The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-07-29
SENATOR Stone
RIVERS FRIEND
Wants the Missouri River I'm
proved Through North Da-
kota to Ft. Benton

FOsS~ @@V"6AA 4NVA oAA 00.
kota to Ft. Benton
Washington, D. c., July 27.-Sena-
tor William j. Stone of Missouri,
whose career is one OF interest to the
student of American politics is old
fashioned enough to believe that the
future of the country depends upon
the solution of two great questions,
the conservation of the waters and
the forests. And he is new fashioned
enough to believe that the largest
measure of prosperity for the coun-
try depends upon the improvement of
the rivers OF the United States with
particular reference to those whose
course is we'll defined and susceptible
OF comprehensive treatment.
| Senator Stone is chief among q
great galaxy of statesmen who be-
lieve in the development of the ma
tural resources of the United States,
to harness the waters, protect the for
ests and conserve the water power
that the future generations may en-
| joy these inestimable advantages.
There is probably no more interest
ing character in the senate than Will
liam Joel Stone, and he occupies a
unique place in that body. Quiet in
demeanor, soft in speech, tall with
just the suggestion of stoop, he is
one of the picturesque figures in the
upper branch of the national legisla-
| turc.
For upwards of a quarter of CEN
tury Senator Stone has been a COM
manding figure in the halls of legis-
| lation and as representative and SEN
ator has taken an active interest in
the upbuilding OF the nation.
Senator Stones school days were
spent on the banks Of the Missouri
at Columbia, sWhare. is located the
/ state university. In. tnose days wheu
a student at the University, which
later honored Senator Stone by con-
ferring upon him the degree of LII. D.,
he was frequent visitor to st. Louis,
the fathers Of his school boy friends
owning many of the boats plying on
the Missouri and the Mississippi
II have seen i'll my student days
and on those rides to and from st.
Louis scores of vessels passing up
and down the Missouri. 1t was no
uncommon occurrence in the ride
| from Columbia to st. Louis to pass
twenty or more boats engaged in riv-
er traffic. and the levees at the i'm
portant shipping points were almost
as busy as are the freight yards of
our railroads Of today These steam
boats, and some of them were OF the
most palatial character, carried tho
commerce of the states drained by
the Missouri and the Mississippi.
twenty-five years after my gradu-
alton from the University of Mis-
souri, l was elected governor of the
dence at Jefferson City and in those
twenty-five years conditions on tho
Missouri and the Mississippi had COM
pletely changed. Railroads began to
penetrate into the interior and par
allel the rivers, the day of the steam
boat and river traffic passing with the
advent of the railway. And today it
is a curiosity to see a steamboat on
the Missouri. the people focking to
the abandoned wharves to look upon
what was a common thing in my boy
hood days.
II grow disheartened and some-
times dissusted with the way men
handle great public questions and 1
do not know of any greater question
that confronts us as people than
the development of the waterways OF
the United States in order that the
river commerce may bring about
reduction in railway freight rates.
We have been most prodigal OF our
natural resources and the piece-meal
appropriations in congress for river
and harbor improvements have in
many cases been worse than useless.
What we need is comprehensive
system of waterway development and
by that ! mean not appropriations for
every little creek and stream but
fixed policy on the part of the gov
ernment to bring the rivers that once
carried the commerce of the United
Staes again into close relationship
with the traffic that originates along
their courses.
What l want to see accomplished
is the project looking to improving
the waters from the lakes to the gulf.
l want to see the Missouri navigable
from its mouth to Fort Benton. /
want to see the Ohio harnessed by
locks and dams its entire length. l
want to see the Columbia improved
and the intercostal canals built and
the only way to accomplish this is, as
strongly urged by the National Riv-
ers and Harbors congress, the adop-
tfon of comprehensive plan on the
part of the government looking to
these improvements and yearly ap-
propriations made in order that the
work may be carried to successful
finish"
80 . . . . =
THE WEATHER. u