The Bourbon news., 1906-11-06
Our Washington
Letter.

By EARL w. MAYO.

/ more llDoral pOllcy Win regard TO the
| development of the nations rivers and
harbors. The Ohio River Improve
ment Association and the International
| Waterways Commission have just ad-
| journed their convention in Portsmouth,
o., and Chicago. respectively, while a
large number of state, interstate and
national meetings. to consider the same
, question are set for early dates. The
| tennessee River Improvement Associa-
tlon Is TO convene in Sheffield, Ala,
November 8; the Deep Waterway Con-
ventiOn meets in st. Louis Novebmer Is
and l6. and the Trans Mississippi Com
mercial Congress, which will devote
the greater part its session to dis
cussiOn Of waterway improvement,
gathers In Kansas City November 10.
Secretaries Root and Shaw are to speak
at this meeting, and the movement is
expected to receive the endersemer
of the administration. There are
several other NEE tings throughout the
country to be held before the conven-
tion in this city of the National Rivers
and Harbors Conrgess, which is set for
| December. 1t is the hope of the advo-
Gates of more extensive river and har-
Dor work TO induce Congress to appro-
pirate $50, 600, 900 annually for the de-
velopment of the nations natural re-
sources. At present the sum devoted
TO the work is pitiably small, al d effec-
tive work cannot be done. Cong man
Joseph E. Ransdell, in, calling atten-
tlon to this matter discloses the fact
| that in the last general appropriations
bill, the army, navy, Interior Depart
ment and pensions took 30 per cent. of
| the SIP, 600, 600, while public improve
ments received less than per cent.
| The upbuilding of the rivers and har-
bOrS, it is cOntended, would more than
pay for the work done by the develop
ment of domestic and foreign COM
merce, TO say nothing of the immense
sums saved to the people through re-
duced freight rates made possible by
water transportation.
5
Coming fast On the heels of the cabi-
net changes as announced from the
White House, is the surprising rumor
that Secretary Root may drop his port
folio at an early date. The Secretary
of State is said to be distinctly dis
pleased with the administration S action
IN regard TO Cuba, and that ever since
the Cuban troubles began he and the
President have not been in accord. Mr..
Root is perorted to have been openly
angry when, on reaching Panama from
his South American trip, he learned
that the United States had intervened
in the affairs of the Island. His good
uhmOr received another jar when an
armed force was sent to restore order.
Mr.. Roots reason for such strenuous
objection is said to be that the activity
of the United States has negatived the
good effects of his visit to the South
American republics. He preached for
peace and bent all his efforts to dissi-
pate the suspicion that this country is
pledged to any ''big stick" policy with
regard TO its weaker neighborS. To his
chagrln, his country at the very time
he was spreading this doctrine was pre-
pairing for the invasion of another and
smaller nation. So deeply does the
Secretary feel the incongruity of his
position, that it would not surprise
those Oh the inside if he were to with
draw at tan early date.
Some figures recently compiled serve
to throw an interesting light on the
relative advantages of municipal
ownership and privately owned electric
lighting systems. The comparison was
made between the leading British cities
of Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham,
Glasgow and Edinburgh, which operate
their electric lighting plants, and New
York Chicago, Philadelphia and Bos-
ton. 1t was found that in the British
cities under municipal control only one
in every 90 residents is customer of
the electric hghing plant, while In the
American cities one in every SO persons
uses the light. In Great DrlLan tnei
is an average of One-nalf light to each
inhabitant and in the American cities
one and a third lights to each inhabi
tant. or about three times as many as
in Great Britain. These figures seem
to bear out the contention of those Op-
posing nunicipalzation, that the use of
any commodity is extended more rapid
ly under private than under public
ownership.
3
l. According to Secretary Metcalf of
the Department of Commerce and
Labor, immigration for the year prob
ably will reach the enormous total of
l, 400, 600 persons. The Secretary made
the statement this week after con-
ference with President. Roosevelt, the
subject of which he declined to reveal.
1t probably had to do with the Secre-
tary's investigation of methods at the
Ellis Island Immigrant Station, through
which passes u per cent. Of the incom-
ing hords Of aliens.
s.
There is cry and need for more off
GERS and men in the United States
Marine Corps. Brig. Gen. G. F. Ell
lott, commandant of the Corps, calls
attention in his annual report to the
necessity Tor an increase in force. and
says that unless prompt action is taken
by Congress 10 provide for strength
ening OF this important branch ne will
soon be unable 10 carry out the direc-
tiens OF the Secretary of the Navy.
The Corps, while small, has reached
high grade of efficiency, and the men
are scattered over the face of the
globe, detachments being stationed per-
manently in the Philippines, at the
American legation at Pekin, and on
the Isthrnus OF Panama. Although al
WAYS the first in the field in times of