New-York tribune., 1908-12-11
CANNON ON WATERWAY
OPPOSED TO BOND ISSUE.
Fauors Improvements, Ho1ceUer-
Skene's s Plea for Ne1c York.

Ohenc 8 ftcG lot " tiC OIh'
Washington Dec 1o-At to-dsy's sessions Of the
National Rivers and Harhors Convention, Joseph
G. Cannon. Speaker of the House Of Represents
tives; Joaquin Nabu -, Ambassador from bfaAh'
and others made addresses.
Mr.. Cannon said he agreed with the Rivers ana
Harbors Congress that the waterways OF the couh-
try must be improved but he advised against what
he termed unsafe and unsound legislation WIN
respect to the waterway Improvements. He SAID
that if the Rivers and Harbors Committee shouln
report bill at this session providing Tor 'ne lSu7
of 81 Go 700 worth of bonds in the next ten years
he would against it. because, ne said such
course would beeet that kind Of complnauoh 'i
which would put great quantities OF iii-adVlseu
ects upon the country and there woulh De d seiio0
accounting therefor later on
Il have no doubt" the Speaker said 'tha' sumo
Of those people who quarter Of century ago
tried to stamp out my political life Tor voting 10.
the river and harbor bill in 1SSS over the NeIo u
President Arthur will that l am reac'loIiaiS
a sort of fly in the ointment; that stand mere III
the way. Talk is cheap but acuoh i 0
thing" ,
The Sneaker. however. declared that he would
vote for appropriations reported by the Rivers ana
Harbors Committee. under the leadership oI
Representative Burton who. he said, had uohe
more service and better service along waterway
improvements than any other man in Congress
Ambassador Nabuco spoke the rivers ana
ports OF Brazil; W c. Edwards. 4 memoer ol lhe
Canadian Parliament told of the WATERWAYS OF
Canada: Anthony Higgins formerly United states
Senator from Delaware discussed the AlIdli''0
Coast interest in the ma tional river anu "dlp''
policy and James W Van Cleave. president OF the
National Association of Manufacturers told OF the
manufacturers interest in waterway improvement
utilization OF Waterways as Factor In i.a"s
portstion' the subject Of an ADDRESS oF D. -
Ockerson a member of the Mississippi River com
mission.
Mr. Yam Cleave declared preference for the
Iakes-to-the-Ciulf project, by way of the Missis-
sippi River to all other local waterway schemes
because he said, IT had larger region NOT ohlS
In area but in population and in natural 'sso0iO
than any other single enterprise
Mr. Van CIeave spoke Of the part which the
waterways should play in cheapenins manu- acluf
in this country. He said that the organization o.
which he was president in hearty sNmpathS
with the aim Of the National Rivers and HaroorS
Congress 10 Obtain an annual governmental ap-
propriation of s5o.GnOoo for river and haIoo' III
provement throughout the country
Ny Ockerson spoke The Utility or Natei-
Factor in Transportation" He empaa-
fzei The fact that the development Of the material
resources of the country had fully occupied thc
attention Of the people that little heed mad oeeh
given to economy in the cost Of transportation
Among the speakers at the afternoon session "eie
Governor Charles 6 Deueen Of Illinois, VINO tod or
the work done hy Illinois in connection with ''S
waterways; Robert L. owen, Crited states Sersto'
from oklahoma whose topic was Oklahoma IN
tsrest in tb- DeveI9nnnent Of the Nations Water
ways"; Frederick skeue State Engineer Of New
York and Secretary Garfield
NJ. skene described the work of building the
barge canal for the construction of which the Ne"
York legislature authorized the issuance Of sol.-
oE0001 in bonds. In length it would he i42 miles ne
said. comparatively q small percentage being an
enlargement Of the present Erie Canal When com
pIeed it will be 2o00-ton carrying capacity barge
canal.
Mr. skene strongly urged tina: Congress aId New
York State literally in It's programme for
waterway development, He pointed out that, while
New York is handling 80 per cent Of the whole
import and export trade o' the country, II has
ceived less than per cent Of the federal sppro-
pria tons for such improvements
Secretary Wilson Of the Depa rtment ~ AsriCult-
ure the principal speaker 1T the evening session
spoke Our Wasted Waters and Water as 2
Factor in Farming Operations" Governor Broward
of Florida declared that there was no time like
the present for obtaining improved waterways
while have President and a coming Presi-
dent who in sympathy with the movement"
Representative Davidson, Of Wisconsin. said that
the purpose OF the organization nearly accom-
pshed; that public opinion is thoroughly aroused
and that the country demands results y. Horace
Mcfarland. president OF the American civic As
socation, gave an illustrated lecture the value
cf beauty in waterways"
President Joseph r. Rsnsdell and Secretary
Treasurer J. F. Ellison reelected and direc-
tors from the various districts elected
The delegations representing the State of New
York the National Rivers and Harhors Congress
have decided to FORM New York State waterways
association. The following committee has been
appointed TO formulate and present to the Congress
delegation from New York such resolutions rs
would properly place before the Congressional
delegation the OF New York state in the de
veopment Of waterways:
Henry ". Hill. Buffalo, chairman; Patrick ".
Culiinan. OsveEo; Thomas Spratt. OgdenshUrs
John MeS ers. Rouse's FONT; William 3. Jones Al
bany: Gustav n. Schwab, Frank Brainard Frank
s Gardner Oily J. Stephens ard s. g. Mead New
York city; Robert J. Mcfarland, Brooklyn, ana
John y. KEENAN,. Utica.
4 Of
csts Of the consider the relation of the
state to the scheme of Improvement OF the RI, ers
and h1rbors Of New York and % the country gen
eraIIy by the federal government viii be called.