The leader., 1904-11-05
THE COMMERCIAL
CONGRESS ENDED
The Fifteenth Annual Meeting, at
St. Louis, Adjourned.
THE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED
The More Important Portions of
the Report of the Committee
ON Resolutions as Passed
BY the Congress-.

st. Louis, Oct. 30.-The TRANSMITS
sissippi Commercial Congress held its
closing session at the Worlds fair Fri
day.
An important feature of the session
was the report of the resolutions COM
mittee by A. L. Black, of Bellingham,
Wash, chairman Of the committee. The
committee divided its report under the
heads Of irrigation" Rivers and
Harbors," Interstate Commerce"
Public Parks" Statehood, Alaska"
Good Roads" and Labor and Com
merce." Among the more important
resolutions adopted were the fellow
ing:
I'VE recommend liberal expenditures
for the Improvement of rivers and har-
bors by the federal government, as one
or the best and wisest methods of APP
proprtating public funds and this con-
greSS hereby expresses its firm conviction
that the people of the United States will
sustain the national congress in appropri-
ating larger sums for such purposes, and
urge congress to make more liberal APP
propriations than II has heretofore done,
thereby decreasing the cost of transporta-
ton on the products of farm, ranch and
factory, and increasing the prosperity of
the nation.
'The cost or necessary improvements
to prevent the continued interruption of
interstate commerce and an appalling loss
OF life and property should be met by
the national government and the Iocali-
ties affected upon an equitable basis.
We urge upon congress to make con-
tinued and liberal appropriations for the
permanent Improvement of the Missis-
sippi river between the mouths of the
object Of deepening the channel, that it
may have a depth of at least nine feet,
to correspond with the channel below the
mouth OF the Ohio river
we urge congress to make liberal app
preparations for the Improvement of the
mississippi river between Cairo and the
head of the passes, in accordance with
the plans and recommendations of the
mississippi river commission.
I'VE again recommend the project for
deeper water throughout the upper Mis-
sissippi between St. Louis and Minneap
oils. and for the betterment of the river
at the Des Moines rapids by substituting
dam and lock for the present canal,
and heartily approve house file bill 1924,
row pending in congress.
I'VE indorSe the project of improving
the Mississippi river from Minneapolis to
st. Louis so as to obtain minimum
depth of six feet at all seasons. of the
year, and we recommend that the gov
eminent authorize a continuous contract
for the completion of this improvement.
We approve the action of the Fifty
seventh congress in ordering and pro-
a
the feasibility of constructing water
way IA feet In depth from the terminus
OF the Chicago sanitary and ship canal
at Lockport, ILL.,, to st. Louis, Mo.
1--WE recommend that congress make
proper appropriations for the improve
ment of the Missouri river and other
navigable tributaries of the Mississippi
river yer. ,,uuo ooua -. o..,.o.o
appropriations under continuing contract
for the speedy Improvement of Galveston
harbor, and owing. to the great increase
of commerce passing through that port
and the deep draft of vessels in which
the commerce of the world is now most
economically carried, We recommend that
provisions be made for securing in the
harbor channel 1900 feet in width from
the western limits to the city of Calves
ton to deep water in the gulf, with a
of water at mean low tide, and we fur
Their recommend that congress make ade-
quate provision for the protection of the
the United States there situated.
We heartily recommend, in view Of
the large and Notwithstanding trade
with the orient, the Improvement and
adequate protection under continuing con-
tracts of all Pacific coast ports from
British Columbia to the Mexican border.
immediate steps should be taken for bet
ter protection of the Pacific coast, and
that there should be immediate construc-
ton of a naval station at some point on
the southwest of said Pacific coast, and
recommend the passage of bill Great
ing a naval station without delay at
San Diego or some Other. proper point
which may be recommended by the naval
department part no4,.,,n +,o o,,,,.,..
of the United States to enact legislation
at its next session empowering the inter-
state commerce commission, when rate
or practice complained of IS found to be
discriminative or unreasonable, to deter
mine what change shall be made therein,
which determination shall be operative
within 30 days and so continue until over
ruled or suspended under judicial pro-
ceedings.
I'VE favor the action of the federal
government in providing public parks,
and recommend that all the principal big
tree groves in California, and at least
go acres of virgin redwood forest in the
same state should be secured by the
United States government and held for
1--WE favor statehood for Oklahoma and
Indian territory, believing the policy of
union to be favorable to stability and
conservatism and beneficial in this in
we'll as to the whole nation, and in join
ing these territories into one state we
earnestly urge upon congress the impor..
fairness and the absence of Partizan bias.
LAS an act of justice to ALASKA and
to those desiring to go there, we favor a
sectional survey of said region as soon as
al. appropriation can be secured for said
purpose, and we recommend that con-
gress, at its coming session, pass the
necessary appropriation sectionizing
Alaska, or at least for the commence
ment OF the work.
1--WE favor SO amending the homestead
laws pertaining to the lands of Alaska so
that any citizen of the United States may
acquire 800 acres by settlement and resi-
dence, or Communication, although he may
heretofore have had the benefit of the
homestead laws in other parts of the
United States, providing at the time of
making application for said 800 acres the
applicant is not the owner of 100 acres of
land and wishes said 800 acres for home
purposes.
1--WE favor the union of labor and the
combination of capital as proper means
to advance the public good. We, however,
condemn any and all acts of either COM
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