and positively proclaimed. are not go
ing TO settle a matter OF such compl-
cation and gravity.
"The report of the special board of
engineers makes "A prima facie case
against a depth Of fourteen feet. I'm
n matter of so much moment il would
be unwise To either accept or reject IL
until il has passed under the most
critical judgment of those competent
to deal with it. The actual prosecution
OF work so long maturing TO the
point of undertaking can be suspended
long enough to ascertain what Is prac-
tically best and demonstrate Il so that
it will carry general conviction.
"In determining upon course OF ac-
tion. IL is well to consider that much
time may be lost i'm standing out now
for ;ire deeper channel (fourteen feet
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