The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1916-08-19

rier, and both of them coordinating
with the ocean carriers in the de-
velopment of scientific system of
| transportation. II the development
of our rivers has failed, why has 1t
failed? Because our engineers are
incompetent? No; because Congress
has been incompetent.
The System Of Individual Initiative
This reduction of water borne COM
merce has been the result of the sys.
tenn which has been pursued by Con-
gress. What has that system BEEN
The system of individual initiative by
Members OF Congress, under whicn an
individual Senator or an individual
Representative presents measure
that relates to his particular locality
and which has the virtue perhaps of
aiding commerce in some degree. hut
In very large degree of expending
money in the locality from which the
Representative halls.
millions have been spent, ANA yet
commerce has declined; and wnat re.
NEEDY is now proposed by the action
of the House of Representatives? The
organization Of a Committee on Flood
Control not the organization OF a
committee to create navigaDle rivers
net the organization of a committee
to promote commerce, but to control
floods; and those floods, according
TO its action, are to be controlled only
upon the lower reaches Of the Mis-
sissippi River. They invite the wat.
els in this vact watershed embracing
OFT half OF the United States to flew
down to them without embarrassment
or obstruction. They say to us, Hur-
ry them on; drain your lands; re
claim your swamp lands; let all the
waters hurry down to the lower Mis-
sissippi River, and then we will take
care of them. And how do they pro-
pose to take care Of them?
Building Levees Mountain High
BY building levees mountain high
on either side of the Mississippi Riv-
err in order to prevent the overflow. |
And when we suggest that policy
may be pursued in the upper reaches
of these rivers, in the great inter-
region which is the source !
OF many rivers, in the Great Lakes |
region, In the great regions of the
Ohio ana the Tennessee and the Cum |
berland and the upper Mississippi, |
that developments may be made there |
by which the flow Of the water may |
be so obstructed as to prolong the |
length OF the high water season be.
low, so that its flood height will be
only one half of the accustomed |
height, we are told that we are VI
slonary; that nothing should be done
in the way OF obstructing or slowing
up the progress of these waters; that
nothing should be done in the shape |
of turning these waters into a nation
al asset, into creators of wealth; but
we should permit them to mass to-
gether for destruction below; and
then a cry of distress comes up from
our southern friends: The waters COM
ing from your region are destroying
us. Give us $6,0OO,OO0 year with
which to put UP mountains on each
side Of this great river to prevent
these waters from overlooking our
lands and from destroying our cities.
Scientific Services ought to Be
Brought Into Coordination
And when We tell them that there
are four departments of the Govern
ment that are engaged in the work OF
water conservation and water study
the Department Of Commerce the De-
partment of the Interior, and the De.
partmont OF Agriculture, in addition
to the Department OF War-and that
each one OF these departments has
TWO OF tHItt SSiShtihC 'iNSo sheN
are engaged not only in studies, in
scientific research with reference to
this matter, but in actual engineering
work, and that these departments
ought to be brought into coordination
with the War Department in plans
and in works the reply Is made to us:
No; we prefer that this entire work
shall remain as 1t has been in the
hands of but one OF these depart
ments- the War Department - and
that the engineers of the Army shall
alone attend to this work, without the
aid OF the accumulated experience and
knowledge OF these scientific services,
many of which for over so years have
been serving their country faithfully
and we'll, not only in the matter OF
research but in the matter of actual