The Mena weekly star., 1907-12-12
THE WATERWAY CONGRESS
The Three Days Convention in Washington Begins Its Work
 with Enthusiasm.
ALL PARTS OF COUNTRY REPRESENTED
Delegates Are Present From Every State in the Union and From Alaska and Hawaii-Programme of Conven- ton Includes Addresses by Many Prominent Speakers.

Washington, Dec. 5.-With every state in the union, as well as Alaska and Hawaii represented, and with the broad object of promoting the i'm provement of inland waterways, the National Rivers and Harbors congress began a three-days' convention here Wednesday. Delegates from subsi- diary organizations. from trade asso- citations and civic bodies, all seeking expressions of their views on the na- tional policy regarding the work of providing navigable streams and deep water harbors to accommodate the shipping interests of the country, and of the world, mingled with the indi- vidual delegates and formed part of the gathering that crowded the ban quet hall of the new Willard hotel where the meetings are being held. The programme for the convention includes addresses by Secretary Root, Mir. Jusserand, the French ambassa- dor, Baron Speck von Sternburg, the German ambassador, Chairman Knapp of the Interstate Commerce commis- sion, President Finley of the Southern railway, former Postmaster General Charles Emery Smith, numerous sena- tors, representatives, governors of states, mayors of cities and other prominent speakers. The convention was formally opened at 10 o'clock Wednesday morning. Representative Joseph Ransdell of Louisiana, presided and J. F. Ellison of Cincinnati. off ciated by secretary. The session be- gan with prayer by Earl Cranston, bishop of the Methodist Episcopal church.
 Before the congress formally con- vened President Ransdell was pre- sented with a silvel mounted gavel by the Upper Mississippi Improvement association. MT. Ransdell in opening the congress referred to the work of the national administration in pro noting trade relations between Amer ican and foreign countries, particu- larly those countries lying to the south of the United States, and re- ferred in complimentary terms to the achievements of Secretary Root in promoting those relations. He then presented the secretary of state.
 Secretary Root was received with great applause, the delegates rising to greet him.
 Its a pleasure" said Secretary Root, "to extend to you the interest and hearty sympathy of the national administration in your great work. It 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 the other section"
 The irrigaton scheme, Mir Root said, had been sought under color of river and harbor improvements. He fe4ici- tated the convention on the fact that the river and harbor bills of this day were relieved Of temptations of the kind referred to.
 The secretary said that the policy followed by the United States must be considered truly as policy and not as a project. He referred to the con- struction of the Panama canal and to the improvement of the Ere canal as instances showing that the American people stand squarely behind the i'm provement of waterways and he ex- pressed the hope that they would as- sert that policy in the future.