The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-30
What Is Needed Now Is Action
on Deep Waterways,
Says President Kayanagh in His
Address.
A STORY OF INACTION.
Is the Rivers History He Tells
the Convention.
Says the People Look to Taft
for Action.

plan for a deep waterway IS an ac-
cornplished fact. What we need now
is action" declared w. X. kavanagh,
president of the Lakes-to-the-Gulr
Deep Waterway association. in his
address at the opening of its conven-
ton today. THE history of the Mis-
sissippi river has been a story OF IN
action and of niggardly approprla-
tions, which have been fought through
the rivers and harbors committee, and
through congress without rhyme or
reason said the speaker. Ihe Whole
valley is sick with the congeStlon Oh
its transportation system, ana OILY
this deep waterway can relieve II. Inc
people of the Mississippi valley must
have definite assurance that this car
rier is to be completed at certain
date, and that date must not be mucn
more remote than the compietloh oI
the Panama canal
Mr.. Kavanagh said that the people
looked to President Taft for the exc
cution of the great task. He referred
to the executives trip down the river,
saying:
He has seen the richest farm lands
in the world crumbling from its
banks, dissolving in its waters; he has
seen levees that protect $4,000 square
miles of this rich alluvial soil threat
ened by these caving banks; ne has
seen the remains of uncompleted re-
vetments that have been torn away
by the river. because a neglectful con-
gress had not provided for their COM
pletion, and he has seen thousand
mile channel unburdened by a single
modern vessel, the docks of its many
cities unmarked by a single installa-
ton of modern terminal apparatus.
Bound to a Fixed Channel.
There was a day when the Missis-
nSidpr0d nnfama BILE
stream which shifted its channel and
devoured its banks at will. Today we
are able to show the president of the
United States two remarkable
changes: one of these is river which,
in its most difficult and most readily
shifting parts, has been bound down
by the engineers to a fixed channel.
with permanent banks; that has been
forced to seour it's own bed, and per-
NIT the passing of deeper ships.
1.-The other is a great garden land
of soil worth from 800 to 5000 an
acre. capable of producing in crops
every year enough money to pay
many times over the entire cost of
14-foot channel from Chi
cage to New Orleans, and this soil
same engineering devices which have
held the river in its fixed bed and
which make the Deep Waterway.
1--WE have shown him this, and now
we are ready to ask him to extend the
rcvetments which do this work into
svery bend on the Mississippi, and to
carry this deep, waterway and the pro-
lection to farm lands adjacent to ii
the course of the Mississippi.
I'VE wiz h to go further than this
revetment and contraction,
ard to see some broad general plan
adopted, which shall cover the whole
control of the water in the river, shall
essen the floods. and give US a more
general flow ut low water, and at the
same time restrict the channel. We
believe that this work must be carried
m. NOT piecemeal by local divisions, and
subject to occasional appropriations by
Congress, as has been done in the past:
nor do we believe that this work should
cnger he subject to the annual argu-
ments and Vaccinations of rivers and
harhors committee.'
Deep Waterway Feasible.
Mr. Kavanagh said: Engineers have
surveyed the route and have declared a
le-p waterway feasible and easy of de-
,Crnplishment. The best civil engineers
ave declared it inevitable" ne said.
Chicago has spent $60,CU0,0O0 cutting
lie channel through the rocky divide
and Illinois is spending $2OOo0,OO0 - step
t by ticks to the Soft-botL~m Eo' tlUn or
he Illinois river" the speaker declared.
From there to the gulf the way is clear
and the plans are ready"
Mr. Kavanagh said: 1.-THE people will
&c longer tolerate the 'pork-barreP
Method Of compelling government engl-
leers to allot funds for river improve
nents, according to congressional dis
riots, nor will they allow the develop
nent of the greatest of their highways
% depend upon uncertain appropria-
ions"
RE speaker said that when congress
.onvenes this winter it will have to con-
,ider seriously for the first time the
lreat nrobleni of The conservation of
later. which President Roosevelt fore
Jaw. and among other things, the estab-
ishment Of some big central bureau,
o undertake tho entire control of our
'unni' water.
must not wait fer th,,. In foods and
IL low water. a fourtcen-foot channel
AN be easily maintained"
Mr.. Kavanagh ~''ot, President Taft
IS. having said that in order TO solve |
he transportation problem we must |
ave recourse to our waterways. and |
orainued: THE problems of transport |
.tion multiply with the increase of pros |
Gritty, and the president of the nation
Who is so certain that waterways are |
he solution of our trouble is the very |
re who is most determined TO lead US |
N to the greatest increase of prosperity. |
demands a guarantee of this: |
or the conservation of water may take. |
he project for the fourteen-f foot Lakes |
o-the-Gulf waterway shall be adopted |
ma pushed on to completion.
1t Is Worth the Money.
"Although in recent report which |
,sta bIished the feasibility and efficiency |
Of the work from a constructive point |
Of view. the army engineers attempted |
~ deride its commercial value. the |
of the chief executive and rep
of $4,000, 900 people here is |
evidence that the people believe that !
he project is worth the money. no
natter what the cost, and resubmit the |
,ost is reasonable. They believe. as |
President Taft believes, and as Theo-
lore Roosevelt believed, in the ef-
iciency of the waterways. Give us
leep channels they cry to congress.
and we will build ships and carry car
goes on them
1.-THE plan for the waterway must be
adopted as a whole, and must be ad-