The Daily Missoulian., 1909-01-23

PRESIDENT TRANSMITS
COMMISSIONS REPORT
Continued From Page One.)

to the increase of a mans wealth or
power. The time is coming when
man will be judged, not by what he
has succeeded in getting for himself
from the common store, but by how
well he has done his duty as a citizen,
and by what the ordinary citizen has
gained in freedom of opportunity be-
cause of his service for the common
good. The highest value we know is
that Of the individual citizen, and the
highest justice is to give him fair
play in the effort to realize the best
there is in him.
The tasks this nation has to doSare
great tasks. They can only be done
at all by our citizens acting together,
and they can be done best of all by
the direct and simple application Of
homely common sense The applica-
ton of common sense to common
problems for the common good, under
the guidance of the principles upon
which this republic was based, and by
virtue Of which 1t exists, spells per-
petuity for the nation, civil and in
dustrial liberty for it's citizens, and
freedom of opportunity in the pur-
suit of happiness for the plain Amer
lean, for whom this nation was
founded, by whom it was preserved,
and through whom alone 1t can be
perpetuated. Upon this platform
larger than party differences, higher
than class prejudice, broader than any
question Of profit and loss-there Is
room for every American who real
ICES that the common good stands
first
The national conservation commits
sion wisely confined it's report to the
statements of facts and principles
leaving the executive to recommend
the specific steps to which these facts
and principles inevitably lead. Ac-
cordingly, I call your attention to
some of the larger features of the sit
uation disclosed by the report, and to
the action thereby clearly demanded
for the general good.
Natural Waterways.
The report says.
Within recent months it has been
recognized and demanded by the peo-
pie, through many thousand dele
gates from all states assembled in
convention in different sections of the
country, that the waterways should
and must be approved promptly and
effectively as a means of maintaining
national prosperity.
The first requisite for waterway i'm
provement is the control of the waters
in such manner as to reduce floods
and regulate the regimen Of the navi-
gable rivers. The second requisite is
development of terminals and connec-
tions in such manner as to regulate
commerce.
Accordingly, l urge that the broad
plan for the development of our
waterways, recommended by the in
land waterways commission, be put in
effect without delay. 1t provides for
comprehensive system of waterway
improvement extending to all the uses
of the waters and benefits to be de-
rived from their control, including
navigation, the development of power,
the extension of irrigation, the drain
age of swamp and overflow lands, the
prevention Of soil wash, and the puri-
fication of streams for water supply
1t proposes to carry out the work by 1
co-ordinating agencies in the federal
departments through the medium of
an administrative commission or
board, acting in cooperation with the
states and other organizations and in
dividual citizens.
The work of waterway development
should be undertaken without delay.
Meritorous projects in known con-
formity with the general outlines of