the country must be taken into account. Both valleys,
the Miami particularly, are veined with streams tributary to the rivers,
and in times of flood the water rises with amazing rapidity and spreads
far and wide over the valley floor. The level character of the region in
which Dayton itself lies and the fact that there is not enough pitch to
the land below to carry off the water accounts for the depth and extent
of the floods. Dayton has had many of them. What Congress can do to
prevent or minimize them in future by putting the army engineers at work
to construct dams for the collection and restraint of waters in the
valleys north of the threatened cities must be done, whatever the cost.

SECRETARY LANE'S PLAN

Franklin K. Lane, Secretary of the Interior, has outlined a plan for
preventing such floods as devastated Ohio and Indiana. The plan hinges
on the deepening and widening of the channels of all streams that are
liable to flood conditions. Mr. Lane hopes to see the idea carried out
through the cooperation of the Federal Government, with the aid of the
states immediately endangered.

Aside from the perpetual protection against flood, which he believes his
plan would give to settlers in low regions, there are widespread
districts along the Mississippi and many other rivers that would be
thrown open to settlement. The land thus reclaimed from the swamps might
go a long way, in Mr. Lane's opinion, to reimburse the states for the
appropriations they would be called upon to make. Mr. Lane says:

"The rainstorm, I know, was phenomenal, and even with the system I have
suggested would have doubtless resulted in material damage and the loss
of some lives. But flood conditions reappear every spring in some
noticeable way, and my plan would obviate most of the resulting damage.

"It will not do for Ohio or Indiana or even the two states together to
spend their money generously in clearing the beds of the streams within
their boundaries. That would merely carry the flood more swiftly to the
state lines to the south, and the water would back more angrily than
ever into what would quickly be great lakes. The thing is too large for
the states alone. A harmonious, scientific system must be worked out by
the federal authorities, and the states must then make their
contributions in the way that will do the most good to the whole valley
affected."

SENATOR NEWLAND'S PLAN

Senator Francis G. Newlands, of Nevada, who has made