The Sentinel=record., 1909-10-27


 nual budget because Of the necessity which they create for larger provis- ion to meet interest and sinking fund charges Appropriations of the amount suggested above would prob ably require not less than sl.oooooO annually for these two purposes. Then. foo. the cost of uplseep would run into some millions more 10 come out of current federal revenues.
 Nevertheless. 1t might be well wolih the cost By an annual outlay of sS.0000O0 the country could main tain thousand miles Of waterways in such condition as 10 cheapen the cost of distribution of raw materials of manufacture It would relieve the railroads of carrying the less lucra tive and grosser kinds of freight, thus admitting of more perfect adaptation uu their part 10 the requirements of more profitable freight traffic It could bring the waterways and the railway systems of the country into a most natural and normal relation of complemenlal service to the country as a whole
 Intelligent people are bound to un. deistand that if the day has not al ready come, it soon must, when this great central region of the United States will be SO filled with population and industries that the railroads can not do the carrying. although the prin. cipal lines be donble-tracked, as they should be-
 Most of the mining of coal and iron the greatest part of the petroleum and timber. while the chief of the food supply and of the cotton are in the Valley, and the time is not far off when there will be vast Influx of wopulation into this region, because i; will be found more advantageous for the manufacturer to move to the sources of the raw materially hicn they work up and for the workers to follow the mills and factories and to get so much nearer to ihe food sup. ply.
 Every practical person knows that 1t costs less to ship the manufactured a,tlcle tAan to move the raw material iii he crude state. and the necessity of taking advantage of every such economy will be recognized by all. That the Valley nf the Mississippi is going to be great seat of manu- facture. as well as the source of the cottcn and wheat and meat supplies, is so firmly founded ia the most ob- vious necessity, that will soon enforce realization, is beyond all sane coitro. rersy. Therefore. the need of every nayigable stream in the entire region will be imprative. and at the same time the railroads will have all the business they can carry, no matter how much their facilities for carrying may be developed
 The American people. in their craze for speed in travel and transportation, Will not readily turn from the rall roads to the waterways but they will be forced by the necessities imposed by rapidly developing conditions to use both rail and river to the utmost of their capacity.
 Of course, in order to carry cut the requisite Improvements to the river, a great deal of money will be required, and it can only be obtained by issu- ing bonds. President Taft recognizes. and has already declared, that if 1t is right to issue United tSates bonds for the construction of the Panama Canal t is quite as right and proper. and os more urgent necessity. to pledge the national credit for the opening of the natural waterways in the great heart of our country The president has committed himself to this. and a vast body of the nations population will support him in it.