Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-07-16
For I~mproUment Of
The Missou,iR iuer

session Of the Missouri River Nayiga-
ton congress last night, either OF
which may be considered a keynote.
The Honorable Bartlett Trip, ex-
United States minister to Austria, and
formerly judge of the supreme court
of Dakota territory, recognized as one
OF the leading jurists in the country,
advocated impounding or imprisoning
the headwaters of the Missouri by
building dams and reservoirs. The
Honorable Edgar G.. Ellis, of Kansas
City. Mo-, president of the navigation
congress. n a former national rep
resentative from Missouri, suggested
the permanent improvement Of both
banks of the stream from source to
mouth.
Both recommendations met with
hearty approval, not only from the
delegates present, but from hundreds
OF those in the audience, which COM
pletely filed the huge convention tent.
II enthusiasts build cities and nations
and move mountains, then the Mis-
souri, river is already a navigable
stream, teeming with trade the
main artery of the nations commerce.
Yankton and delegates to the naviga-
ton congress were the Missouri river
last night. The Big Muddy was hui
manized. 1t entered the tent OF ora
tory and became a living stream. The
speakers Joined the flood. clarified the
flow of thought, and in the end becams
part OF the mighty waters which rolled
toward the goal-the permanent m
provement of the channel for naviga-
ton.
Behind in Common Things.
Judge Trip, IN ms mastery ad-
dress, pointed out that the United
States excels in all great things, but
fails in small. I'VE surpass the
world" said he, sin railroads, tele-
graphy, telephony, in the communica-
ton of state with state, of mind with
mind, but in the common things Of
life we are far behind the countries
of Europe.
of land and water, his country is be-
hind the times. Europe has per-
manently improved most of its streams
and long since saw it's wisdom.
Opposition to the permanent i'm
provement of the Missouri river, the
true father Of waters, is like the use
of sawdust in stopping the mighty rush
of Niagara. But there will be opposi-
ton as long as the existing methods Of
securing improvements are carried on.
Not by intermittent stretches of i'm
provement to the banks of the stream,
but by permanently and for all time
imprisoning the waters at the source
by dams and reservoirs, thus prevent
ing the flow of silt from the feeders Of
he upper stream from flowing down.
ward.
Loss is Enormous.
"The loss incurred now by the va
carries of the Missouri would more tina
half pay for the construction of dams
and reservoirs at the upper end. These
projects would serve a triple purpose,
providing enormous water power, sup
plying irrigation bitches and further
ing the fight for river traffic.
And this is a great fight.
ON my return from Vienna, l paid
less for the transportation OF my goods
10 New York than from Chicago to
Yankton. That is but an illustration
Of that most important phase of this
movement"
Judge Trip closed his address by
urging the delegates to persist in Sc
curing recognition from the govern
ment in their attempts to restore and
70 revive traffic On the Missouri.
Presenting his arguments in simple
yet forceful language, President Ellis,
Of the congress-, strongly advocated the
permanent Improvement Of both banks
Of the stream from source to mouth,
not in 'spasmodic dabs here and there,
bat from beginning to end" as he ex-
pressed il.
His address was humorous at times
and by tickling the risibilities of the
audience and deriding what he termed
the political prostitution to which for
mer attempts at river improvement
had been put, he soon had the hundreds
before him at his beck and call, laugh
ing when he chose, serious when he
willed. always his to command.
His remarks were succinct n sharp.
Iowa pay TT mills per ton for
D. - 49,. l. 80 n
Who pays the freight? p" He answered
himself, the farmer"
Northern Minnesota, a few years
ago." he continued, paid 27 cents a
bushel to ship wheat to New York.
Now, they're getting a rate of 5h
cents. Who make the profit? The
farmer.
I'VE are not here for a policy. We
are here for a project. The national
rivers n harbors committee Of con-
gress are a policy. We are a project.
[ know 1t will cost millions to perma-
nently improve the Missouri But I'm
talking millions because this coun-
try has them.
And for every million spent, there
will be a hundred million in return.
This is no dream. The United States
government engineers say this propo-
1ANACiA - . INV ~ 40 ~ w NhiC
people OF the Missouri valley to make
it so by building UP traffic on the river,
by municipal aid. by supporting boat
companies n oat-builders.'
Although 1t has been and still is, on
the surface, the sentiment of the con-
gress to be friendly with the railroad
interests, and although 1t has always
been emphasized by members of the
congress that the roads were support
ing the movement for a better Mis-
souri,, Ellis, in his speech last night.
plainly indicated the true feeling to-
ward the transportation companies.
Railroads Hurt Producer.
THE railroads." he said. in effect,
build MOI for but against the interests
Of the producer and They
never erect elevators or warehouses
alongside navigable streams but far
away. TIL even fight the forces OF
nature in order to satisfy their selfish
motives"