The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-12-13
WATERWAYS
CONVENTION
Meets in Washington. With Every
State IN Union Represented.
A HOST OF DELEGATES
Secretary Root Makes Encouraging Adj
dress Senator Bacon Introduces Bill
in Upper House for Big Canal.

government governors of states, rep
resentatives OF foreign countries, mem
bers Of the senate and house Of repre-
sentatives and leaders in all walks of
civil life in America participated We'd
nesday in the opening of the conven-
ton Of the National Rivers and Har-
bors Congress in Washington.
Nearly two thousand delegates, rep
resenting every state in the union, were
present
It is not expected that any definite
concerted action in the promotion of
the objects advocated by the congress
will be taken, but it is hoped that the
work of the convention will so impress
the national congress now in session
as to induce it to make adequate appro-
priations for the improvement of the
rivers and harbors of the country. 1t
is the desire of the delegates to Sc
cure such action by the congress of
the United States as will promote the
trade and commerce Of America 1t
is not a special project that the con-
vention has in view, but the adoption
of a policy by the government looking
the extension of the transportation IA
cilities of the United States.
On behalf of the national administra-
ton, Mr. Elihu Root, secretary of state,
extended to the congress hearty SYM
pathy in the work it had undertaken,
and gave assurance Of the support of
the administration in the conclusions
arrived at by the delegates.
The convention was formally opened
at 10 o'clock Wednesday morning for a
three days session. Representative Jo-
seph E. Ransdell of Louisiana presided.
The services began with prayer by
Bishop Cranston Of the Methodist Epis-
copal church. President Ransdell, in
opening the congress, referred to the
work of the national administration in
promoting trade relations between for
eign countries and America, particular
" 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 those relations, whom he
then presented to the congress.
Secretary Root was received with
great applause.
The secretary said that the rivers
and harbors policy followed by the
United States must be considered tru-
~ as a policy and not as a project.
He referred to the construction Of the
Panama canal and to the improvement
of the Erie canal as instances show
ing that the American people stand
squarely behind the Improvement of
waterways, and he expressed the hope
that they would assert that policy IN
the future. There is no greater
achievement" he said than the trans
portation of articles which are value
less at one point to another point
where they are valuable. The railroads
of the country are no longer able, ply
sically, to carry the traffic Of America
and the one avenue open to such traf-
fic is water transportation.
OF great interest in connection with
the convention was the introduction
in the senate by Senator Bacon OF
Georgia of a bill looking to the final
establishment Of canal from the Ten
nessee river, near Chattanooga, to
Brunswick. The identical bill was first
introduced by him twelve years ago.
The bill authorizes and directs the
secretary OF war to have made sur
yeys and examinations with final esti-
mates Of cost of construction of a ca
mel from the Tennessee river at or
near the city of Chattanooga, to tho
nayigable waters Of the Ocmulgee river
by which, if practicable, there will
be furnished adequate water commu-
nication by the shortest and most fea-
sible route between the Atlantic ocean
and the nayigable waters Of the rivers
in the Mississippi valley.
The proposed canal is to be Il sufa-
cient capacity for the safe and conven-
lent passage of boats drawing five feet
of water. 1t is proposed to cross or
interse4t and utilize the waters of all
nayigable waters OF the rivers along
the route of the canal The sum Of
$4,000, or 50 much thereof as may be