Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-26
TO MEET At TORONTO
Next Session of the Water
ways Commission.
VIEW
AMERICAN AND CANADIAN IN
sTRUcTIoNs PRESENTED.
Developments Of New Controversies
Like That Over the st. Johns
River Predicted.

Pending the answer of the United States
government to the Canadian governments
contention that the law establishing the
international waterway commission provid-
ed that all waters adjacent to the boun-
dairy lines between the United States and
Canada be included in the scope of the
commission no further meetings Will be
held That was decided at a meeting held
in the offices of Gen. Ernst, in the Mills
building, today, at which all the commits
sioners were present. 1t was decided that
at all meetings on United States soil the
chairman of the United States section shall
preside, and that the chairman of the
Canadian section shall preside at all meet
ings held in Canada.
The next meeting of the commission Will
be held at Toronto after the decision OF
Secretary Taft regarding the law is an
nounced
The instructions of the Canadian COM
missioners showed that the Canadian gov
erEment adhered firmly to the belief that
the broader Interpretation of the law was
the correct one and in support or That con-
tention they call attention to the fact that
in transmitting the invita- ton of the London
government Mr.. Choate, the United States
ambassador, also inclined to that view.
Meetings at Buffalo and Toronto.
Secretary Taft will take UP the matter
as soon as he returns from Ohio next week
and a decision will be forthcoming in a few
days. date will then be set for the next
meeting Future meetings will be held al
ternately at Toronto and Buffalo and the
Canadian and American sections of the
commission will esta blish headquarters re-
spectively at those points. Most of the
time of the meeting this morning was con-
sumed in presenting the instructions OF the
United States and Canadian sections.
In addition to the st. Johns river ques-
ton, there are also questions about the
Milk river, Rainy river and other small
streams between the two countries, and it
is pointed out by the Canadians that as the
country in that section is developed. new
controversies will arise which it will be
necessary to refer to some commission.
Provision for the Commission.
AS defining the general scope of the work
of the commission, the act of Congress APP
proved June IS, 1902, providing for the con-
stitution of the commission, is quoted as
follows:
THAT the President of the United States
is hereby requested to invite the govern
ment of Great Britain to join in the forma-
ton of an international commission, to be
composed of three members from the
United States and three who shall represent
the interests of the dominion of Canada,
whose duty II shall be to investigate and
report upon the conditions and uses of the
waters adjacent to the boundary lines be-
tween the United States and Canada, In
Guiding all of the waters of the lakes and
rivers whose natural outlet Is by the River
Saint Lawrence to the Atlantic ocean; also
upon the maintenance and regulation of
suitable levels; and also upon the effect
upon the shores of these waters and the
structures thereon, and upon the interests
of navigation by reason of the diversion Of
these waters from change in their natu-
raj flow; and, further, to report upon the
necessary measures to regulate such diver
sion, and to make such recommendations
for improvements and regulations shall
best subserye the interests of navigation in
said waters
THE said commissioners shall report upon
the ACCESSIBILITY of locating a dam at the
outlet of Lake Erie, with view to deter
mining whether such dam will benefit nav
igation, and if such structure is deemed
advisable, shall make recommendations to
their respective governments looking to an
agreement treaty which shall provide
for the construction of the same, and they
shall make an estimate of the probable
cost thereof. The President, in selecting
the three members of said commission who
shall represent the United States, Is au-
thOrtzed to appoint one officer of the Corps
of Engineers of the United States army,
one civil engineer well versed in the hy-
draulics of the great lakes and lawyer of
experience in questions of International and
riparian law, and said commission shall be
authorized to employ such persons as 1t
may deem needful in the performance of
the duties hereby imposed; and for the
purpose of paying the expenses and sal
aries of said commission the Secretary of
War is authorized to eXpend from the
amounts heretofore appropriated for the
Saint Mary's river at the Falls, the sum
of $4,000, or so much thereof as may be
necessary to pay that portion of the eX-
penses of said commission chargeable to the
United States"