Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-07

l DC ICQuC6Q 10 tie very lOWoSI
'The improvements of small streams
and Ravens wherever such improvement
will benefit small crafts and develop sur
| sounding country having inadequate trans.
luton offered by James Bardon Of Superior
| Mich. also under consideration by the
| committee.
Secretary Fisher. the second speaker OF
the morning. after the session opened
devoted himself largely to the discussion
Of the possible and necessary harmony
| between state and federal authority in
promoting the public welfare. He out
| lined the method Of procedure; agree on
what is best and incorporate it into q
policy. then find out whether state OIL
nation, or both, can further the plan
and press action upon that or those
agencies.
''There is no conflict between state and
nation" he declared. They must work
in harmony before things can be accom-
| plished.'
| The adjustment Of state and national
| rights. he said, offered no insuperable
| difficulties.
Tax on Communities.
He presented the theory that in water
| ways development the communities in
terested should contribute to the cost of
the work in proportion to the benefits re-
l'ceived. He expressed his belief that
| water powers would be recognized, SOON
er or later as agencies of interstate COM
merce, and under national authority.
1.-The sooner we recognize that river
with all it's branches has certain ana
forward" said Mr. Fisher THE sooner
we realize that the uses to which river
and its branches can be put have just
as fundamental a unity as its origin. the
quicker progress we VIII make in pro-
noting waterways improvement"
Gen. Bixby told the congress in his ad-
dress the immense amount already in
volved in waterways improvements by
legislative enactment by Congress.
Few people realize the amount or
river and harbor work already begun or
under consideration with g. view to Its
authorization by Congress- he said. o
complete the work already begun or now
before Congress with the recommends
lions of the engineer department for its
adoption, will require more than $.5o,-
600, 600 in addition to past appropriations
1.-The last two river and harbor acts Or
| dered various examinations with view
| to additional improvements, reports on
many of which will be submitted to Con-
gress during it's present session. 1t is
| probable that these reports will contain
recommendations for about SOC, 100000 ad-
ditional work. making a total of about
$3.50 600, 900. This alone will use up all
| the federal appropriations that can now
| be expected in the next eight years: and
may make. state or local aid desirable or
| necessary.
Need of General Policy.
During the time which will necessarily
be consumed in completing these works
other projects will undoubtedly be called
Tor, and it seems probable that an early
decision will have to be made as to some
general policy which will lead to the COM
pletion- most promptly Of such work as
will be Of the greatest immediate and
final benefit to the country at large.
LAS a general rule, the most important
| function Of q river is its use as a free
route of transportation, but at the same
| time the river is frequently exceedingly
useful as a means of water supply to peo-
pie. animals, dwellings, factories and
farms. and Of dynamic power and OF
drainage. 1t Is frequently a source OF
| mixed benefit and danger as regards its
effects in bank erosion and flood over
| flow.
1.-THE special conditions most favorable
to each Of the above functions of a river
are so divergent that 1t Is usually impos-
| sible to make any river improvement
without detriment to at least one Of such
| functions A reasonable compromise must
be made, and prominence should be given
to the function most valuable to the
| locality under consideration"
Gaynor Favors Bond Issues.
| A national bond ISSUE as provided for
was the proposition advanced by Mayor
dress this afternoon before the congress
The iniquities Of railroads and other cor
porations were considered, and he pointed
out that the rights of way Of railways
are public roads on public domain.
THE railroads have done wonders,
| said Mayor Gaynor, but we now know
they do not and. especially in the flu
tuIs< cannot suffice The present high
colt Of living tells its own story in this
respect. Apples. for instance, will con-
tinue to rot under the trees unless they
can be produced to our doors at a price
We can pay
Speaking of the cost of making and
keeping our rivers available as CONNER
cial highways, Mayor Gaynor said:
The national government should not
highways and keeping them in order.
Heretofore it has confined itself to money
raised by taxation and approp lated to
that purpose. But 1t may be wise to re-
ing Of the Panama canal. All capital
thus spent will come back to the people
Of the country many fold.
This method Of borrowing the capital
instead of raising 1t at once by taxation
ed itself TO- $1OO,0OO.O0O few years ago
to enlarge the Erie canal. and Illinois
and Michigan have done likewise. Let
future generations pay their share of the
cost Of highways which are to last for
ever. That is sound finance. We apply
it in the cities all the time"
The mayor said that the development
of our waterways would tend to lessen
the great evil of favoritism in freight
-ates on the railroads.
Puts Blame on Railroads.
| The railroads received blame for the
| existing decadence in waterway COM
laerce In the afternoon speech Of Thomas
wilkinson of Burlington. Iowa, president
If the Upper Mississippi River Improve
snent Association. The methods Of mo-
l9opolizing the transportation business OF
the country by the railroads were set
| 4Orth:
: TELL me. you who live on :he Hudson
| the Delaware tn: Ohio the Cumberland
the Mississippi. III Missouri. the Column
hia or any other river, why is it that
Notwithstanding the constantly increasing
commerce Of the country. traffic on our
rivers. instead Of keeping pace with the
onward march Of progress. Is being
Il doS, olxo a