Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-01-14

owners in their treatment of the forests
which they own Is u matter for State,
and not national, regulation, because
there Is nothing in the Constitution
that authorizes the Federal government
to exercise any control over forests
within a State. unless the forests are
owned In a proprietary way by the Fed
eral government.
I come now to the improvement of
the inland waterways. He would be
blind, indeed, who did not realize h a
the people of the entire West, and es-
pecially those of the Mississippi Valley.
nave been aroused to the need there is
for the Improvement of our inland
waterways. The Mississippi River. with
the Missouri on the one hand and the
Ohio on the other, would seem to offer
a great natural means of interstate
transportation and traffic. o far,
if properly improved, they would re-
lieve the railroads or supplement them
in respect to the bulkier and cheaper
commodities is a matter of ~conjec-
ture. No enterprise ought to be under
taken the cost of which is not definitely
ascertained and the benefit and advan-
tage of which are not known and as
| sured by competent engineers and other
authority. When, however, a project of
a definite character for the improve
ment of a waterway has been developed
so that the plans have been drawn, the
cost definitely estimated, and the traffic
! which will be accommodated is reason
ably probable ! think it is the duty
of Congress to undertake the project
and make provision therefor in the
proper appropriation bill.
One of the projects which answers
the description / have given Is that
Of introducing dams into the Ohio
river from Pittsburg to Cairo, so as to
maintain at all seasons of the year, by
slack water, a depth of 8 feet. Up
ward of seven of these dams have al
ready been constructed and six are I'M
der construction, while the total re-
CURED is fifty. The remaining cost is
known to be $4,000, 600.
Lrses waterways Improvement.
1t seems to me that In the develop
ment of our inland Waterways it would
be wise to begin with this particular
project and carry 1t through as rap
idly as may he. / assume from relia-
bic information that IT can be con
structed economically in ten years. |
recommend, therefore, that the present
Congress. in the river and harbor bill,
make provision for continuing con-
tracts to complete this improvement,
and / shall recommend in the future,
II it be necessary, that bonds be is
sued to carry it through.
What has been said of the Ohio river
is true in a less complete way of the
Improvement of the upper Mississippi
from st. Paul to st. Louis, TO a con-
slant depth of six feet, and of the Mis-
souri,, from Kansas City to st. Louis,
to a constant depth of six feet, and
from st. Louis to Cairo of a depth of
eight feet. These projects have been
pronounced practical by competent
boards of army engineers, their cost
has been estimated and there is bust
ness which will follow b improve
ment.
AS these improvements are being
| made, and the traffic encouraged by
them shows itself of sufficient impor-
lance, the Improvement of the Mis-
sissippi beyond Cairo down to the Gulf
which is now going on with the main
tenance of a depth of nine feet every
where. may be changed to another and
: greater depth ii the necessity Cor il
shall appear to arise out Of the traffic
. (which can be delivered on the river al
Cairo.
!, I am informed hat the investigation
by the waterways commission in Eu-
rope shows that the existence of a
waterway by M means assures traffic
!, unless there is traflc adapted to water