Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-12-06
THE MISSISSIPPI AGAIN.


In his address before the National Rivers
and Harbors Congress, now in session al
Washington, President Taft reproved the
delegates for selfish interests in local water
ways and made a special plea for the i'm
provement of the Mississippi river, which he
declared should be a national project.
The President is right in urging the de
velopment Of all the waterways of the coun-
try instead of localizing the work. It is tc
bring about this very thing that the Rivers
and Harbors Congress has been organized
For many years now, congress has been pour
ing the money of the nation into the Mis-
sissippi river and its tributaries, pulling snags
and building leyees, but as yet the stream and
those that flow into it are Of little use to com
merce. 8 In~other'words, this money has been
absolutely wasted. It's sole object has been to
crafty the ambition Of the congressman COM
ing from the great middle west, who desire to
make some impression on their constituents.
The plea to spend money on the Mississippi
river has been made for many years, and with
the object of getting some money for other
parts of the country where commerce is wait
ing to get in, the men interested in the various
harbors along the coast have organized to be
better prepared to present their claims for ma
tional appropriations. It is with i'll grace,
therefore, that the President stands before
this national organization and again harps on
the need of the Mississippi.
We thoroughly agree with Mr.. Taft that the
Mississippi should be permanently improved
and made a great national waterway through
the very heart of the country. We are conf
dent, however, that this object could have
been accomplished long ago with half the
amount which has already been spent on this
stream had it been spent in a systematic man
ner and with a definite plan in view.
However, the rest of the nation cannot ex-
pect to always stand aside while the gold of
the country, that is devoted to waterway i'm
provement, pours into the Mississippi valley.
The Mississippi has had her chance and, while
we are willing that she should have another in
order to correct the mistakes which have been
made in the past, we do not believe that the
rivers and harbors elsewhere should be held
up any longer for the benefit of this stream.
If the money already spent has been worse
than wasted on the Mississippi that is not the
fault of the people living along the Atlantic
coast who are crying for Improvements, and
where m is many times as great as it
is on the Mississippi.
1t is not being selfish when the representa-
tives from the Atlantic coast districts plead
for money to construct the national water
ways that are proposed here. This is a ma
tional project as much as is the Mississippi. 1t
is something that should be constructed at
once and the government aid should be readily
forthcoming. We are tired of having the Ms
sissippi river thrown up to us every time any
mention is made of waterway improvements.
If anything has ever been overdone it is this
Improvement of the great Father of Waters.
Let congress devote it's millions of dollars
for waterway improvement to the Atlantic
coast district for a few years where it will do
the greatest good and then spend a few more
millions on the Mississippi in a manner that
will bring results.