The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-03
Roosevelt Speaks on Wattr- ways Improvement At St
 louIs Meeting
OOWNPOUR OF RAIN
 ORENCHES PRESIDENT
In His Address the President Departs From His Manuscript to Empha- size His Belief in Central Control
 of Great Corporations.

St. Louis. October 2.-President Roose- welt in speech here today, declared it the nations duty to restore the Mssis- sippi river to it's Proper place as a great i artery of eommeHse and termed the pro posed 1i-foot channel from the Lakes to the Gulf national task" He warned 1 against plans wlch might "entail reek- less eXtravaganee or be tainted with job bery' but urged a liberal waterways policy.
 The Presidents address was not dimin- ished by the fact that he was drenched by a downpour of rain while en route to the Jai Alai, where his speech was de- liyered A tremendou fsoyation was ae- corded the national isutve when the stea mer Mississippi eubsled st. Louis har)or to make the first stop on the yoy. p;e from Keokuk, la, to Memphis. 1Senn. where President RooseVen-yM at tend the convention of the Deep Wa1s i ways association on Friday
 1 Thousands of persons had congresa'ea on the levee to witness the President arrival and were held fin check by cordoua of police and eomPa-alq... -es sssdiers iron JeheFson Barracks.
 Amid ciamof oe Nhlstling, changing bells dnd shrleks from the masses as sembled the President landed and was greeted by fifteen governors from states borderfng on the Aiissi-ssppl f'ver. mem bers of ceiaeress and officials represents ing the city of St Louis.
 President Is Drenched.
 Through a sudden heavy downpour of rain the President, standing in an open carriage and lowing to the multtudes was driven to the Jai Alai building, five miles from the river where he delivered his speech. The President took oeca- sion to especially emphasize his views on the necessity for central control of in- terstate corporations and he frequently departed from his manuscript to elaborate and make clear his views on that point His contention was that there must be some sovereign that can control these institutions, especially the railroads. rlo spoke at length of the difficulty in reach ing the corporations which are ineor- porated in one state and operate in an other. He instanced especially his ex- perience in getting the Southern Pacific railroad to repair the breach in the Colo rado river.
 That disaster occurred in California" ne said put do you suppose l found 1t l p'9HiDit tb utdi NIln the railroad tlerp2 NO. The railroad is New Jersey cor poration and l had to deal with if as such.f ~
 He contended that the constitution must De interpreted to ft modern day eond- tlons and not conditions that existed when 1t was adopted" It must be con stfued as an instrument of life and mt a symbol of death' he said Epigramma- ucally the judges of the court should always stand against popular eamor. but they shoula also recognize the necessity oi general conservatism of the public welfare under present conditions. he as- serted. He contended that in taking this position he was fighting the future fight Tor the rich, for if the rich commit ex- cesses now they invite excesses against themselves and their posterity Speaking or the improvement of the Mississippi rlyer he warned the advocates of that interest against insufficently considered local improvements. The whole water ways system must be treated as a whole ana Inc enterprise must not be tainted either with folly dishonesty.
 fresident Roosevelt was introduced by governor FOLK of Missouri in brief speech. As the President advanced to speak the audience arose cheering and waving flags.
 Hurried to the Hotel
 At the conclusion of the President.s
 
 ried to waiting carriages and were taken at sallop to the Jefferson hotel where they were the guests of the St Louis Business Mems league at luncheon Covers were laid for more than 400 guests There were no set speeches, but the President responded to the toast of President James E Smith of the league by expressing the ] wish that the ends of the league might be achieved. The lends of the league" just now means the securing of 14-foot | river channel
 | The party was scheduled to leave the | hotel at 2:30 o'clock but the President | did not enter his carriage until after q l o'clock Arriving at the wharf 1t was | found that Governor Curry of New Mex | leo, who was to travel with the Pres 1 ident. was not aboard tne steamer Mis- | sissippi- A search of a half hour revealed | Governor Curry the steamer Alton He was summoned by the President and the Mississippi cast off her moorings shortly after o'clock an hour behind | schedule time. She was followed by the | United States steamer Colonel Mckenzie | carrying the members of the inland waterways commission; the Alton, bear | ing the governors of 15 states; the Ten nessee. chartered for 36 visiting congress | men, IS other large steamboats and a l host of smaller craft.
 | The President intended to go aboard the | Mckenzie tonight for a conference with | the mem bers of the inland waterways -~-----~-~---~--~------->--