The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-03-08


rEE RIVER AVE- HARBoR BEEE.
wAsuHN0Tom. March The Congress
charged tho National Waterways Com
misnion with the Investigation Of ~uues-
tons pertaining 70 water tranapoEtaflcn
and the Improvement % waterways and
% make Recommendations TO Con9reaa-
On January -. after Industrious atndy OF
the aisnass0n both In this country and in
Rnrops. the commission submitted . pre-
lImlnaEy report IN which. along with other
Recommendation Il sagaeetsd - change
of policy by Congress 90 that tlIs sxpense
OF river and harbor Improvement shall
be divided between the Federal ooNeEn-
meat and States. cities and communities
and individuals." saying that 'it cannot
be denied that in most instances river and
harbor improvements confer an especial
benefit upon portions Of the country most
nearly affected; that there Ia n constant
danger cg insAstene pressure upon thu
Federal Government for the expenditure
OF money upon projects which have NOT
been maturely considered. and @hich "
part Of the burden were chargeabls TO
the localities in which they arc advocated
might not he presented to Congrsss.
This Recommendation was directed 90
pecially 20 proposals Cor the prevention
Of foods and reclamation. many such
projects confsrrtng distinct benefit upon
individuals OF localities which 10 only of
a remote or very Indirect benefit % the
country al a WHOLE and there n O con-
slant danger that Snch improvement will
be- advocated under the RSIiss Of river
and harber legislation framed 70 benefit
navigation. when tho real object h the
benefit which will accrue 10 individuals
OF localitses.-
The chairman Of the Rivers and Har-
bors COMMITTEES 10 q member OF the
National Waterways Commission and
aligned the preliminary report, hut it
would not seem from tho rivers and
harhors hill submitted 20 the HOUSE and
now before the Senate that much stress
was placed upon the Recommendation
TO which hs was u party. In few cases
there il local participation In expendi-
lures that evidsntly will serve in greater
measure other purposes than those OF
navigation, TO which the river and har-
Dor acts have been confDed since loo7.
Inoeed. the expenditures on the Mis-
sissippi River south u Cairo must for the
present serve TO protect the adjoining
lands rather than TO facilitate navigation.
the Mississippi River Survey having said
In its report that the Mississippi In its
present condition Ia capable Of moving q
greater traffic than that Of the Rhine. and
moro cheaplv. were the trassio available.
The commission also recommended
that wogthy projects be taken In hssd
by the Government in the order of
their importance. with due regard 90 the
feasibility Of their completiO0. The rivers
and harbors bill. however. would seem
to Indicate q desire TO make appropria-
tons for practically all the projects that
have been approved nv the boards Of
engineers. Who I'm turn would appear 10
have relaxed their scrutiny under the re-
cent popular sentiment in favor Of radical
Of the waterways. More
than one project could be cited that will
consume a very great many years and
could better wait beginning until more
important work 10 O'It of the way.
The Mississippi River Survey = report
was strongly adverse TO the construction
u q fourteen foot waterway from the
lakes 60 the Gulf declaring that the main
tenance Of a nine foot waterway would
more than suffice for the needs of any
trafhc in sight for many years. The
rivers and hnrbOrs bill. however. con-
tains an item Of o. .OOO 100 which IL s&ys
will not be avsilable until there h further
future Affirmative legislation by Con-
gress.' and that 1T IL introduced At
this time TO indicate the committees
willingness to improve the Illinois River
Whenever Congress- can by suitable co
operation with the state Of Illinois make
a proper Improvement at q rsasonsbIs
expsnss- This IL simply pettifogHery. !
an attempt to keep the door open and
shut at the same time. That item will
be regarded ~ a Governmental indorse-
msnt Of the fourteen foot project. and the
COMMITTEES knows a.