The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1906-03-29
OUR WASHINGTON
NEWS AND NOTES
lTEMS OF INTEREST BRIEFLY
CHRONICLED.
DEEP WATER ASSOCIATION
It is Decided to Call Convention for
Next November in st. Louis to Pro-
mote Fourteen Foot From Chicago
Canal to the Gulf.

The Lakes 10 the Gulf Deep Water
Association was organized at dinner
given by Representative Lorimer of
Chicago to the Illinois delegation and
the other congressman who were with
him on his trip down the Mississippi
last autumn. It was decided to issue
call for a convention at st. Louis
Nov. Is and 16 to all the states di-
rectly interested in the project Mr..
Lorimer was selected as temporary
Chairman, and Representative Rainey,
secretary, 30 take charge Of the pre-
liminary work.
The following were present at the
conference: Representatives Foss, Nc
Gavin, Madden, Rainey, Wharton,
Wilson, Graft Knopf, George w.
Smith, Snapp,. Humphrey, Of Missis-
sippi, and w. F. Saunders secretary
of the Business Men 6 League Of st.
Louis. The specific purpose Of the or
ganization will be the promotion Of
fourteen foot waterway from the Chi
cago drainage canal to the mouth of
the Mississippi river. None Of the
other waterway associations along
the river will be invited as organiza-
tions to join in the movement, but the
individual members will be asked.
The project will enhance the work Of
all the other organizations, but it was
feared there would be conflict Of in
terests if other organizations were af-
filiated in the present project. Di-
rect interest in lakes to the gulf pro-
ject is expected from the representa-
tiyes of twenty-five states bordering
ON the great lakes and the Mississippi
and its tributaries. The general plat
form adopted by the association was
a request on the government to take
hold of project that would be of
immense benefit to the commerce of
the entire country, more directly than
will the Panama canal. The first ap-
preparation to be urged will be for
$S1, 100000, which will be needed to
get fourteen-foot channel to st.
Louis. Between now and next No
vember the congressman from all the
States of the Mississippi valley, and
bordering on the great lakes, will be
organized to back up this demand for
recognition in the rivers and harbor
bill. During the trip taken down the
Mississippi stops were made at all the
principal towns along the Illinois and
Mississippi rivers, and clubs were or
ganized. Invitations were sent to
these clubs to send representatives.
Representative Spight, of Mississip-
pi, the ranking minority member Of
the committee on Merchant marine
and fisheries, who have been pafticu-
larly active in fighting the ship sub
sidy bill, which is pending before that
committee, is confident that the meas
ure will not pass the house and also
that it is extremely doubtful if It will
come out Of the committee. Accord
ing to Mr.. Spight the eighteen men,
bers of the committee are evenly di-
vided on the question Of reporting
the bill, conceding that Mr.. McDer-
mott, of New Jersey, is in favor Of it,
and that would preclude favorable
report. Five of the six democrats,
and four republicans, namely, Wat
son, of Indiana; Wilson, Of Illinois !;
Henshaw, Of Nebraska, and Birdsell,
of Iowa, are opposed to the bill.
The subsidy bill provides that $780,
100000 shall be appropriated from
the treasury within the next ten
years, but it is Mr.. Spight's opinion
that the figures will be doubled, at
least, as the big ship builders and
not the smaller ones will get this mon
ey. Senator Spooner opposed it, and
leading republicans will oppose it in
the house.
One or members of the committee
of the New York Chamber of Com
merce, recently appointed to consid-
er the question of currency reform,
are in Washington for the purpose Of
looking over the situation in the SEN
ate and the house, with view to as
certaining the condition of pending
and recent bills. Chairman Fowler
has been in consultation with them
on the subject. 1t is learned that the
committee does not intend to urge leg
islation at this session, but is more
likely to devote itself entirely to a
campaign of education designed to in
dicate the most necessary lines of re-
form. Discussion and investigation
viii be continued for several DAYS.
In the opinion Of the president the
fees of the proposed court would not
be sufficient to pay capable deputy
clerk, but would take away from the
income Of the court at San Antonio,
and thus effect the efficiency Of that