Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1909-11-02
(By Associated Press. J


the time for oratory is past, the
Lakes-to-the-Gulf" Deep WATERWAYS
convention tonight decided to send
300 lobbyists to Washington to de-
mand that congress deepen the Mis-
sissippi river. A resolution to that
effect was offered by David r. Fran
els, ex-governor of Missouri. There
was silence for a moment after the
resolution was read, the lobby idea
apparently shocking the delegates for
a moment, then somebody turned
loose an old-fashioned rebel yell,
and the resolution was adopted with
whoop. In the confusion it was
doubtful if ten delegates knew that
the regular report of the resolutions
committee had been adopted. Rep
resentative Duncan Mckinley of Cal
ifornia was one of the speakers at
the afternoon session, and made a
spirited argument on the necessity
of improving the inland waterways.
The principal speaker today was
Clifford Pinchot, chief forester of
the government, and in part he
spoke as follows:
The connection between forests
and rivers is like that between faith
.
So forester may not be wholly be-
yond his depth .when he talks about
streams. The conquest of our riv-
ers is one of the largest commercial
questions now before us.
"The commercial consequences of
river development are incalculable
It's results cannot be measured by
othe yard stick of present commercial
Aytter conditions of transportation
than we have now, but it means de-
velopment, too. We cannot see this
problem clearly and see it whole in
the light of the past alone.
"The actual problems of river de-
velopment are not less worthy of
our best attention than their com
mercial results. Every river is a
unit from its mouth to it's source.
If it is to be given its highest use
fulness to all the people, and serve
them for all the uses they can make
of it, it must be developed with that
idea clearly in mind. To develop a
river for navigation alone, or power
alone, or. irrigation alone, is often
like using a sheep for mutton, or
steer for beef, and throwing away
a
unit, but it's uses are many, and
with our present knowledge there
can be no excuse for sacrificing one
use to another If both can be sub
served.
"a progressive plan for the de-
velopment of our waterways is es-
sential. Pending the completion of
that plan, which should neither be
IyaY cd
drowned in excessive deliberation,
work should proceed at once on
some of the greater projects which
under any plan that may be devised.
First and foremost of these by unan
imous consent is the Improvement
of the Mississippi river.
"a comprehensive and progressive
plan of the kind we need can be
made in one way only, and that~is
the United States appointed directly
by the president of the United
States.
"Such a plan must consider every
use to which our rivers can be put,
and every means available for their
control. 1t must deal with such
the states and the nation in the con-
struction and control of the work,
and the coordination of rail and
river transportation. The engineer
ing difficulties may be larger than
any we have yet solved. The ad-
iustment of opposite demands be-
tween conflicting interests and local
tiles. and other questions of large
reach. and often of great legal COM
nlexity. will tax the powers of the
hest men we have No part of the
work will require greater temper
ance. wisdom and foresight than
certain questions of policy and law.
"I have observed in the course of
some experience that difficulties
originating with the law are pecul-
iarly ant to foster misconceptions.
Jkaanpens that the service with
ch | have the honor to be con-
nected supplies just now a typical
example.
"Certain newspapers have said of
late that the forest service has gone
hevond the law in carrying out its
work This assertion has been re-
neated SO persistently that there is
danger that it may be belieVed.
Tha friends of conservation must
not he led to think that before the
forest service can proceed legally
with its present work all the haz-
ards and compromises of new regis
lation must be faced. ;,
Fortunately, the charge OF nj IL
legal action is absolutely false Inc
forest service has had ample iegai
authority for everything it has dohe,
Not once since 1t was created mas
any charge of illegality, despite tne
most searching Investigation ana
the bitterest attack. ever led TO re-
versal or reproof by either house 0,
congress or by any congresslohas,
committee since the creation o.
the forest service and the expenu,,
ture of more than $1,000, ,Ooe mas
nassed successfully the scrutiny OIL