Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-12-06
FIFTY million FOR
BETTER WATERWAYS
Larges. Gathering Ever Held in This Country in the Inter
est Of Harbor and Waterway Improvement. Will Urge
Congess for Immense Appropriation.

! Washington, De&' i Nearly "A
Thousand delegates are IN Washington
lin attendance On today's session oE
1.-THE opening Of the National Rivers
and HarbOrs congress, Speaker Can
non and Representative Burton. chair
man of the house rivers and harhors
committee are among the speakers.
| The object NJ the convention Ii 10
obtain an annual appropriation at $50
900. 900 from congress for systematic
work I'm the improvements Of national
waterways, Representative Ransdell.
of Louisiana. who made a tour af
twenty Thousand miles around the
country In behalf Of the movement.
will report 10 the convention that he
has found the sentiment To he strong
ly In favor of Vigorous prosecution Of
waterways aS remedy for the
wholly inadequate transportation fa-
IcIlitIes now afforded by the railroads. "
Big Sum Wanted
Fifty million dollars annually for
river and harbor improvement" Ia the
demand voiced by the delegates 10 the
National Rivers and Harbors congress,
which opened n Two days session iu
Washington today. The opening ses-
sion was held In the Arlington hotel
> and influential men from nearly every
state In the union participated In the
deliberations. Every important river
land harbor Improvement association
!. OF the country is represented. AZ well
, as numerous commercial bodies. MARI
! time exchanges aud other ovganixa.
tions. While all of the delegates fa.
, vor some special project for river or
harbor Improvement. none of these
are given precedence ut the congress.
which IL the friend of every meritori-
ous waterway and harbor In the coun-
try. The chief purpose Of the con.
vention Is to demonstrate to congress
that the United sentimey1 of the
. American people favors an increased
: and regular river and harbor anpro,
priation.
Objects OF Congress
In describing the objects OF the
National Rivers and Harbors congress,
! j. A. Fox. of Arkansas, a member Of
the executive committee, said In part
The congress was organized at a
meeting held in Washington last Jan.
= uary and Its aims and objects met
? with immediate appreciation through
( out the country. In the last few
: months ] have visited all the larger
:. river and seaport cities of the United
Is States In order TO explain the import
ance of the movement, and that II Is
fully realized Is proven by the pres,
ent meeting. Moreover, the objects OF
the congress are fully sustained by the
+ members of the congressional rivers
= and harbors committee and we take q
a great deal of pride In the fact that We
3 have for the head of our executive
i committee one of these members Re
: preventative Joseph t. Randall oi
T. Louisiana.
"The great discrepancy betweca
i the river and harbor bills and the 9th
er appropriations passed by congress,
In notable. During the past ten year:
s140,0o0,000 have been expended fol
pensions, nearly $70,00o.0o0 each fol
the army and navy, s127,00o. 200 fol
y the postal system and less thaa $50,
i. 100000 annually for river and harbol
Improvements. To ask that thi'
amount be raised to s50.0oo.00o an
r. nually Is certainly not unreasonable
:. River and harbor proi"c.s In ths
amount of nearly s40o o0o 900 are nov
"a awaiting the action OF the congression
" al river and harbor committee. Al
: OF these proposed improvements have
been passed upon by competent engin
teers and recommended rs bein:
!, worthy Of undertaking by the fc1erA
government. II II" present nisgard'.,
90 policy of congress in continued few %
these works can be completed within
"A century.
Demands Moderate
In asking for an appropriation o
s50. 100000 annually the National Riv
ers and Harbor congress feels that
Is very moderate in Its demands. a
this amount is less than per cent q
} the total average congressional ar
preparation for the last decade. W
, believe, too. that this money win be o
direct benefit to the whole people an
; will give immediate returns I'm tn
way OF vastly increased commerce an
, reduced transportation rates"
United States Tagging Behind
, Figures produced by the officials {
the congress show that the Unite