The Washington herald., 1906-12-07
WATERWAY FIGHT ON
Rivers and HarbOrs Congress
Urges Need Of Aid.
TAWNEY HEARD AT MEETING
AS Chairman of Appropriations Com
mittee, Tell Hearers that Enough
Money Goes Into Navy to Build
Panama Canal, and 62 Per Cent 10
Pensions and War Preparations.

That there must be an increase in taxes
or a reduction in appropriations is the be
1 lief Of Representative James a. Tawney,
Of Minnesota. chairman OF the House
Committee on Appropriations. He told
the delegates at the National Rivers and
Harbors Congress, in session last night in
the National Rifles Armory. that the
people in the States have eneroached on
the public Treasury to an extent that is
alarming.
More money was appropriated for the
navy by the Fifty-seventh and Fifty
eighth Congresses" said Mr. Tawney,
than it viii take to build the Panama
Canal. To accomplish what this conven-
tion wants, one of two things must be
s1One-taXes must be increased or appro-
priations reduced. We spend more money
for war. or in anticipation of wars. than
il would cost to improve every river and
harbor in the United States. More than
65 per cent OF the appropriations for 1906
was for pensions resulting from past
wars, and for the anticipations Of future
ones"
Mr. Tawney was the most conservative
speaker Of the convention, and was fol-
lowed by John Sharp Williams, who IS
enthusiastically in favor of the purpose
of the convention. The tenor of his
remarks was that money used in the i'm
provement of rivers and harbors is not
money spent, but money invested.
j. j. Hill Sends His Regrets.
One of the features of the convention
last night was the receipt of a telegram
from James J. Hill president Of the
Northern Pacific Railroad, in which he
rendered his regrets because he cannot
attend the convention. His message was
to James E Ramsdall. president Of the
association. and was as follows:
Deeply regret unable attend Rivers
and HarboTs Congress. In view Of ina
biHty of railways to move the heavier
classes of tonnage in entire country, there
has been no subject before Congress in
twenty years which interests so many
people and viii prove so great a benefit
to the entire basin of Mississippi and
Missouri rivers as a fifteen-foot channel
or canal from St Louis TO Gulf of Mexico
JAMES J. HILL"
The introduction of ex-Gov. David y
Francis of Missouri, was the signal for d
tremendous burst of applause lasting sew
eral minutes. It amounted to an ovation
Although he was the last speaker of the
evening, few left the hall until he had
completed his speech. He dwelt with
great earnestness on the pressing need for
an enlargement of the appropriation, and
urged the greater naturalization of the
organization.
The congress held three sessions yester-
day, and all were we'll attended Every
State was represented by one or more
delegates. and they are united in their ef-
fort to secure an annual appropriation of
SO, 600 for the improvement of rivers
and harbors.
Among the most fruitful addresses of
the day were those of Speaker Cannon and
Theodore NJ Burton, of Onio
Speaker Cannon APpIauded.
Speaker Cannon was greeted with
cheers and applause as he took the stand
at the morning session. After speaking
of the commerce of the United States.
and declaring that the people of the
country have only begun to scratch their
resources. he predicted that the popula-
ton Of the nation will be 250,OO0,00O at the
close of the present century. He ad-
vised against crossing streams before
they are reached.
mo set of people on EARTH" the
Speaker said, ARE so anxious to answer
the demands Of the people as a member