Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-24
MOVING ON CAPITAL
Army of Delegates to Rivers
and harbors Congress.
PERFECTlNG THE PLANS
Every State and Territory to Be
Represented.
SECRETARY ELLISON'S VIEWS
Anticipation Of the Greatest Con-
vention Ever Held In the
United States.
sECRETARY ELLISON'S VIEWS

Preliminary arrangements are being
made for the convention in Washington
next week of the national rivers and
harbors congress. Capt. ]. F. Ellison.
secretary and treasurer of the congress.
who Is in the city. says that 1908 dele
gates will be in attendance. representing
every state and territory in the Union.
Among the delegates will be ten govern
o:s and several ambassadors.
The convention. Capt. Ellison says,
stands for the broad policy Of national,
| betterment. widespread and undertaken
by the federal government "A policy
and not a project" is offered as the plat
form of the congress, and its object is
mot less than $50,OOOOo0 a year for riv-
ers. and harbors."
Among the speakers will be James ].
Hill, president of the Great Northern
railroad, and w. w. Finley. president
of the Southern railway. The presence
of these two railroad heads will be the
answer Of the national rivers and harbors
congress to the statement that the rail-
roads of the country are antagonistic
to waterways development.
Shows His Interest.
President Hill could not attend our
convention here last year." said Secretary
Ellison at the New Willard last evening.
but he sent a telegram indorsing our
work and stating that a system of trans
portation auxiliary to the railroads would
be of immense benefit to the country at
large. Since that time his views have
found acceptance by the railroad sys-
TENS of the country.
I'VE expect to hold the greatest conven-
| ton of it's kind ever held in the United
States. The total number of delegates
who have advised me they will be in
attendance is upward of 1000. and there
is practically no doubt that there will be
more than LOCO additional acceptances.
! judging from the manner in which they
| are pouring in by every mail.
+ "As an indication of how widespread Is
| the sentiment in favor Of the government
| undertaking a liberal policy with refer
| ence to appropriations for the country's
rivers and harbors there will be delega-
| tons of business men here from all sec
lions from San Francisco to Portland,
| Me-, and from Chicago to New Orleans.
Carload Of Delegates.
II am in receipt of letters announcing
that a special car filed with delegates
| from Oakland. Cal, left there Thursday
zen route to the convention. Another spe-
cial carload is coming from Sacramento,
while two other special cars will leave
San Francisco. bringing in the scattering
delegations from throughout California.
| Special cars also will bring delegates
from the states Of Washington and Oregon.
while Kansas City will be represented by
four carloads of Missourians.
These figures are merely taken hap
hazard. as showing the extent of the in
I ffuence that will be welded by the con-
vention. I could give you more compre
| hensive figures. but they are constantly
being revised because of the steady growth
| of the different state and territorial dele
CATIONS
| The Mississippi and Ohio valleys will
| have great delegations. Representatives
from commercial communities along the
father Of waters all the way from St.
Paul to New Orleans and along the Ohio
river from Pittsburg to Cairo will be In
| attendance. The Great Lakes regions is to
be represented by delegates from Chicago
lCleveland, Detroit, Buffalo, Duluth and
Superior.
Among the governors Of states who will
speak at the convention are: Gov. Hoke
Smith of Georgia, Gov. Cummins of Iowa.
Of Illinois. Gov. Folk of Missouri. Gov
Warfeld of Maryland and Gov. Dawson
Of West Virginia. 1t Is expected, Also
that Gov. Guild of Massachusetts, wiir be
among the list Of speakers. and possibly
Gov. Cobb Of Maine. The governors Of
a half dozen other middle western and
Pacific slope states will be present.
| Addresses by Ambassadors.
A feature Of the convention will be the
| dOOteSSoS Dy ArfED8SSdQOfS' Won ScernDufg
and Jusserand, who will discuss the ad-
vances made by their two nations in
waterways improvements and the part it
has played in the upbuilding Of the COM
merce of Germany and France. One of
the addresses that is certain to attract
attention will be delivered by GaOrg.
Clinton of Buffalo. grandson Of Dewitt
Clinton. the father Of the Erie canal"
Others who have announced their inten-
ton to speak are: Albert Bettinger, Gin
cinnati. Ohio Valley Improvement Assoc
citation; Arthur Knox. New York, North
Side Board Of Trade: Henry NJ. Beardsley.
mayor of Kansas City, for Missouri river:
| John M. Parker. New Orleans, for lower
Mississippi river; o. p. Austin, Washing
ton. chief of the bureau Of statistics 4;
Charles Emory Smith. Philadelphia, ex-
Postmaster General: Gustav II. Schwab,
New York. North German Lloyd Steam
ship Company; Martin A. Knapp, chair
| man interstate commerce Commission;
John Barrett, bureau of American re-
publics; John M. Stahl, ex-president of
| the farmers congress; Representative
Dalzell OF Pennsylvania.
| The program for the meeting which is
to continue three days, is not yet COM
pleted. number Of other speakers of
national note are expected. Representative
| Joseph E. Ransdell of Louisiana, the
president of the national rivers and laar-
bors congress, has pledges from NUM-