The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-15

would, be rnotifed ~ by is ConGressmar Bapkhead to bring ths delegation from the .'Aiabama River Convention to lappesr before the Committee, Tn the meantime he pledsed not only his own support but the support of the entire delegation from Alabama to forward ing the interests of the movement. W. R. Hooper Of Selma, expressed the regrets of A. L. Mcleod of Selma, who was on the program to speak on "Development of the Cotton Trade on the Alabama River but said that Mir. Mcleod would prepare q paper and send 1t to the Committee on Memorials ; Appisuse for Bsnkheaa. Congressman John Hollis Bankhead of the Sixth District, and for many years member of the Rivers and Har- bcrs Committee of the House. was in- troduced to speak on How to Secure the Appropriation" sa...s E Several. minutes were consumed in |applalse and It was some time before Colonel Bankhead could speak He said that the Alabama River Is the oldest river in the world. It has been overiowing its banks and snow ing its bottom since the memory of man sruHneth. not to the contrary. Na- ture. causes these overfows and lack of water.
 < But we are here" said the speaker, .'tc hafness 1t so. that 1t will carry commerce all the year around.'.
 If we can't elect President" he went on. I've can make our rivers be- have" f tqss i He impressed the audience with the fact that politics does not figure in the worksof the Committee on Rivers and Harbors. He said that he had visited every State fin the Union with the members of that Committee, had slept in the same car with them at night. had dined with them day after day. and had often occupied the same room with every member of the Committee. but never in his long experience hao he heard word of politics in refer ence to the work of the Rivers and Harbors Committee.
 { ':If the members of the Rivers and Harbers Committee think that they will De expending s5o0,oeo wisely in Improving the Alabama river. they will Improve 1t just as quickly. as if the river was in Pennsyivania Instead Of sAlabams. and if six-foot, channel can be made uniform for s6o0.o0o from we- tuunpka to Mobile, 1t win be the best inyestrpent the government has ever made" he declared.
 It was stirpfisins to him how the
 
 bama river had slept on their rights. How fe Get Appropriation. E He entered into suggestions as to how to get ssthe appropriation made The convention should appoint a com nfittee to. wait on the Congressiona al Committee. composed solely 7. of busi- ness men. men who know how many bales of cotton do go down the Ala barna river arid how many ought to go down 1t; how many feet of lumber go down and how many ought to and the committee should not be too modest with these figures.
 "pop't let the committee talk politics nor try to speilbind the seasoned so- Ions of the Congressional Committec,' he said. Let them talk business and when they are through talking busi- ness. make them stop. If this Is done and the Alabama Congressional dele gation works properly the appropria- ti0n will be made "i.
 v In emphasising, the statement that politics does not figure in the Commit tee. Congressman Bankhead said that in this years expense in improyins rivers and harbors, Alabama is ex. ceeded in her appropriations by only three States, New York. Illinois and Texas. but Alabama is blessed with rivers. f
 The speaker did not share the fears of many Southern politicians over the election of President Roosevelt. The railroads. the sky-scrapers and the furnaces In the South are heavy bond peace. f
 wen get fair treatment enough in Congress" he said and foS gracious sake. remember that the election is !, over ."
 k, New England has ta have cotton. he said. One cotton crop in the South lost, would mean a ruined New Eng land. Those are business people LID there and they'll not kill the goose that lays the golden egg. They would raeher build this goose a nice little pond for her to prosper in.
 He urged the delegates not to ston working after the convention, but to keep the matter constantly before the public. ..........-,' s, v
 Every merchant should put above his ~billhead, Improvement of the Ala bama River and the letter of every business man and every youth to his sweetheart should be superscribed. Yours for the Improvement of the Ala bama. River" ''..'
 movement and was applauded for five or ten minutes. sse%
 Called oa HgF. Burnett.
 Mir Vandiver called the attention of the chairman to the presepce of Con- gressmah John L. Burnett of the Sew enth District. and said that the con vention would be glad to hear from him. C9 '-&
 Mir: Burnett expressed his hearty con- curreuce in all the convention had done and assured the, delegates that North Alabama was just as interested In the welfare. of the project as tho people along the Alabama River.
 We realize" he said. the import anee of this waterway. We realize what it means to us if the grain and steel barges could ind direct access to the gulf through the Goose, and Ala bama Rivers The proposition is not one of the Second and First Districts. It's an all-Alabama proposition, and I pledge 1t my support" Mfr. Burnett AAA