The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-08
REPORT ON WATER ROUTES OF NATION Urge Protection From Rail-
 way Competition CANAL POSSIBILITIES The National Waterways Commission Recommends Increased Power for
 the Interstate Commerce
 Commission
CANAL POSSIBILITIES

Washington, April Further 1egis- lation to protect waterways against railway competition; to establish amic- able relations between the two, and to promote federal cooperation with local urged in the first report of the na- tional waterways commission made public today.
 The report declares that the federal government within the comparatively near future must inevitably assume control of some features of water power regulation.
 Recommend Government Supervision
 The commission recommends that army engineers be assigned to super wise the proposed canai to connect the Ohio river near Pittsburg with Lake Erie when s10,000. 900 cash and $5,000,- 600 in bonds are made available by the communities interested. The Sec retary of War, however. may demand that these amounts be increased.
 A survey for a canal from Lake Erie to the southern end of Lake Michigan is recommended
 It recommends increa sed power for the interstate commerce commission to govern joint rates ana through routes between rail and water lines, to com pei physical connection between them and to compel railways to charge less than local rates to all lake and river ports on through traffic exchanged with domestic boat lines.
 Other recommendations are for leg islation to control public terminals; federal participation with localities in flood control: prevention of deforesta- ton on non agricultural lands and re- forestation of denuded tracts; amend ments of laws controlling water power on nayigable streams and within the public domain.
 The commission points to the traffic possibilities of the Lake Erie and Ohio canal and says substantial reductions of railroad rates may be expected to follow it's operation. The Lake Erie Michigan canal would obviate the de- tour around the Michigan peninsula and give a more direct water route from Chicago to New York.
 Legislation is necessary to prevent the elimination of water competition and to prevent the raising of water rates under railway control, in the opinion of the commission. It believes the interstate commerce laws are now insufficient to preserve water transportation and foster it's growth. It urges that every water carrier in interstate commerce be under | mission to enable the commission to es- tablish through routes, joint rates and through bills of ladng. without which, the commission believes, the rehabilita- ton of water traffic will not be complete.
 The report arraigns the inadequacy of water terminals and urges that further river and harbor improvements be avoided without assurances of proper terminals on completion Federal condemnation of private property for public terminals Is not recommended except where locality establishes It's inability to deal with the terminal problem.
 Mining Entries
 Other recommendations. are to subject mining entries to the paramount right of water rower uses; land entries to the right of construction of transmission lines or other works, and that the states un- dertaxe preservation of forests and reforestation of their own lands not ac- quired by the government.
 Traffic Possibilities on Canal The commission recommends that ques- ttons between operating water power con- panies and consumers of their produncts or service be left to state control, except where local power is inadequate to pro- tect public interest, with the understand ing that within the comparatively near fu- l ture this feature of Its regulation must in- evitaby pass to the federal government. II The report is signed by Senator Burton the chairman; Senators Gallinger, Smith of Michigan Simmons, Lorimer Clarke of Arkansas and Representatives Stevens l of Michigan, Sparkman of Florida, Moon of Tennessee. former Senator Piles of Washington and former Representative Alexander of New York and Wanger of l Pennsylyania.