Omaha daily bee., 1907-12-06
TINE TO CROSS THE BRIDGE
Governor Glenn Of North Carolina Ad-
dresses Waterways Meeting.
FIVE HUNDRED MILLIONS WANTED
For DeepeninE OF Rivers ana Har-
bOrs He Declares This Sum
Should BE Set Apart
and Used.

t,onal delegates attended the National
Rivers and Harbors congress today.
Governor Glenn Of North Carolina, one
OF the speakers, declared that the matter
before this congress was the most i'm
portGnt that had been approached in the
last 100 years, Continuing, he said:
'As Secretary OF State Root said yester-
day, we have reached the bridge. / say
to you that we have not only reached the
bridge. but we must cross the bridge this
year
I'VE demand the deepening Of our rivers
and harbors. We will take no denial We
must have $500 10000 for the Improvement
OF rivers and harbors. paid In sums of
S5O,oO0OOO every year"
President Finley of the Southern rail-
way in an address, pointed out that II
was the policy Of the Southern to en-
courage the establishment of coastwlee
steamer lines, as he believed that the
providing Of additional facilities for
water transportation would increase tho
population and prosperity of the seaboard
community and thus benefit the railways.
IN the same way" he said, Il believ
that the construction OF the Panama
canal will benefit. rather than injure, The
transcontinental railways, as 1t will tend
to build UP the Pacific coast states and.
will give them increased traffic OF other
classes
'Tt is to the Latin-American countries
and the orient that we must look for an
increase in our transportation facilities.
and II Is to them that we must look for
the principal opportunities to extend our
markets for those commodities for which
we are striving to produce in competition
with Europe"
In conclusion, President Finley said:
IL believe that the solution of this
problem is to be found In the adoption
by the general government OF broad
and comprehensive plan for the improve
ment Of the rivers and harboTs of the
country, to be carried to completion as
rapidly as the work can be done ad-
vantaseously, and by the adoption by fed
eral and state governments of such rail-
way regulation as will involve the mini
mum Of Interference with the operation
of economic laws consistent with the
protection Of buyers of transportation and
the public generally from wrong"
COnKresslnaa BurtOa Talks.
Chairman Ransdall. in presenting to the
congress Representative Theodore e Bur
ton OF Ohio chairman Of the rivers and
harbors committee Of the house Of repre-
reached its present high plane In the Inn
provemant Of internal waterways mate
rlslly through the efrorts Of Burton, The
delegates rose and eheered Mr.. Burton
heartily.
Mr. Burton declared that the movement
for the Improvement Of the inland water
ways had been stimulated by the unparal-
leied growth Of the country in its re-
sources. He said there was an admitted
inadequacy IN transportation facilities of
the United States and It was with a pur-
pose of improving the facilities that such
congresses as this had taken up the work.
He said that the national congress had
largely eliminated log rolling in behalf
OF special projects and that such individual
projects were allowed to take care OF them
selves. He believed 1t unquestionable that
appropriations for the Improvement OF
rivers and harbors would be Increased IN
the near future, because It was CON
csded by all who had devoted study to the
matter that the railroads were unable to
care for all the freight offered for trans
portstion,
Eve are going ahead by leaps and
bounds" said he. land we have come upon
a time when the railroads Of the country
cannot begin to take care OF the trafflc.
IN LEAb SITUATION lhc informal MaIeTWHyB
are not only convenient but necessary.
The field Of operation between the rail-
ways ana the waterways will be divided
naturally between them. and hope to see
a greater degree Of cooperation between !
the railways and the waterways than here !
tofore exhibited.
This Is a great national policy which we
are advocating, which must not be divided |
IN proportion to the population or the |
wealth OF states. In my opinion we should |
avoid the making Of dribbllng appropria- |
tions for any particular project. but once a |
pOr1ect is berun, 1t ought to be finished.
Fifty Millions n Year.
At this point MI Burton was interrupted |
by a delegate OF the congress who in
Quired what he had to propose in the way
Of appropriations.
We'll" said Mr.. Burton, ''I can stand by |
your platform OF t50OOO.OOO q year. OF |
course that question can be answered only |
by concrete conditions. We must cut out /
visionary projects and such an operation
will heC Esitate some mans standing up
against them"
Mr. Burton said that personally he WAS
opposed to the putting On rivers and har-
bors bills projects for the irrigation OF
lands, as he aid not believe that that
measure should be made the dumSing
ground Of projects for all sorts Of water
dist ribution.
In conclusion Mr.. Burton said;
1T Is my earnest desire to withdraw
from the rivers and harboTs COMMITTEES,
with which I have had the honor TO be
chairman for a long time, but as q mem
Der Of congress ahd as a member Of this
body. I win be ready at all times to 90
operate with you In the projects which are
50 dear 70 you and which are dear 70 me-"
John n. Parker. of New Orleans, deliv-
cred q brisf address on the development
OF the lower Mississippi river He said
that with the construction OF proper levses
the south would be in position TO maintain
It's supremacy In the cotton production OF
the world and he urged the congress to
lend its influence TO tho movement Tor the
adequate Improvement Of the greatest
waterway on this continent.
CANNON HECEIVEs REsOLUTION