The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-04-03

might have been expected We have ex-
pended nve hundred million dollars. and
our inland water navigado is reproach
10 ourselves and jest that contributes
largely TO me gayety of other nations.
right direction. There has been intro
duced into the United States senate a bill
which has received the cordial approval
OF tne secretary OF war, which compre
hends plan that has received thoughtful
consideration of the most progressive
men believe 10 be one of the wisest and
best Legislative proposals that has been
presented to congress in century and it
may be of interest to you to know that
this bill was largely drawn and was in
troduced by man who is exceedingly
proud OF his southern ancestry, Senator
francis g: Newlands, of Nevada.
=. This bill designated as S. 500. Sixtieth
congress, hrst session, provides: First,
mat a special fund shall be established
In the treasury to be known as the inland
waterways fund, ana sets aside the sum
OF nifty million dollars for this purpose
aminations and surveys for the develop
ment of the inland waterways of the
country. with view to the promotion
draft on such rivers and connecting ca :
mails. 1t further authorizes the appoint
ment OF commission which shall bring
INTO coordination the various agencies
of the government already established. so
that there may be intelligent considera-
ton not only of the waterways problems
but of those of irrigation, swamp land re-
clamation, clarified tions of the streams
utilization of water power. prevention of
soil waste. protection of forests, control
of floods. etc. 1t further provides that if
after examina ton. survey and estimate
such commission shall determine that any
PROJECT for the Improvement or construo-
ton Of inland waterways is practicable
and desirable, it may, with the approval
OF the president and through the appro
pr1auon service. execute tn eworkS so ap-
proved. The bill further contains neceS-
sary provisions to enable the commission
to carry on this work and especially au
thorizes it to enter into cooperation with
states, municipalities, communities, cor
pora toms, an individuals for the further
ance of the objects and that, so far as
pract1cable the various projects must be
carried out in accordance equitable por
tionment among the several waterways
systems Of the country. The final pro-
land waterways fund is reduced below
twenty million dollars the deficit may be
made up by the issue and sale of bonds
so that the permanent waterways fund
may be kept intact.
1t is not my purpose to advocate this
may have legal defects that l know not
OF. / do, however, wish to commend the
general plan. 1t provides for initiatory
authority in permanent form, which we
have not now provided European gov
ernments, which have been at the bust
ness longer than we have, are provided
with such Instruments of initiative au-
thority.. They have found by experience
that it is necessary. There are two great
ensineering projects of this country, that
have been going ahead with astonishing
success. They are the Isthmian canal
and federal irrigation. In both of these
cases congress used foresight in providing
and gave the initiatory authority to prop
erly equipped agencies. The canal work
a lock canal 1t then provided the
money and went about its proper. bust.
ness of law making. The irrigation of
the arid west was given in charge of the
secretary of the interior C'ODVraSS said
to him: Here is a great fund. Take it
and reclaim the arid west" And again,
of law making. Is this policy followed in
river improvements for naViga ton? Every
observant man knows that it is not. Con-
'gress says to the United States engineer
corps: You shall not proceed in a pro-
gresslVe way, and to make sure that you
will not do so we will shackle you. Move
do this and do that
The difference between these two
policies is plain. Under the first we are
We have. expended five hundred million
dollars !, a; md e : yon 6 know the results
Now. with regard to the specific pro-
ject that you urge today. The great wa
ter marginal water route, with its spread
heart of your inconceivably resourceful
empire, is the very agency by which tina
empire may come into it's own. The whole
plan is the conception of genius. and
therefore it must eventually succeed. The
great question that presents itself is how
can you best direct your efforts to bring
success. In my opinion you will lose
valuable time if you do not attack the
problems at its foundation. Join hands
and change your present antiquated and
outworn public policies. Having accom-
pilshed ui that, your waterway improve
mentS will cone THE as s4 az Insytable result
One more point-if you would have the
federal government discharge its duties
your waterways in. a manner that will be
entirely satisfactory to you. you, as citi-
zens OF the states, must see to it that
half way. Each river presents it's en-
Sineerlng problems. which are based on
physical conditions established and per-
petuated many thousand years before
this countr was settled by man. In or
der to secure the highest development of
our practice to conform absolutely to
these conditions. The most efficient con-
| troll of river for navigation frequently
necessities control of the sources of its
water supply. Every engineer who has
studied the matter will agree to this.
1t is a fundamental principle of engineer
ing. which cannot be gainSaid. The con-
troll of the federal government is limited
to the navigable portions or the rivers and
this. in many cases, is not sufficient for
the accomplishment of the purposes that
YOU urge here. This statement is not
founded on any theory. 1t is based on
inevitaP bic natural laws, as Interchangeable
Therefore. if the federal government, in
the development of any river comes to
any political boundary line along which
is placed the warning "Thus far shalt
thou go and no farther it ought to be
apparent to every reasonable man that
the government cannot develop that river
as it should developed. l yield to no man
in my respect for the integrity of the sew
eral states. but I realize that. when our
form of government was promulgs ted
there were many things that those great
men. mortal then but now immortal
could not foTsec. There is every evidence
| that those men even a t that early time.
had the same reaIizatio Let us use all
reverence in regard to alterations in our
articles of union; let US not lightly change
that which for more than a century has
been thes fundamental concept of marvel
| Gus world power. But when with unfore-
| seen changes in times and conditions
| those concepts run counter to inevitable
natural, laws. l claim that we shall be
| quite unworthy of the blessings that we
have received from that constitution if
we do not make the alterations necesss nv
| to enable us to continue to call it the
| truest and best instrument of national
welfare that ever held devoted people
in liberty and union.
Therefore be considerable of the future
and when the federal government knocks
at YOUR door and says IF you would
have me serve You as you would be
served. if you would have me open to
YOU the maritime commerce of the world
if you would have me break down the
| barrier that closes YOU about. YOU must