The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-05-04
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 1906.
RIVER AND HARBOR IMPROVE
MENTS.

1t wont have a chance to cool.
The three members of the congress
saOnal committee on rivers and har-
bors who, with others, visited our city
yesterday and made speeches on the
subject Of the improvement of the har-
bors and waterways of the country
struck the keynote of the situation
when they declared that public senti-
ment was what was needed to force
the government to more liberal expen-
dlture of public funds for giving the
people greater facilities for water
transportation. This is the aim and
object Of the national river and har-
Dor congress which has been Organi-
lied. It's object is to create among the
people a sentiment in favor of the
greater development of our cOuntry's
inland commerce through the i'm
prOvement of navigation facilities on
the rivers and of our foreign trade
by charging and deepening the har-
bOrs Of our seaports.
While congress appropriates S140,-
600, 600 a year for pensions, $97, 000, 900
for the navy M SGT, 900, 600 for the
army in this country of peace it con
siders SO, coo, 900 enough to expend
annually on improving the rivers and
harbOTs Of this great agricultural.
manufacturing and commercial coun-
try.
These congressman tell US hat con-
greSs makes these immense appropria-
tons for pensions, for the navy, and
for the army because it knows that
in doing SO it has the approval Of the
people and that no larger sum is
given TO the far more important work
Of giving the people better highways
for traffic and upon their
rivers and at their seapOrts because
the people do not demand it of the
congress. More than one of these
speakers on yesterday said that if the
people were to demand an annual river
and harbor bill carrying $50, 000.O 600
instead of a triennial one appropriate
ing SO, 000, 600 they would get it. The
fault, they say, lies, not with con
gress, but with the people for not be-
ing more insistent in their demands
that congress should do Justice to the
great business and commercial inter-
ests of the country.
Not the people alone in the seaports
and the cities and towns along the
waterways are interested in this mat
ter, but the whole country is involved.
This demand for greater attention by
the government anG fo~ larger appro-
priations should not come from the
former alone, but from all the peo-
pie. These congressman laid great
stress upon this point and showed by
argument and facts cited a. illus
tratiOns that they were correct in
their position that the whole country
would be benefited by the improve
ment Of our inland waterways and
seapOrts.
The object of the national river and
harbor congress is to bring this fact
home to the people of the whole coun-
try. The congressman who were IL
our city yesterday are members of this
congress as we'll as members of the
house committee on rivers and har-
bors. Their object in coming to this
section of the country was two-fold:
To See, as members of the committee.
what were the needs in the matter
as members of the national river aad
harbor congress to urge the people to
take more interest in the matter OF
larger appropriations by congress for
such work. That they are anxious 10
do all they can as we'll for our port
and river as for all the country was
made manifest by their earnest words
Ct appeal to their audience. We are
sorry TO note that they held out little
hope to the people of Wilmington of
securing the full amour. of improve
ment hoped for in our river and har-
Dor 50 long as the people of the coun-
try are content with the small amount
contained in the river and harbor ap-
preparation bills and until they unite
in a strong and urgent demand that
he business and commerce of The
country shall receive something near
rnent as do the navy and the army.
So long as the people are content that
congress shall appropriate only $la.-
100000 a 'ear for this important work