Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1903-11-04
IN AID OF LEVEES
A Letter From President Roosevelt is
Read
TIE CONVENTION AT NEW ORLEANS
One of the Host important Gather
ings Ever Held in the Valley OF the
Mississippi

New Orleans. Special.-Resovcd to
appeal To the Federal government for
adequate aid to lcvec both banks OF
the Mississippi river and to maintain
such lcvecs at maximum grade e :
by making possible the reclamation
and protection of the alluvial lands
and improving navigation. the largest
and most influential lcvcc convention
held in the valley convened here Tues
day. when President Chas. Scott called
the Inter State Mississippi River I'm
provemcnt and Lcvcc Association to-
order
The occasion was otherwise not.
able one. by the direct announcement
by che President of the United States
Of his sympathy with the movement
which thc convention proposes 80 in
auguratc. Tn" delegates represented
eight or ten States of the Mississippi
and Ohio valleys and included Gov
crnors. Senators. Members OF Con
grcss, high railroad officials and
representatives Of commercial ex-
change and lcvcc boards
In calling tho convention to order
President Scott defended the Icvce
system and urged the constitutional
ity. the cXpcdicnoc and the CONNER
cial and military necessity of gov
crnmcnt charge of the river Mayor
! CapcGeyiiic ana Governor Heard made
addresses of welcome Chas. Scott
w;Ns made permanent chairman of the
convention and John w. Bryant. OF
Louisiana. and w A. Evcrman. OF Mis-
slssippi. secretaries. and n committee
on resolutions composed of two dele
gates from each State representing
The tcn-at-largc We're provided FOR
Before the convention took a re-
cess. Chairman Parker. OF the com
mittce on ARRANGEMENTS. read a let
ter from Pr"sidcnt Roosevelt which
aroused much enthusiasm The.
President wrote:
My dear Mr. Parker: Permit me.
through YOU to express nv very grcat
interest in the work of the Inter State
/ l5vcc convention. Exactly as ! have
/ taken n keen interest in irrigation Ts
the arid regions. so | feel that the
| movement for thoroughly protecting
'-'N .''''''it''i'tii INV Minus IN i'FCt'S Is
one Of Importance to the whole coun-
try. no less than To tho people immc-
diatcly adjoining the great river.
wish all success to you" convention
and shall follow It's pre-, ceilings with
close attention.
Sincerely yours.
(SigD THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
When the letter had been read Muir
ray f. Smith. OF Vicksburg. offered
the following resolution which was
unanimously adopted:
Resolved: That the thanks OF the
people of the Mississippi valley are
hereby rendered to President Roose-
welt. through this convention. for his
manly and patriotic letter endorsing
the Improvement Of the channel of
the Mississippi river and the protcc.
t!on of the vast area Of alluvial and
fertile territory along its banks from
devastation by floods thereby con
serving and faclitatingg the vast and
growing Interstate commerce already
transacted through the medium OF
great railroad systems behind the le.
wees"
ut is requested that these rcsolu-
tons be wired to the President"
The convention took recess until
Thursday
At the opening Of the night session
Judge N. G. Blanchard. of Louisiana.
spoke, urging government control of
the levees
Secretary Cf Agriculture James Will
son, following Judge Blanchard. was
welcomed with great cordiality. He
said the question OF government CON
troll of the lcvccs was a new ono to
him. 1t int rested him deeply and the
people OF the lover valley had his
deepest sympathy in pushing it.
The Secretary spok" for the new
policy the government had adopted. n
matter OF irrigation in the West. He
urged the imperative necessity OF
forest preservation and Of dam co.,
structon for the dual purposes of
adding agriculture and reducing the
volume OF water poured through the
great river.
Congressman j. T.. Ransdell. fol
lowed Secretary Wilson.