Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1909-01-23
MONSIGNOR LUCEY
 ON THE RIVER
Believes That the State Should Aid in the Repair of Keyctments and Rebuilding Dykes at This and 9th. cr Points Along the Arkansas.

CT Points Along the Arkansas.
 The suggestion of Hon. C. C. Reid, congressman from the Fifth district of the State. should. in my judgment. be discussed by able lawyers as to the powers of the State and by prac- tical river men as to the feasibility of State improvement of the naviga- tion of the Arkansas river.
 He suggests that the coming State Legislature make an appropriation for survey of the river that would result in a report as to plans and specifications. in the event of the work being feasible.
 The point which Congressman Reid makes is that the State should begin to do something for the Arkansas riv- CT within it's borders. Heretofore, city, county and State have done practically nothing for the improve ment of the grand waterway that U equal parts.
 I am able to remember the time ''before the war" when side-wheel SteamboatS came 10 Fort Smith from New Orleans, Cincinnati and St. Louis. Since that time. owing to the 'uA uApleasantness.' reconstruction" and the subsequent poverty of the times and perhaps the lack of public spirit, the steamboats have gradually dis appeared. It Is said that the source of trouble lies in the state of Okla homa. If so. we cannot do much with tho natives there to stop the denuda- ton of forest trees along the the tributaries of Arkansas river-that Is said to be one of the sources Of trouble The man who could stop Aeolus from letting loose winds of destruction. concluded that the best way to overcome the trouble was to build his ship strong enough to resis: the force of the mighty winds. The additional strength was added and now ships ride the ocean wave in spite of Aeolus and his winds.
 Tho Arkansas river may be. more difficult to control at the present time than formerly. but it can be controu- cd if additional power Is applied. and tho people of Arkansas should not sit idly on the bank and wait for Uncle Sam to work the miracle The experience of 10 years attests the fact that the United States government will not make the Arkansas river q navigable river from Fort Smith to it's mouth. The immense importance of such thing as the secure naviga- ton of the river to the commercial iterests of the state at large and of every town and county along It's bor- ders. ought to be so plain to every intelligent reader of the Graphic as to need no elaboration.
 The state should take the lead in this matter and by an act of the con- ing legislature provide for a survey as indicated by Congressman Reld, and every city of importance on the banks of the Arkansas river. as we'll as every county bordering it, should unite their local efforts with those oS the State. When such movement is made the United States govern ment would be morally forced to per form it's duties in reference to the navigation laws of the country. IT the city of Pine Blun and the county of Jefferson had spent $50.ooo in mak- ing a river wall along the river front of Pine Bluff. the value of the prop erty just engulfed would not have to be stricken from the assessment book Tho sooner that city. county and state take up the problem ot the Arkansas river the better 1t will be for our commercial and other interests in- volyed.