Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1907-10-10

one might be proud, but the great ova.
tiou was to come
To Governor Malcolm II. Patterson
fell the honor OF introducing the presi-
dent. which he did in an eloquent and
graceful address.
For fraction Of second there was a
pause a President Roosevelt was intro
dueed. The crowd was drawing a full
breath Then a roar of welcome broke
out. And such a roar il was.
Leading up to his speech upon the
question at issue, the proposed fourteen
foot channel through the Mississippi
valley from the lakes to the gulf. Pres.
idcnt Roosevelt stated that he would
speak but in a general way: that he
would not commit himself until he had
been acquainted with the details Of the
proposal and the manner of it, rcali.
zttion through the lips Of men OF
expert knowleige who had made a thor
ough investigation and survey. He add
ed, however. that he considered the time
for general discussion about passed. the
time for the initiation Of active opera
| tions almost at hand.
With sledgc hammer blows he drove
his arguments on the necessity for the
valley OF the Mi-sissippi. he declared.
was politically and commercially more
important than any other valley on the
face of the globe. and its development
was far more important To the whole
country than the solution of any other
| problem now before the American pub
Inc. River regulation j. rate regula.
tion,' he declared. and no quicker or
| more satisfactory solution OF the rail.
road problem could be- made than in the
development OF the capacities OF the in
land waterways to their fullest meas
ure
IL was no ordinary multitude 10 whom
the chief magistrate addressed his words.
/ Before him sat the 1000 or more dele
gates to the waterways gathering. TWEEN
\ ty-three governors of states. congress
men OF both the upper and lower
branches, members OF the inland water.
| ways and Mississippi river commissions
and engineers of national renown who
have pronounced the fourteen-foot chan
mel feasible proposition. Frequently
I interspersing his remarks VITA hearty
and spontaneous cheers. this brilliant a.
semblagc gave unmistakable signs of
/ their most entire approval
Mr.. Roosevelt did not in his address
cnnfue himself wholly to the considera-
I tion OF the fourteen-foot channel. lie
spoke briefly Of the abuse and disuse OF
the eountry's resources in general and
urge,i the correction of such conditions.
+ He referred To his own attitude upon
+ the question OF conserva alton and devel
/ opment, an attitude uncompromisingly
/ progressive. He also spoke OF the work
+ being done ON the Panama canal, point
ed out the difficulties which had been
met and overcome in the actual con
/ struetive work and those encountered
I in the adverse criticism Of people who
are all right, but n little wobbly."
Throughout his remarks the president
was repeatedly interrupted by round al
ter round OF applause. When he had
concluded the applause lasted many min
+ utes. He left the hall for his train i'm.
mediately upon finishing his address.
! The convention was addressed by
senators, governors, congressman, rail-
/ road presidents and other prominent
men, all of whom gave their approval
/ to the proposed plan of deep water from
Z tho Ia hos m tho sft1lf