Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-01-11
BY THEODORE Z. BURTON.

attachment and most friendly interest.
But conditions have changed and l
have been forced to the conclusion that
certain forms of river and harbor i'm
provement are impracticable.
1t has been the dream Of my public
career that the waterways OF the
United States might in time become
the highways Of magnificent COM
mercial empire. The sight of an idle
stream, on whose surface we might
transport an enormous tonnage, ap-
peals strongly to the imagination, and
suggests a highway furnished by ma
ture for all time as protest against
the expensive methods of land trans
portation. But this idea, alluring as
it is, is forced to yield to more prac-
teal issues when we apply to it the
test of economic principles.
In considering the question OF ex-
pending the money Of the taxpayers
of the country, we should at all times
be bound by those sane considerations
which determine the managers of sue
cessful corporations in the disburse
ment of corporate funds.
Formerly congress had fallen into
the custom of making appropriations
for almost any stream possessing
sufficient channel to permit navigation.
Too little consideration was given to
the question of whether there existed
any commerce upon the river. or
whether the deepening or widening of
its channel would increase its COM
merce. The result has been that while
our expenditures for improving the
harbOrs and tidal rivers of the cOun-
try have for the most part been profit
able, We have been appropriating large
sums for improving rivers where, de-
spite the expenditure of enormous
sums Of money, the commerce has
been declining in the most discourage
ing ratio
The existence of commerce, or the
possibility Of sanely developing it.
should be the condition governing such
appropriations. Many instances could
! be cited where. despite the expenditure
of several million dollars, the COM
merce on some of our large rivers has
fallen off with disheartening uniform
ity. The widening of a river or the
dredging of channel will not develop
commerce where there is no traffic TO
be hauled or where economic consid-
erations make necessary or more prot
liable the transportation of goods by
other agencies.
Despite the discOuraging results at
tanned by the improvement of many of
our rivers, there are today advocates
Of the continued expenditure of money
who insist that the existence of a cha9-
mel, even though not a single boat oper-
ates on the stream, should be secured
at any cost as a means of compelling
railroad lines to lower their freight
rates through what they term "poten-
tial competition" This is an untenable
position
1t amounts to saying that our legis-
| latureS and our courts are pOwerleSs
to force the railroads to charge reason
able rates for their services. The
Act to Regulate Commerce, passed
Feb. 4, 1887, and frequently amended
since that date, gives to the interstate
commerce commission the power to
compel railroads to charge rates which
shall be reasonable. and which shall
not discriminate between either COM
munities or individuals Supplement-
! ing the interstate commerce act prac-
tically all of the states have similar
legislation on their statute books and
also railroad commissions charged
with the enforcement of their respec-
tive laws. This argument for the ere
alton of potential competition has done
more than anything else to demoralize
our method of appropriating money
for the Improvement of inland rivers.
1t has furnished the excuse for the ex-
penditure of large sums upon admit
tedly wasteful propositions.
There are many rivers in this coun-
try which can be protitably improved
and they should not be neglected nor
prejudiced because of the mistakes
which have been made in the past.
Many of these are what might be term
ed tidal streams connecting large
cities with the ocean. They boast an
enormous traffic and their channels
can be widened or deepened at com
paratively small expense. Money in
vested in them has paid excellent div
idends and has added to our national
wealth and our commercial prestige.
We can also profitably improve many
OF our rivers which flow through com
paratively level country. where the
soil is not alluvial in character, and
where there exists respectable
amount of commerce which is likely
to be maintained or increased. To
these rivers, may be added other rivers
where the main object is protection
from foods or from erosion and the
expenditures of the government are
limited to the actual promotion OF nav
igation.
The people of the United States have
been so aroused 10 the extravagances
Of many OF our river and harhor ex-
penditures that unless the present and
past mistakes are corrected ii will la