Address of President Roosevelt at St. Louis, Missouri, October 2, 1907

In a lively October afternoon of 1907, the President addressed a crowd gathered on the banks of the Mississippi, sharing his enthusiasm for reviving America’s once‑vibrant water highways. He contrasts the rapid expansion of railroads with the gradual neglect of the “great natural highway” that still threads the nation’s heartland, arguing that bulk, non‑perishable goods belong on rivers and the Great Lakes. The speech paints a vivid picture of the Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio rivers as vital arteries that merit renewed attention and investment.

Turning to policy, he frames river improvement as a shared national responsibility, not merely a state concern. From protecting mountain headwaters and managing irrigation to building levees that curb floods, he urges prudent, balanced spending that avoids extravagance or corruption. Listeners hear a forward‑looking vision that ties natural resource stewardship to the country’s economic growth, inviting citizens to consider how America’s waterways might once again steer its prosperity.