554 CONSERVATION 



their present outlet, ran across to the It will add 8 shillings per thousand feet 

 headwaters of the Illinois, across the to the values of the vast forests of the 

 country where Chicago now stands, and Pacific coast from California, Oregon, 

 down the Mississippi to the Gulf of and Washington, to British Columbia 

 Mexico. Through this very old channel and Alaska, adding, perhaps, a hundred 

 of ancient overflow lies the Chicago million pounds to the present value of 

 Drainage Canal, and here will be built those timber areas alone— twice the cost 

 the deeper and larger waterway which of the canal. Not only will the corn- 

 will connect the Lakes and Gulf. It is merce between Occident and Orient pass 

 interesting to note, also, the fact that through it ; the Andean countries will 

 the land supporting the eastern outlet be opened, with the Mississippi and the 

 is rising nearly six inches per hundred Hudson, and the Orinoco and Amazon 

 miles per hundred years, thus throwing will make a new Mediterranean of the 

 the waters back gradually to the lower Caribbean Sea. 



part of Lake Michigan ; and it is more In a message to Congress, December 

 than likely that in two or three thousand 3, 1907, the President recommended the 

 years the geologic process of the ages development of the deep waterway and 

 will come appropriately to the support of the great river system as national 

 of the Roosevelt plan. water highways, and urged that this de- 

 It is idle to say that the Isthmian velopment should be considered as a 

 Canal would have been done sooner or Government undertaking. He called 

 later. The Western Hemisphere had for a deep waterway from the Great 

 been discovered and had been developed Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, and for 

 for 400 years, and we seemed no nearer deep-water highways leading from it to 

 to it than when Gomara, in 1 551, urged the East and West. "Such a water- 

 Philip II to cut it through. Since that way," he said, "would practically mean 

 time much effort and much treasure the extension of our coast-line into the 

 and many lives and many words have very heart of our country." He also 

 been wasted, and the world was tired urged the development of those nat- 

 of waiting. The work waited for the ural inland waterways connected largely 

 man who would wait no longer. Mr. by canal, which lie just back of the 

 Roosevelt seized the opportunity which whole eastern and southern coast. To 

 passed his way, and posterity would this end he appointed an Inland Water- 

 have forgiven him had he made the ways Commission, which went imme- 

 opportunity, and he set to work. He diately to work to make the most ex- 

 made terms at once righteous and fair haustive investigation and report, while 

 with France for what had been done, much subsidiary work was being done 

 He organized a preparatory sanitary by the bureaus of different departments, 

 work of unparalleled efificiency, which The unqualified good nature and com- 

 made out of a plague-hole a healthy placency of the American people of the 

 place. He transplanted schools, churches, Mississippi basin, which constitutes one- 

 Christian associations for men and half of the states in the Union, holding 

 women, appointed a commission with half its population, began to be dis- 

 assistants who have been models of turbed a few years ago because the 

 civic virtue and administrative effi- product of farm and factory was increas- 

 ciency, and got the work going which ing so much faster than transportation 

 will have ships moving through from facilities that it became impossible to 

 the Atlantic to the Pacific in a few carry the increased product of their in- 

 hours, now, in less than six years from dustry to market. The transportation 

 to-day. The Panama Canal will save problem, both in its economic and po- 

 10,000 miles for every ship plying be- litical phases, has been growing more 

 tween New York and San Francisco, acute year by year, until President 

 As an example of its economic value, Roosevelt's active campaign began in 

 it will save £2,000 for every 2,000-ton the interests of the people. Even the 

 barque plying between these two points, railroad managers themselves com- 



