The state herald., 1907-12-13
WATERWAYS
CONVENTION
IMMENSE GATHERING FOR THE
- PROMOTION OF WATER
TRANSPORTATION.
RAILWAYS INADEQUATE
SECRETARY ROOT DEFINES POL.
ICY OF UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT.


the national government, governors of
states. representatives of foreign pow.
ers. members of the senate and house
OF representatives and leaders In all
walks Of civil life in America partici-
pated Wednesday in the opening of the
convention of the rivers and harbors
congress.
Nearly 1000 delegates representing
every state in the union ware present.
Before the congress formally ton-
vened, President Ransdell was present
ed with silver mounted gavel by the
Upper Mississippi Improvement AS
sociation.
4 Mr.. Ransdell in opening the congress
sreferred to the work of the national I'D
ministration in promoting trade reia-
tions between Americans and foreign
countries, particularly those countries
lying to the south OF the United States,
and referred In complimentary terms
to the achievements of Secretary Root
In promotinf those relations. He then
presented the secretary Of state.
Secretary Root was received with
great applause, the delegation rising to
greet him.
1T is 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 misuuder.
standing and depreciation and even OF
derision. Our people are so busy that
the Inhabitants of one section of the
county understand little of which Is
going on In other sections"
The irrigation scheme. Mr.. Root said,
had been sought under color of river
and harbor improvements. He fellci-
tated the convention on the fact that
the river and harbor bills of this day
wero removed from temptations OF the
kind referred to.
He said that policy followed by the
United States must be considered truly
as policy and not as project. He
referred to the construction OF the Pan
anna canal and to the Improvement OF
the Erie canal as instances showing
that the American people stand square.
ly behind the Improvement OF water
ways and he expressed the hope ;aat
they would assert that policy In the fu.
ture.
in your last convention" said Sec.
retary Root, there was some refer.
renee that we should not cross bridge
until we reached II. We now have
reached the bridge. There Is no greater
achievement than the transportation
of articles yalueless at one point to an.
other point where they are valuable.
The railroads OF the country no longer
are able. physically. to carry the
traffic OF America and the one avenue
open to such traffic is waterway trans.
portation. We must move forward or
We will go backward. | see American
production handicapped by two things:
First, the great cost OF getting the
goods to the seaboard. and second. toe
absence OF an American merchant
marine"
President Ransdall presented II re.
port OF the work OF the congress during
tho past few months Then he intro.
duced NJ. Jusserand, the ambassador OF
France TO the United States. who
spoke ut length. closing by saying:
at is an absolute prlnclple-no for.
ests, no waterways. Without forests
regulating tho distribution Of waters,
rninfniis are nj once hurried to the sea.
hurried, sometimes. alas. across ooun.
try. After having devastated the neigh.
boring fields. the rivers find them.
selves again with little water and much
sand. and with such rivers how will
you feed your canals In all seasonsg
since our forests suffered damages
which wc arc now bent upon repairing
n. considerable pains and cost. n river
like the Loire has been entirely trans.
formed; II used TO be the best of water.
why's. and II Is now the river whose In.
undations aro most destructive. The
question In M clear ms can be. DO YOU
Mant 10 have nayigablc rivers. or do
you prefer TO have torrents that will
destroy your crops and never bear
boati II you prefer the first. then
mind your forests. We can tell you, for
we know"
Senator Newiand. Hon. Mnrth A.
Knapp and other prominent men made
forccful addresses.
4 letter OF regret was read from An.
drew Carnegie. Its salient point was
this:
sfnstead Of spending money on var.
ships to fight imaginary Toes. sc
should spend Il on our waterwayn'