The Irish standard., 1907-12-07
RIVER AND HARB0R
congress OPENED
NATIONAL WATERWAYS coNvEN.
TION BEGINS THREE-DAY SES.
SION IN WASHINGTON.
FROM
EVERY STATE PRESENT

REPRESENTATIVES, FROM
EVERY STATE PRESENT.
Alaska and Hawaii Send Delegates
Speeches Are Made by Secretary
Root, Ambassador JusseranG and
German Baron.
Washington, Dec. 5.-With every
state in the union, as we'll as Alaska
and Hawaii represented, and with the
broad object of promoting the i'm
provement of waterways, the national
rivers and harbors congress began a
three-days' convention here Wednes-
day. Delegates from subsidiary or
ganizations from trade associations
and civic bodies, all seeking express
sions of their views on the national
policy regarding the work of providing
navigable streams and deep-water har-
bors to accommodate the shipping in.
terests of the country and of the
world, mingled with the individual
delegates and formed part of the gath.
ering that crowded the banquet hall
of the New Willard hotel where the
meetings are being held.
Session Formally Opened.
The programme for the convention
included addresses by Secretary Root,
M. Iusserand the French ambassador;
Baron Speck Won Sternburg the Ger.
man ambassador; Chairman Knapp OF
the interstate commerce commission;
President Finley of the Southern rail.
way; Former Postmaster General
Charles Emory Smith, numerous
United States senators, representa-.
tives, governors of states, mayors Of
cities and other prominent speakers.
The convention was formally
opened at ten o'clock Wednesday
morning. Representative Joseph Il.
Ransdell of Louisiana presided and j.
F. Ellison of Cincinnati acted as sec.
retary.
Root Greeted Heartily,
President Ransdell, in opening the
congress, referred to the work of the
national administration In promoting
trade relations between American and
foreign countries, particularly those
countries lying to the south of the
United States, and referred in compli
mentary terms to the achievements
or Secretary Root Of the state depart.
ment In promoting those relations. He
then presented the secretary of state
SncratDYv Pnni
great applause, the delegates rising TO
greet him.
1T is a pleasure" said Secretary
Root, Ito extend to you the interest
and hearty sympathy of the national
administration In your great work. 1t
has been a subject of much misunder.
standing and depreciation and even of
derision. Our people are so busy that
the inhabitants of one section of the
country understand little of what is
going on in other sections. The peo.
pie get their IDEAS of the national sit.
uation from the headlines Of news.
papers and, in tho nature OF things,
the newspapers present that which is
of the most sensational interest to all
the people.
Every normal thing is accentuated.
murders, suicides, embezzlcments 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 barrel 1t is time
that we have thought and considcra
tion in this matter so that the people
of the United States may understand
that the rivers and harhors work is a
matter of great public policy"
France Takes Initiative.
The address Of the French ambassa.
dor, who followed Mr. Root, was lis
tened to with great interest He told
Of the efforts In this country to pro-
vide and maintain navigable water
ways.
I'VE hold the record for the pres.
ent," said Ambassador Jusserand, "you
Will hold 1t In your turn when the
great Panama canal is finished; we
turned the first sod; you will turn the
last, and no one will applaud moro
heartily than your predecessors.
The ambassador then reviewed the
history OF the efforts made by France
in the Improvement Of waterways and
the resultant benefits to commerce.
The ambassador said that the greatest
era Of canal building In France is the
present. He said the aim has been to
complete, to unity and to cheaper.
The rule now is to have throughout
France free canals, as they have free
roads.