The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1913-12-11
DEBATE ON FLOODS
RANscs i AND NEWLAN0o IN
Rae CAL DISAGREEMENT A.
> CONTROL METkOOS.
CONGRESS IS ASKED TO ACT
lo0isiaas MsA Favees leveeo and ID
ovppertsd BY Head eS Aaississiepl
River cemmiesiea-Nsvad Seas
tse Urges Ressevsirs-
0y GEORGE CLINTON.

Washington.-United States Sena-
tors Joseph e. Ransdell Of Louisiana
and Francis G. Newlands of Nevada,
both Democrats. disagree radically ~
to the governmental methods to be
employed to control the floods and to
regulate and control the fiow Of nav
igable streams In the aid of interstate
commerce. There were sharp discus
sions Of the question involved at the
tenth annual convention OF the Ma
tional Rivers and Harbors congress.
which has just met In Washington.
The whole subject of Mississippi
river improvement and the prevention
of the foods which have devasted the
Mississippi valley in recent years 10
involved in this matter of difference
between two senators Of the United
States. both Of whom apparently are
trying to reach the same end by en-
tirely different means. Congress has
been asked to act and the debate on
the subject. especially as 1t affects the
Mississippi valley. will perhaps be
sharper In the senate than 1t was at
the meeting Of the delegates Of the
waterways congress.
Col. C. Med. Townsend of the Unit
ed States engineer corps IL the chair
man Of the Mississippi river commits
sion. Apparently he is opposed ut
terly to Mr.. Newlands' plan. which
would provide for flood prevention and
protection by means of huge reser-
voirs for water storage purposes and
the protection Of water sheds from de-
nudation and erosion. Colonel Town
send seemingly. therefore, ID opposed
to plans which have received the en-.
dorsement Of the conservationists who
would have reforestation and forest
nre protection 60 hand in hand with
the work Of flood prevention.
Colonel rownssnd's visws.
In writing on the subject, partic-
ularly as 1t relates to the Mississippi
river, Colonel Townsend says:
While Of the opinion that levees af.
ford the only practicable method Of
controlling the floods Of the Missis-
sippi river. desire to state that am
strongly In favor of both reforesta-
tion and reservoir construction. but
limited to the purposes for which they
are adapted. Just a. | am in favor of
REINFORCED. concrete for small bridges.
though not considering It applicable to
one spanning the lower Mississippi
river"
In the opinion Of this engineer ON.
Ger. the control Of the lower Missis-
stppi by reservoirs is impracticable. If
not impossible. although he says there
are numerous smaller streams where
reservoirs can be used with excellent
results. He adds:
The systematic conservation and
regulation by the Federal government
Of the river from its source to its
mouth sounds most attractive, sus-
gesting the scientific solution of every
problem Of river hydraulics, but in
stead greatly fear that it is the voice
of the siren Turing the people to an
open pork barrel for every stream in
the United States
Ransdsii 10 for Lsvsss,
1t Is probable that Senator Ransdell
represents the view Of the people of
the lower Mississippi section and in
part the views Of people Of other Sec
tions. His belief Is that the natter
must be kept in the main stream dur.
ing the flood times and that 1t can be
kept there If the proper levees are
built.
The Newlands scheme is set forth in
bill In congress upon which the
voluminous report has been pre-.
pared and published. The Newlands
measure is called bill ITO create a
board of river regulation and to pro-
vide a fund for the regulation and
control Of the flow of navigable river
in the aid of interstate commerce. and
as means to that end to provide for
flood prevention and protection and
for the beneficial use Of flood waters
and for water storage and for the pro.
lection Of water sheds from denuda-
tion and erosion and from forest fires
and for the cooperation Of govern.
ment services and bureaus with each
other and with states, municipalities
and other local agencies"
This is broad bill. Its opponents
think that the plan involved would re-
quire too much time and too many
hands at work." and that results can
be reached more quickly and more
cheaply by what they call more di.
rect methods. The Newlands bill
provides for government appropria.
tion Of $4,000 each year for ten years,
making a total of $500, O,0OO, 900.
1t 10 said that the printed price
lists of what holiday dinners were
to cost this dinner were respon.
sible directly for the proposal to
have another government inquiry into
the high cost Of living. The attorney
general already is looking into the
high cost matters along various lines
Of supposed least resistance, and be-
fore the winter is ended it is proba-
BILE that committee of congress or
an authorized commission will at.