The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-04
FOR
WATERWAY
SCHEME
Secretary Root Makes Strong
Plea Before the HarbOr
Congress.

WASHINGTON. Dec. with every
State in the Union. as well as Alaska and
Hawaii, represented. and with the broad
object of promoting the Improvement of
inland waterways, the National Rivers
and Harbors Congress began a three days
convention here today.
Delegates from subsidiary organizations,
frorl trade associations and civic bodies,
all seeking expression OF their views ON
the national policy regarding the work of
providing naviga bic streams and deep
water hHtbors to accommodate the ship
ping Interests of the country and OF the
world. mingled with the individual dele
gates and formed part of the gathering
that crowded the banquet hall of the New
Willard Hotel, where the meetings are be-
ing held.
The program for the convention includes
addresses by Secretary Root. M. Jusser-
and, the French Ambassador; Baron Speck
Won Sternburg, the German Ambassador;
Chairman Knapp, OF the Interstate Com
nerce Commission; President Finley. OF
the Southern Railway; former Postmaster
General Charles Emory Smith, numerous
United States Senators, Representatives.
governors OF States. mayors OF cities and
other prominent speakers.
The convention was formally opened at
10 o'clock this morning. Representative
Joseph e. RansdeIl, of Louisiana, presided,
and ]. r. Ellison, of Cincinnati, OBLIGATED
as secretary. The services began with
prayer by Earl Cranston, bishop Of the
Methodist Episcopal Church.
Before the congress formally convened
President Ransdell was presented with a
silver-mounted gavel by the Upper Mis-
sissippi Improvement Association. Presi-
dent Ransdell in opening the congress re-
ferred tc the work of the national adj
ministration in promoting trade relations
bet ween America and foreign countries,
particularly those countries lying south OF
the United States. and referred in compli-
mentary terms to the achievements of
Secretary Root. of the State Department,
in promoting these relations. He then pre-
scented to the congress the Secretary of
State.
Secretary Root was received with great
applause, the delegates rising to greet
him.
1T is a pleasure" said Secretary Root.
Ito extend 10 you the interest and hearty
sympathy of the national administration
In your great work. 1t has been a sub
ject of much misunderstanding and depre-
citation and even of derlsion. Our people
are so busy that the habitants Of one
section of the country understand little
Of what is going on in other sections.
HI peOple get luelr lutdb u Tie ia
tional situation from the headlines of
newspapers, and in the nature of things,
the newspapers present that which is OF
the most sensational interest to all of the
people. Every abnormal thing is accen-
tuated; murders suicides. embezzlements
are prominently presented to the readers
Of the newspapers each day. In the natural
course every abnormal thing OF the rivers
and harbors bill has been made the most
of and we have gotten into the habit of
talking facetiously about the pork sarrel.'
1t is time that we have thought and con-
sideration In this matter so that the peo-
pie Of the United States may understand
that the rivers and harbors work is a
matter of great public policy
Secretary Root related an incident of a
rivers and harbors bill of which he had
prepared a veto message while he was Sec
rotary OF War. Tint bill was not passed,
but was talked TO death in the Senate. He
said that IL the measure had been vetoed
1t would have been not because the pro-
posed Improvements were unjustinable. but
because of the proposed Improvement of
certain mountain streams which President
Mckinley believed was not warranted.
This irrigation scheme, he said. was
sought under color Of river and harbor i'm
p~rovements. He felicitated the convefl-
tion on the fnct tina the river and harbor
bills of this day were relieved of tempta-
lions of the kind referred to. He spoke
Of the able aud devoted work OF Repre-
sentative Burton, of Ohio, the chairman OF
the rivers and harbors committee. whose
achievements had been of the most able
and painstaking character.
Continuing, the Secretary said that the
policy followed by the United States must
be considered truly as a policy and not
as a project. He referred to the constitute
ton of the Panama Canal and to the i'm
provement of the Erie Canal as Instances
showing that the American people stand
squarely behind the improvement of water
ways. and he expressed the hope that
they would assert that policy in the
future.
I'm your last convention said Secre-
tary Root, there was some reference that
we should not cross a bridge until we
reached 1t. W. now have reached the
bridge There is no greater achievement
than the transportation OF articles which
are yalueless at one point to a point where
they are valuable. The railroads of the
country no longer are able physically, 10
carry the traffic of America and the one
avenue open TO such traffic is water trans
portation. We must move forward or we
will go backward. This particularly APP
peals to me because l am Interested in the
promotion Of the foreign commerce OF
America. see American production
handicapped by two things; First. the
great cost of getting the goods to the sea-
board, and second, the absence Of an
American merchant marine"
Francis G. Newlands, United States
Senator from Nevada. in his address APP
piled old principles to new conditions. He
said that the subject involved not only the
waterways, but the railroads., and that it
meant all of the interstate transportation
companies which are to be benefited.
Transportation does not heed State
lines" said he. amy more than disease
heeds State lines. The present system of
financial exchange is paralyzed by lack of
uniformity. II Is our purpose to stand
ardize the methods of transportation, In
order that we may unionize the sentiment
of the country in favor OF the largest exer-
else of the powers of the people Of the
country"
Martin A. Knapp, chairman OF the In
terstate Commission. was in
troduced as one who could speak by au-
thority on the question OF transportation
Of this country.
File said that 1t fell to his lot to give
voice to the most important device of
the country in the promotion OF the trans
portation interests. He felt that no man
could afford to keep silence when a crisis
was presented, and he believed that such
9 crisis was presented at this time. He
pointed out that the transportation inter
ests Of America exceeded i.000,000 tons In
every twcnty-four hours and that It was
advancing every day. Unless this traffic
is able TO he carried. he inquired what pos
sible use is there to produce Il.
A - r.a r1-l FrAv, Iua. r. -.