Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1916-07-28

does than before need the protection Il
that strong navy gives Let forget that the ~
long peace during which this country has developed
into the garden Of the earth would not have been
possible without q navy
The United States formerly thought but two coast lines
the Atlantic and the Pacific but realized that four
an the Pacific and both sides Of the Mississippi
Importance of the lines eoncsey stated by the
editor of Harpers Magazine
"The basin Of the Mississippi the body of the All the
other parts members important themselves yet
pornt their relations this Exclusive Of the lake and Of
100000 square miles Texas and New Mexico which many
poets form part Of it, this basin contains about 100000 square
miles It would contain Austria four times, Germany
Spain five times France six times the British islands Italy ten
times Conceptions formed from the river basins Of western Europe
dey shocked when consider the extent Of the valley the
Mississippi those formed from the sterile basins Of the great
rivers of Siberia the lofty paeaus of central Asia, the mighty
Of the swampy Amazon adequate Latitude elevation and
rainfall all combine render part Of the Mississippi valley
capable Of supporting dense population As dwelling place for
civilized man. it is by far the first upon globe"
But great u.s. the Mississippi is sufficient unto itself for
needs the world for market For comfort and enrichment
...,x, from people beyond the
n'' VIZ mus' % "'P' Of gold the equva
ope' ~ WV" ""~ lent in merchandise 1t is, there
FORE setdent the prosperity both the the and Of
the miles back the country whose products eventually
foad this waterway dependent upon keeping all the
ports this interior coasne Of the United States open and free
munication with all the rest Of the world.
Any interruption of traffic the river would be Immediately felt BY
would stop and hundreds thousands would be thrown out of
poyment The the artery of the nation and such it vital
the commercial life Of all the valley Figures do not reveal
picture the magnitude Of the Of the valley for the passage
each ton freight going down thread in the fabric Of in
ddua home the elimination of mans effort the beginning
enterprise yet figures the best vehicle hand briefly
dieae the extent Of its
years 1919 inclusive combined exports
ports passing along the Mississippi the Gulf Mexico and from for
egn ports amounted to 81 1881, 469 TONS
Of Al
Gordon Of steel ships placed around the United States has been
placed around Germany? Whose business would remain unchangedP
Paraon and congestion would instantly follow products Of the fields
and farms and manufactured articles would the storehcuses and
the railroad lines the would be wholly inadequate carry
the traffic such feeble remaining markets might be discovered in
land might be reached steahy Every umberman every
planter every manufacturer every workman aboer would Immediately
be affected Just Germany being chod by the steel collar of Eng
lands feet would the commercial life Of the valley be ssngd by
hostile feet standing off the mouth Of the Mississippi river
The national government charged with the duty Of maintaining
navy merely sufficient keep the mouth the river open peaceful
but sufficient also every cotton rice OF
Of live stock meat safely to it's destination foreign port and to
safely home the money the merchandise that due the people
Of the Mississippi valley for what they have exported The American navy
traffic policeman Of the high whose duty it that trade
routes kept open for American
The when every father family kept rife the fireplace
his passed away need vigilance
..,,,,u,, precaution never greater than
nse"sp~ sa1ey Dv today The Mississippi valley is Of
'10 w S"se W "a' strategic Importance just it
in the Civil Rich 10 in all that needs does anyone
suppose that intelligent foe would not strive nightly occupy both
strategic and for the sustennce Of its amiesf
We ask for indifferent treatment to avert the danger Of than
reasonable ask Tor safeguard bodily health pesence threat
ened should with half measurP Common would de-
mand the raising every barrier and the application of pcauon
those whose business know could devise And ymen would
the responsibility Of saying what sufficient Is not dis
Years age smallpox used to wipe out whole villages but thanks
adequate precautions Of medical science practically unknown
Cholera used avge coast cities but keep out do
let first and prepare drive out aferwd The yeowever
epemcs which scougd the southern towns passed away with the
introduction Of scientific preparedness.
Now the conditions under which these diseases assad the human
developed silently nsiduou Each the result Of
small sanitary neglect Of the lack Of pcauon Similarly the dan
ger attack silently and is too the result Of the neglect Of pre-
cautions covering perhaps long period Of time Now that know the
disease Of still exists and that s descent soil can be
guarded against with the abundant hand easily will
take the precautions necessary prevent its reaching 1t is in order
t this be done that erect against nvunerabe
anne that we Of the national defense movement striving