The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-09-15

P. Hammers, Louisvillei Thomas I.
BAN. Galg!polis; J. c. white Aorgan-
Resoiutions-Hon B. b Dovener.
Wheeling; Hon. A. D. Follett, Mariet-
IA; w. A. Patton, CatlettHburg; ]. r.
Ellison, Cincinnati; G. b. Anderson.
Pittsburgh; ". P. Hubbard, Wheeling;
C. ]. o'Conner, Louisville.
Credentials-W. II. List, Wheeling;
F. A. Laidley, Cincinnati; d. B. Tor
pey, Marietta: c. ]. Murphy, Evans
vllle: John F. seibold. Louisville; James
II. Kirker, Catlettsburgh; James A..
Henderson
Mr.. Hubbard, OfiWheellng, introduced
the following resolution:
Resolved. That all resolutions offered
for consideration BY the convention
shall be in writing, signed by the gem
tleman Offering them. They shall be
handed to the secretary and referred
Without debate TO the committee on res
buttons,
The resolution was seconded by Capt.
Henderson and passed.
The report OF the committee on Gre
dentlals was made. The entire mem
bership OF the association was reported
In good standing New members were
enrolled by the secretary, and $500 In
dues paid.
ON motion, Major Bixby and Captain
William Martin were made honorary
members Of the associations Major Blk
by Is the army engineer In charge of the
Ohio river. and Captain Martin Is In
charge at Davis Island dam.
PRESIDENTS ANNUAL REPORT.
President Vance next made his an
nual report. He said:
ITO the Members of the Ohio Valley
Improvement Associatlon:-Th past
year has not been marked by any start
ling events in the history of your asso-
citation.
'The failure of Congress. at the last
session, to pass what Is known as a
River and Harbor bill" was caused By
the approach Of war with Spain. and
not through o desire on the part Of the
law-making power to retard work on
] the waterways that the people Of all
sections recognize as necessary to the
advancement OF the country. The COM
mlttee on rivers and harborS OF the
house, where all such bills originate, was
q unit In the belief that the war de-
mands would be such that II was not
wise 10 present a bill approprlating
funds for new work on rivers. and
harbors, and this opinion was shared
BY those OF your association whose duty
It is to watch over legislation and in
other ways promote and advance the
purposes Of the association.
when It was known that such a bill
would not be framed and presented, the
wisdom OF the Fifty-fourth Congress, in
providing for the continuous contract
system, was demonstrated. The great
work of improving the Ohio and Its
tributaries has not been idle, although
failure was made In passing river and
harbor bill, but has continued and will
continue. until the gross amount pro-
vlded by the act Of June 3, 1896, has
been exhausted. And the statement
here made applies to all appropriations
In that act which come under the head
Of the continuous contract system.
AT the convention OF this association
held last year at Evansville, the resolu-
lions adopted cordially endorse the
method" adopted by Congress OF placing
important works under what is COM
monty known as the continuous con-
tract system. and recommended Its lex
tension to all the works of Improvement
that may be hereafter undertaken"
THE growing sentiment In favor OF
improved waterways, on plans that
will render such Improvement perma-
nent, warrants the belief that hereafter
| all appropriations for such purposes
will be upon the system recommended
in the resolutions to which reference
has been made.
CHANGE OF SENTIMENT.
at IS a pleasure to be able to sag
land In saying IT the work of this assoc
citation Is to be strongly commended)
that during the past few years a rad
ical change has come over the people
Of all sections in regard to the improve
ment of our waterways By the general
government. Within a period of ten
years this change has been wrought,and
within the past three years It has been
prodlgIous in extent and radical in
character. In but recent years. years
| within the memory Of every man OF
thirty. 1t was fashionable for political
parties to meet and resolve solemnly
| against public improvements at public
expense. and the party that got In IFS
work first was considered fortunate.
| but we see now that education upon
! LUe SUBJECT VI OhA huANA -NNSSs 80
Knowledge OF their inestimRble value,
has caused a revolution in public senti-
! ment; and political parties, In conven-
| ton assembled. resolve in favor OF pub
lie improvements; yes, demand such I'M
proyements at the hands OF the Con-
gress of the country.
at is fortunate for US, who have the
| Improvement OF the Ohio and Its tribu-
tarles al heart. that a change has ia
ken place In public sentiment. 1t means
/ that success will crown our Efforts,
| Public sentiment Is q powerful factor,
! II CenerallH controls-is all-powerful.
For many years public sentiment oppos-
ed the building Of the Manchester ca
nal from Liverpool 4 change came,
and the canal was built at cost of
| S7S. 900 900. and II is a blessing the in
! dustrial interests of that section and
the country at large, would not forego
| for ten-fold the money In fact, no
! amount OF money Invested In any other
way. could so well accommodate the
! great traffic that Is handled by the ca
nal.
1.-THE action Of the national board Of
| trade-nn organization essentially ma
tional In character and OF boundless In
| fluence-In passing a series OF resolu-
lions commendntory OF the permanent
Improvement OF internal waterways,
and endorsing the purposes Of this as
ISOLATION, has done much TO strengthen
our cause. This distinguished body,
after full delIberation and By unani-
nous vote, demanded the thorough and
permanent Improvement Of the internal
waterways as a work of national i'm
portance and interest, lmperatlvely de-
handed both By our general domestic
| and foreign commercial relations: rec