The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-11-21
JOHN FOX TALKS ID COMMERCIAL CLUB Discusses River and HarbOr
 Improvements.
A DELEGATION IS NAMED
Local Business Men Will Represent Birmingham District at the Meet ina of the National Rivers
 and Harbors Congress.

A representative audience of business men of the Birmingham district heard John II. Fox in an address on the inn provemcnt of the rivers and harbors of the country yesterday afternoon at the Commercial club rooms
 MT Fox is a member of the National Rivers and Harbors congress of the United States and is thoroughly informed on the subject of which he spoke. His address was brief but contained much valuable Information on the river and harbors Improvements of the country
 He explained the organization of the National Rivers and Harbors congress and stated that it's object was to secure if possible from Congress an annual ap- propriation of S5O000,000 for the improve ment of the rivers and harbors instead or $19.O0O GOO as now allowed He stated that the congress would meet in Wash ington December and it was the wish of those interested that Birmingham send a srong delegation of representative bus- mess men to this meeting to add their Influence to the appeal that is to be made to the United States Congress for the increased appropriation.
 Mr. Fox said during his address that $470 GOO, coo had been spent in the improve ment of all waterways of the United States in the history of the country, and as a proof of the great value this worK has been to the people he gave some in- teresting figures of saving in freight rates in different sections of the country He stated that s39 GOO alone had been saved to the shippers in the region of the Great Lakes and that since the channels in that section had been improved the commerce had been largely increased.
 Value of Improvement.
 After showing the gerat good to be de- rived from the improvement of the coun- rvs waterways Mr Fox referred to the enormous expenditures that are being | made by Congress for war and Tor war preparations and other items which he l claims are far less important to the peo- pie than the proposition under consider alton.
 Congressman Oscar w. Underwood, who | was present in the audience, got MT. Fox's permission to ask question and he wanted to know where Congress should get the money for the increased appro- pration
 l Mr. Fox replied that the improvement 1 of the waterways of the country IS a | business proposition and that if, such a l sentiment could be aroused as to Force | Congress to make the appropriation ways and means for the raising of the money would be easy. He estimated that $oo, l GOO GOO annually for ten years would be l sufficient to put the rivers and harbors 1 of he country in good navisable condition. | This would amount to s5o00Oo, 000. He l said that such an undertaking of such l great value to the people would be a small matter for eight million Of the most progressive and prosperous people in inc world He said that when the com mercal interests of the world and the country demanded it the United states began digging the Panama canal. and ne added that the improvement of our streams is just as important as the l building of the canal.
 The speaker concluded by making an appeal to the Commercial club and bus mess men of Birmingham to send strong delegation to the meeting of the Ma tional Rivers and Harbors congress in
 Washington in December.
 Underwood Speaks.
 Congressman Oscar w. Underwood was called upon for a talk, and he responded by heartily endorsing every word that 1 Mr. Fox had said, but suggested that the
 work of improving the waterways should
 not be extended over ten years by annual appropriations of s50000.000 but he be- lieved that the s5Oo0O,0Oo should be spent al once. even though an issue of bonds were necessary. He said that the im- provement of the rivers and harbors would be the only thing for which he would favor the issue of bonds al this .time and that if the matter came before l the ways and means committee. of which he is member he would do all in his power to pass such d measure. MT. Cn- 1 derwoods remarks were received with much applaGse
 Congressman Sidney J. Bowie, who was also present and took lively interest i In the address of MT. Fox. was called 1 upon and stated that he also agreed with l every proposition laid down by the 1 speaker and added that the improve ment of the rivers and harbors Of the country was coming to be one of the most important questions before Congress-. He said that if the proper influence is 1 brought to bear on Congress that that body will certainly find 3 way to carry | out the improvements advocated by the
 National Rivers and Harbors congress. Rufus N Rhodes made q short talk in 1 which he complimented MT. Fox for hi: 1 very able address given in so few words | and concluded by making a motion thai | President Robert Jemisor, Jr., of tho Commercial club appoint n delegation o l ten representative men to attend thu O ~a