New-York tribune., 1907-10-12
S0TJTH'S LOYALTY GROWS
PRESIDENTS TRIP CAUSE.
Representatice RansdeU Praises Mr.
R0oSeUcf Needs of Water7caus.

uho accompanied President Roosevelt his trip
aun the Mississippi. arrived in this city yesterday
,r the interests Of the fourth annual convention
II the National Rivers and Harbors Congress TO
he held in Washington on December T. . and 6
REPRESENTATIVE Ransdell. who is whole souled
pemocrat. said the Presidents trip had augmented
his popularity in the South many fold and that
should he ever be a candidate for President he
would poll twice many votes as he did the last
tine.
I cannot speak too highly of President Roose-
vets popularity I'm the South and in Louisiana es-
pecially.' said Representative RansdeU enthusiasts
Ideally He did a mighty graceful thing for New
Orleans two years ago. and have not forgot
ten it Il was not only helpful 10 New Orleans
when he visited the city right after terrible vel
low fever epidemic but it a daring thing to do 7
knew personally that he went against the advice
Of his physicians and in the face OF the opin-
ion Of medical men all over the country that IT
WAS dangerous for him to 30.
There was no yellow fever in the city at the
tine. but there had been and that sas sufficient
10 keep business men away and stagnate the life
Of the whole state But the President proclaimed
10 the whole world that there was no danger. He
put New Orleans on her feet again. The veins of
commerce filed with blood and We lived again"
Representative Ransdell compared the Presidents
reception in Memphis the present trip with his
reception at the time of his former trip South
lie said thar two years ago there was some lack
Of enthusiasm. due 10 the Booker T Washington
incident. but he never more hearty greeting
acCoIQtu any p'c lIidl NdS given l4e 1IeSldcnl Il
week ago What feeling had been aroused by that
affair he said. had entirely died out
The Louisiana Congressman's home is only ff-
miles from the Presidents camp in the cane
brakes. and Mr.. Ransdel is thoroughly acquainted
with the country about there.
MANY BEARS. But IARD TO GET
There are bears there and plenty Of other
game said the Representative, but to any one
knowing the character of the country it would not
be surprising If the President did not bag any big
game The canebrake is Just like thick growth
Of bamboo ishpoles, only worse. At every Joint of
the reeds are little branches. so that II is i'm
possible for man TO see more than a few feet
ahead Of him The animals-and the woods are full
Of then-have al the advantage"
What effect the rivers and harbors move
ment 90 you think the Presidents trip down the
Mississippi had?' the Congressman was asked
He has given the cause a tremendous in1pet,1s
Nothing could have been better for it, President
Roosevelt is the first Executive Of this great coun-
try who has given its greatest waterway the notice
II deserved He saw the conditions under which
river commerce is carried on talked TO the river
haVleatoTs' saw the character OF boats. and has
the whole subject very well in hand He was much
impressed, / am sure. by the value q l4-foot
channel from the lakes 10 the Gulf would be 10
the whole country"
Taking up the general purposes of the national
rivers ana harbors congress. which has for IT'S
slogan an annual appropriation of go ann 600 Gov
river and harbor improvement" Representative
Ransden pointed some Of the effect oood
waterway transportation. in the interior Of the
eOeH,y especially would have freight rates, and
ana how it would aid shippers in other wavs
There has been expended on improvements :,
nle Great Lakes TO date $4,000 000" said Mr. Rams
uei' aio the total value OF the commerce that has
passed through the 500 is ss42 600 600 at an AVERAGE
cost per Ton nile OF 81 hundredths of a mill or
Total OF S6GooGO. The average cost Of tranenor+a-
t'on Dy ran would have been III mills per ton mile
or nine times as great The total cost would have
regulator" 'a'o
AS TO WATERWAY NEEDS
M Ransdell said the Rivers and Harhors Com
eTess was advocating a policy and not a n,oioct
NO one Improvement had its support He nointed
OUT that the West, we'll as the East vouid hem
eht by an improvement in New York Harbor and
the East well as the West by an inprover,ar+
IN the Mississippi Valley
There seems to have been an idea here in the
East said he. that the West and South had
fnonopoiy on the activities OF the Rivers and Har
bors Congress. That is not So We realize that we
cannot move without the East and North and we
know, and you here know that YOU cannot NOVA
without US. New Yorks commerce has grown but
II has not grown in the proportions it should have
1ou nave just moved TO expend S2,oeOO0o for dock
improvements that will take up every available
foot OF land suitable for deep water wharfage
VIII this end the water commerce expansion of
the city? Not If Congress wakes up 20 its duty
Look at France. Ambassador Jusserand told me
just the other day that one could send barge
load Of freight from any point in France to any
other point That IS a wonderful thing. but he
pointed out that the country had been improving
!ts waterways for thousand years before
America discovered
Comparing the appropriations by Congress for
various departments OF the government Mr.. Rams
Sell found for complaint in the interests of
waterways. He said the appropriation for water
way improvements since 1881 had averaged about
to0ooo00. and IN the last ten years about 230Oo-
ooo while the average naval appropriation had
gone up from Sz 10000 TO s10o0oO0o and the post
Office expenditures had increased from ss0O000oo TO
s1pOoo0c0o
Of the success OF the work Of the coming meet
Ing Of the Rivers and Harbors Congress Mr..
Rensdeu sanguine He said he hoped New
York would send enough delegates 70 take the
convention by storm. II was planned to obtain
representative speakers from this state and from
the administration, but who they would be he was
not prepared at this time TO state
Representative Ernest F. Acheson. Of Pennsyl-
venia. accompanied Representative Ransdeu TO
this city and IS engaged with him in work the
plans for the next convention. Representative
Acheson is active member of the Rivers and
harbors Committee Of Congress and an enthusi-
sstic member Of the National Rivers and Harbors
Congress.
He pointed out the value OF adequate water
transportation 20 the coal regions He said 1t cost
twice much to transport coal $50 miles to the
Great Lakes # cid 10 carry it 1000 miles the
lakes
WATERWAYS IMPROVEMENT.