Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-15
TO URGE CONGRESS
River and Harb0r Men Want
Appropriations.
m EET HERE TODAY
Organization Effected at Arlington
Hotel.
SEVERAL SPEECHES DELIVERED
Secretary Love Called Meeting to
Order. M. Saunders Spoke Of
Lethargy of House.
MEET HERE DAY
SEVERAL SPEECHES DELIVERED

The members of the river and harbor
congress, numbering over 600. assembled
at the Arlington Hotel today for a session
OF two days duration. There were men,
Ders from thfrty-two states, nearly all Of
winch, even those IN the arid region, seem
10 nave an interest in river and harbor an
preparations Boards OF trade from all
over the country were represented. and
many of the delegates were direct an.
pointees of the governors of their respect-
i've states.
Inc big assembly hall of the hotel was
crowded, and there were banners on all
sioes. designating the location OF the vari-
gus delegations. And the delegations were
an ehere' OF thereabouts. for the river and
haroor bill is one of the most attractive
propositions that ever gets before Con.
sress, there being more good things I'm II
TOT various localities than in any other
congressional measure, with perhaps the
eNception or the public buildings BILL with
w wanr II is rumored. Uncle Joseph this
Var intends to coax the insurgent menu
oers OF the House back into line
-. ne river and harbor convention had
i not p me, since 1901. when it was organized
IN baItlmore. 1t might not have met this
year except that there is no river and har
Dor Dill at this session, and the convention
as as whole thought there was need for a
campaign of education" as the trea surer.
Mr.. Sherwood put It. ~
There was little for the convention to do
To-Day except to organize. AS the matter
no officers to speak of except the executive
committee. Colonel Love- the Secretary
called the convention to order and made a
rev preliminary remarks as to the history
of the organization. It's scope, he said
was national. and it's purpose was to
have our legitimate demands listened to
by Congress"
There were to be a number of addresses
ne said-some OF them by very distin-
guished individuals; but it must be re-
membered that no man or locality could
come with any private ak to grind; that
the convention stood for the general prop
osition of having appropriations made for
the whole country; and no resolution
particular locality.
MI. Sanders Remarks.
Mr.. ]. M. Sanders, the chairman of the
executive committee. then spoke, saying
that the lethargy of the present Congress
in regard to river and harbor work showed
that the members need stirring up The
trouble was not. he said, that the commit
tee on rivers and harbors of the House
had been too lavish in making appropria-
lions for carrying on the work. All the
appropriations they had made were needed,
he held but their wastefuness lay in the
failure to make annual appropriations for
carrying methodical and continuous
work Mr.. Sanders said that the river and
OIL fidu Deen put from tfne 10
time. From a biennial feature it, he said,
has become a triepnial feature, and what
the convention wall ed was to put their de-
mands in such shape that no Congress .
would dare to turn them down. This decla-
ration was greeted with tumultous APP
plause.
The mere fact, Mr.. Sanders continued
that there were so many delegates willing
to neglect their work at home and come
to Washington in January was an indica-
ton that there was no lethargy in the To-
calities affected by the river and harbof
improvements. If the work of the conven-
ton resulted in nothing more than the
perfecting of live. energetic and effective
organization this year, then. he thought
the members could feel that they had really
accomplished something.
Mr.. Sanders remarks We're Dunctuated
with applause.
Congress Organized
The convention then turned to the oues-
ton of organization. and it was decided
the three principal committees. on organi-
cation. resolutions and credentials. should
be appointed, to consist of one member
from each of the state delega tons. 1t was
admitted that these committee would be-
rather large and unwieldy but Ii was
explained that each committee could ap-
point a subcommittee to do the real work.
The convention then took recess, dur
ing which the local delegations could de-
eide their committeeman.
The first business of the afternoon session
an address by Representative burton
of Ohio.
The members will tomorrow afternoon
call I'm body at the White House and pay
their respectes TO the President.