The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1909-11-05
the WATERWAYS CONVENTION MUST
ACT.

-"
river will prove the most profitable
in the history or presidential trav-
els, and the profits accruing there
from will benefit the people of the
whole country. Still the people in
towns and villages along riparian
lands will receive the most direct
benefits.
President Taft, in his speech at
New Orleans, threw the gauntlet at
the Convention, and now its up to
them to act. The success of move
ment depends upon the men con-
nected with the several organiza-
tons represented at the convention.
They must impress Congress with
the necessity of providing the means
with which to develop the Missis-
sippi river.
Almost every statement made by
the President proves that he favors
the movement, and this fact is a
source of muoh encouragement to the
promoters interested in this work.
His declaration in favor of deepen
ing and improving the Mississippi
was backed by his suggestion of i'm
provements of the Chic river, which
is a most valuable feeder of the Mis-
sissippi.
We hope that the work will be
taken up systematically by the alb
lest men behind the movement, and
it is not likely that with such coop.
! Grafton as the President evidences
success will be meted out the pro-
ject.
The question of inland waterway
improvement is now in it's acute
stage. Like all great public ques'
tons involving the expenditure Of
money from the national treasury
the principal object in view hao
been overlooked in the discussion Of
the question of coet. Today, thanks
to an awakened public sentiment II
and among public officials, not less
than in the great body of citizen
ship, the question of cost has be-
come secondary because OF the de
monstration of the benefits tina
would ensue to all classes of trade
and commerce and, inevisably, tx
the great body of consumers-tht
the benefits far exceeding the cost
a fact that is now admitted as freely
as it is admitted that the presen'
means of transportation are grossly
inadequate.
If there has been delay in the
awakening of public sentiment OF
the question of inland waterway i'm
provement and if there has been de
lay in the awakening of the oficia
mind, it is none the less true tina
when the American people make W
their minds to the doing of any grea'
work, the work is done. The recen'
trip of President Taft down the Mis-
sissippi showed, as no other objec
lesson could show, the determination
to formulate a policy and to pursue
that policy without halting-witf
the pork barrel for all time eliminat
ed and with projects determined OF
their merits and not on extraneou.
influences and carried on to compile
ton for the public good and tht
advancement of the trade and com
merce of the whole country. Tha
feature of the new policy which has
grown to proportions of active lifs
and perfect strength through thu
activity and persistence of the Nat
ional RIVER and Harbors Congress
was made plain by the President il
his address at st. Louis. 1t is
policy in which all who favor inlanl
waterway improvement for the gen
eral good will unite with the utmos
heartiness.
Another showing of the demand
for improvement of the inland wat
erways Of the country is in a recen
exceedingly well timed editorial il
the Memphis Commercial Appeal il
which that paper, from the banks o
the Mississippi, demands the i'm
provement of the Ohio River to !;
nine foot stage not for the benefit O
the people of the Ohio Valley stag,
alone but for the tremendous impe
tus it would give to the development
of the great Mississippi Valley. Thu
Commercial Appeal took a broae
view of the question. In the i'm