The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-08-27
THE CONGRESS TODAY.

The twenty-third annual session of
the Transmississippi Congress opens In
the Assembly hall, this city, this morn.
ing. All arrangements are perfected
for the comfort and pleasure of the
guests in their stay during the session
Of the congress.
The programme of exercises proposed
is comprehensive, embracing "Good
Roadsn aud "See America First as
prominent subjects, SO much so as prac'
tically to be called the keynotes of the
session. Transcontinental highways
will also be urged; thore will be dis
cussion on the :'Conflict of Federal
and State Laws Concerning Irrigation
and Water Rights and Il paper by
Robert w. Bonynge of Denver on Cur
rency Reform will doubtless attract
much attention. We had hoped that
there would be strong presentations in
this congress in favor Of the control Of
the waters of the Mississippi and Mis-
souri, river systems, the affluents of
which are so largely in the territory
gress. We consider that next to the
construction Of the Panama canal, the
great work to be taken up by the Fed
eral Government is the Improvement
Of the mighty water systems of the
Mississippi valley. The Missouri river
could be made nayigable up to the
Falls, and the water of that stream
could be so handled as TO prevent disas-
trous floods. by impounding tho flood
waters, and the release of those waters
later on in the season would be wei
come for the reinforcement of the pavi-
gable channel and also TO make con
stant water power supply sufficient
for all the Transmississippi region,
with irrigation not neglected where
practicable The combination of stor
age water. of the use Of this water for
power and irrigation purposes, and for
navigation, generally applies through
out the region west of the Mississippi
and that great work successfully in
augurated, would so change the indus
trial and commercial conditions as. TO
make practically rehirth of com
merce, industry. and increase the com
fort of living. in all the vast area con
cerned. There is a strong movement
from the cities along the Mississippi
for the transfer of the great dredgcs
and power machinery that have been
at use on the Panama canal to the Mis-
ciS for ho of l,ri,, rr
the river and so ensuring a good stage
of water at all seasons for navigation,
and also for the use of the flood waters
Of the Mississippi in its lower sections
precisely as the waters Of the Nile arc
used in the flood season of that great
river. That is, that there shall be i'm
pregnable ]evees built. with opportuni-
ties to take out the flood water which
carries thousands of tons of rich sedi-
ment, and allow the water to overflow
hundreds of square miles, leaving upon
this OVERLOADED area the sediment
carried in the waters. This would be a
continued yearly fertilizer, and would
make all the lower Mississippi regions a
'CiiLoDiC SoiuSh VI luG Cdl C6CGlilue
Egypt in fertility as much as it would
excel that old land in the area so en-
riched. 1t is a tremendous subject,
and worthily treated, would be the
great feature of the congress. 1t can
not be doubted but that the Transmits
sissippi Congress will lend its great in
fluence and support to the grand work
of controlling the waters of the Missis-
sippi and its tributaries. There will be
opportunities presented in the framing
of the resolutions, however, to indorse
this mighty enterprise, which, we trust,
will not be neglected.
The delegates that are to attend the
congress are here. They are here for the
business of making their voices felt
in great National concerns. Salt Lake
City feels it an honor to have these
men with us, and the city will not fail
to show to these delegates, who are
fine representatives of their different
! communities, the heartiest hospitality
and the most openhanded welcome.