772 CONSERVATION 



Herbert Spencer used to say that, as Again, as Poor Richard taught our 

 it is impossible to insert a normal, five- great-grandfathers, "A penny saved is 

 fingered hand into a glove of but two a penny earned." The waterways de- 

 or three fingers, so it is equally im- velopment now proposed coupled, as it 

 possible to put a big, more or less com- necessarily must be, with forest con- 

 plicated, idea into an imperfectly devel- servation, will involve a prodigious 

 oped mind. saving. 



To every one with eyes to see, and To succeed, the waterways movement 



leisure and opportunity to contemplate must adopt measures that will minimize 



the facts, it is obvious that the internal overflows and floods. To appreciate 



waterways of the United States must the significance of this factor alone, let 



be rehabilitated and made available for the pecuniary damage resulting from 



the uses of commerce. floods be compared with the amounts 



However, like the lion which, in of past waterways appropriations. 

 Bunyan's allegory, obstructed the path The appropriation made by Con- 



of the pilgrim, a huge barricade rears gress for waterways for the year 1909 



itself before the eyes of a certain type was $18,097,945, an amount equaling 



of statesman when the question of about eighty-three per cent of the av- 



waterways development is broached. erage annual appropriation for this 



This barrier is the problem, to him purpose for the last ten years, 

 apparently insoluble, of finance — the The United States Senate, in its re- 

 problem of "where to get the money." port of April 11, 1906, said: "From 



Formidable, however, as this ques- April, 1901, to April, 1902, floods in the 



tion may appear to some, is is not pos- South, fed from the Southern Ap- 



sible that its size is, roughly speaking, palachian region, did a damage esti- 



inversely proportional to the size of the mated at $18,000,000." 

 statesman? Note, again, the loss from erosion, 



It may be noted first that money, estimated to amount, annually, for the 



wisely used in waterways development. United States, to one billion of dollars, 



represents not an expenditure but an While waterways improvement would 



investment. Let a single corroborative not wholly stop this waste, it would aid 



fact be here adduced. materially in so doing. 



In the W^fl// Street Journal for No- Again, when sources of revenue are 



vember 13, a publication not overly sought, it should be remembered that, 



friendly to the waterways movement, in the United States, the real sources, 



may be read from a leading editorial: like the coal beds of China, have been, 



"C. W. Macara, recently president as yet, practically unopened. In the 



of the Manchester Cotton Association, recent special session, suggestions were 



says that the value of the Manchester made as to scratching the surface of 



Canal as measured by reduction in the some of these, but little of a practical 



cost of conveyance of raw cotton and nature was accomplished, 

 of cotton goods manufactured there- The bond proposition is now at once 



from, has been at least $2,500,000 an- the most popular and practical device 



nually to the cotton trade alone." for immediate use. However, as stated 



The same editorial points out that before in these columns, to expend as 



this canal has yielded advantages in much annually in interest on a loan as 



three ways ; it has reduced the cost : would be covered by an ordinary lump 



1. Of accumulating raw materials appropriation would involve no econ- 

 from various parts of the world for omy ; its chief advantage, apparently, l^e- 

 manufacturing purposes ; ing in avoiding the ri'-k of future prog- 



2. Of handling food supplies, im- ress "by jerks." and ensuring a rea- 

 ported largely by the manufacturing sonable continuity of policy, 

 districts of Manchester and adjacent A proposition of extraordinary in- 

 ppints ; terest is that made by Governor Deneen 



3. Of distributing manufactured to his fellow governors on their recent 

 produce. trip down the Mississippi. 



