The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1901-07-25

Last night witnessed the consumlna-
ton of Lewiston's entertainment of the
river and harbor committee and attendant
visitors of the Inland Empire commercial
speeding down the river on their tour Of
inspection. The program as announced
was carried out in detail, concluding with
banquet for the guests at the Raymond
house last evening. The speakers at the
banquet responding to the toasts pro-
posed by the POSTMASTER each presented
a particulsr phase OF the advantages Of
an open river to the sea. The speeches,
III brief, sketched in rough outline the
Importance of the great problem pre-
sented to the committee. The response
on behalf Of the river and harbor com.
mittee was given by its chairman, Hon.
Theodore Burton of Ohio. Chair an
Burton's speech was the event Of the
evening. It was All earnest, eloquent and
forceful presentation Of the question as 1t
appeared to the committee. He recog-
nized, he said, the importance Of the de-
inonstration being made by the deega-
tions present from the three great COM
monwealths. The unity, earnestness and
zeal Of the advocates for the opening of
the Columbia appealed strongly to the
members of the committee. But the
problem Of opening the Columbia was
one of the greatest the committee had to
solve. The cost of opening the great
waterway would aggregate many millions
of dollars. Mr.. Burton called attention
to the defeat Of The last river and harbor
bill because of the attack from the oppo-
sion. The bill as drafted carried An APP
preparation of $4,000, 900, and 1t was
severely attacked, the charge being made
of gross extravagance in public expendi-
ture. In view of this, MIR. Burton urged,
the best thing the delegates could do
would be to begin and continue both in
season and out Of season to create pub
lie sentiment in favor Of liberal expendi-
lures for public improvements In a
great nation like ours where many inter-
ests were TO be considered the question
was not between good improvements
and bad improvements. but between
what was urgent and what could reason.
bly, wait. Mr.. Bnrton's discussion Of the
problem left his auditors firmly inn
pressed with the fact that he had
statesman grasp of the situation and
whatever would be done in the future the
Columbia RIVER problem would be con-
sidered on its merits from complete and
intimate knowledge of the needs Of the
people.
Mr.. Burton's speech concluded the
conference at the banquet, the detailed
account of which appears in the program
below.
The congressional party and attending
delegations left on the boat at 7 O'Clock
this morning. They go to Riparia by
boat are picked up there by their special
this afternoon and tonight are rendered q
reception by the commercial club at The
Dalles. Tomorrow they inspect the
Dalles-Celilo rapids where the main ex-
penditure for canals and locks is needed
in the process Of opening the river to the
sea.
THE DAYS EvENrs.
The program Of the day as announced
was carried out without break. The
train bearing the committee arrived at
the Porter farm about s o'clock. The
Portland and Walla Walla delegations
had arrived by boat about 5 o'clock and
were driven to Porters in carriages. A
delightful luncheon was served the guests