The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-11
Says Waterways Congress
 Marks Epoch In History
GEAR IN THE WHITE HOUSE
Vardaman Says the President Assumes Too Much Authority and Is Afraid of Being Nominated, As He Is
 Too Scared of Democrats.

Jackson. Miss, December 10.-(Special) Governor vardaman has returned from Washington, where he spent week in attendance on the Rivers and Harbors congress, and is enthusiastic on the great movement. He says;
 T think this meeting of the Rivers and Harbors congress marks an epoch in the improvement of American waterways It was the most representative body of men that I have ever seen, including representatives from every vocation of our national life. As l stated in a short ad- dress to the congress, every interest in this country from the noblest laborers in the land to the money manpulator of the great commercial centers, was there looking after his own interests Rivers and habors improvement is the one ques- tion today which every interest in this country can unite upon and at the same time subserve their interests without con ficting one with the other. It means cheaper freight for the farmer, it means better revenue for the railroad man, ani it means better prices TOT the products of both the land and the factory--in a word, It helps everybody and inJures nobody.
 "rhe speech made before the congress by Hon. J. J. Hill, the great railroad builder and statesman, was the most n- structive speech of the kind that I have heard in a long time I went to this congress very much interested in the question of levee building and waterways improvement, and l came back thorough lV pnfhIgp6 thic mi hal ha pushed along by the people it will be but few years before the burden of main- taining the leyees will be taken from the people of Mississippi. Pearl river and the Tombigee and other streams throughout the Delta will be made navig- able to a degree that will give the peo- pie living upon those streams great re- duction in freight rates. Our harbor on the gulf coast will also be looked after. l introduced a resolution in the congress requesting the vice presidents from the different states to call convention in their respective states at once, in order that the people might express their eagerness and deep interest on this ques- tfon. and thereby make 1t easy for con- gressmen to vote the necessary appropria- tions The resolution was carried unani- mously, and as it is my desire that Mis- sissippi should lead in this matter, as she leads in many others, 1, as the vice president for Mississippi, Win call con vention in a few days to meet, I think now, on January 6, 1908, and 1 hope to see a large attendance.
 ''I do not thing Congress is going to do ..f(e 41.s
 The President has advised that that mat ter be put off until after the presidential election. He. like q good many other patriotic statesmen who unfortunately live in this day and generation, holds that temporary success in his political party is above and paramount to the interests of the people of this nation. l cannot understand how a man who makes any pretentions to honesty can boldly say to the American people: I know the tariff needs forming, but l am going to make the people suffer two more years, because I am afraid if we undertake any thing of this kind now that 1t may pos- sibly result in the defeat of my party But such patriotism as that is popular 1t is the modern brand.
 T found one thing at Washington, and that is we are living under government that no longer derives its just powers from the consent of the governed, the taxpayers. but that 1t derives its powers from the consent of the President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the federal court The submission to the tyrany of the Speaker of the House of Representatives by the members there- of is inexplicable to me. His authority is more nearly absolute than that of the Czar of Russia. Instead of being the servant of the House as he should be, he is its imperious master"
 Speaking of MT. Bryan, with whom he