Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-06
RIVERS AND HARb0RS
Advocates of improvements in
Session Here.
OPENING Meeting TODAY
More Than Twelve Hundred Delegates
in Attendance.
ASSEMBLE AT ARLINGTON HOTEL
Addresses Made by Speaker Cannon,
Representative Burton and Others
Increase of Waterways.
ASSEMBLE AT ARLINGTON HOTEL

| The annual meeting of the national riv-
| ers and harbors congress opened short
ly after 10 o'clock this morning in the con-
vention hall at the Arlington. with Presi
| dent Harvey D. Goulder of Cleveland in the
| chair More than 1900 delegates. it was
| estimated, In the city to attend the
| congress. and in the hall this morning they
assembled in groups under their general
| state banners. Probably the largest dele
| cations were those from Chicago and the
state of Illinois. Kansas City and state,
New Orleans and Louisiana, Omaha and
| Nebraska and New York city and state.
| The convention was formally opened with
prayer by Bishop Henry Y. Satterlee of the
| Washington diocese Protestant Episcopal
| Church.
Quoting from a newspaper clipping tend
/ Ing to criticism, President Goulder in his
| opening remarks declared his belief that
| the convention does not stand for failure
| and that results accomplished by appropri-
| atoms, which it advocated in years past,
has borne a marked influence upon the de-
| velopment of the internal commerce of the
| nation.
1.-The safest and best method to regulate
| traffic rates. said Mr.. Goulder. lis to i'm
! prove water transportation. l think am
! safe in saying that the money which is
now expended for this purpose under the
direction of Mr.. Burton, chairman of the
| House committee on rivers and harbors, Is
| regarded by all the people in this country
l whose opinion is worth consideration as be-
ing well and wisely and honestly expended"
| Mr. Goulder declared in favor of the
| spending of sJ9,O0O.OOO per year instead of
100000 upon river and harbor improve
| ment.
Il do not think this is the time or place
| to exploit any particular party OF locality.
| continued President Goulder. Let us get
| together and try to make our impressions
| upon the minds of the people of the coun-
try and the Congress of the United States
Speaker Cannon Delivers Address.
Tumultuous applause greeted the intro
| duct:on of Speaker Joseph G. Cannon, and
/ the convention, rising en- masse gave three
| cheers and tiger for the presiding officer
of the House Of Representatives. Voicing
| his appreciation Of his greeting Mr.. Cannon
referred to the critical press comment men,
| toned by Mr.. Gouder, and he evoked
| much laughter by advising the chairman Of
| the organization Gas he turned toward the
press table, to follow the plan which long
public life had taught him, and disregard
| press criticism by not answering It, and
| thus giving unpleasant story two days
| run instead of one.
with a country extending practically
from the frozen ocean on the north to the
gulf said Mr.. Cannon. I'VE have now only
| tapped the surface of the possibilities of our
| development" and he predicted that the
! spring of the twentieth century would
grown from IS 100000 to 200, coo, 600 or 25O,-
coo 600.
"A would be very foolish to arise in
| q gathering of this kind or in the Congress
| of the United States'' continued the speak
| er. land attempt to arrange system Of in
| ternal commerce. either on the railroads
or the waterways, on a basis of accommo-
dating the 2OO.O00.OO0 $50. 600, 900 people
| of the future. on the same scale which will
| meet present needs. No man is more anx-
| ious to meet the call of popular demand
| than the legisa tor The man who must go
| back once every twenty-four months and
| answer to his constituency. I am not 60
ing to talk politics. or party policies. !
| happen to be an advocate Of the policies of
the republican party but / see many Of my
| friends of the opposite belief before me- and
We all must behave according to public de-
mands, a revolution in party politics
| would follow
Depends Upon Compromise.
mo appropriation OF large amounts Of
| money for improvement of waterways or
| any other purpose can be secured without
| compromise. All government has its
weakness, and our government OF the peo-
| pie by the people. has its faiiings. but,
| thank God, 1t is the best for US. In rivers
and harbor legislation we in Congress fol-
| low in great measure the recommendations
| of the rivers and harbors committee. and
| in recent years the findings Of the commit
| tee have been so wisely constructed that
! criticism and reconstruction of their bills
| has been found by experience to be I'M
necessary"
Speaking of the possibilities of construc-
| ton of internal artificial waterways such
| as canals, Mr.. Cannon said the most i'm
portant thing for the country today is the
| improvement of the seacoast, the great
| lakes and the Mississippi river and its trib-
utarles, because those things are the most
| practical things to do
do not look for too much" Mr. Cannon
advised. "for too much cannot be done at