Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-12-10
ADDRESS OF ANDREW Ca .EGn

\. .AgHINGTON, Dec. 9.--Sentiment in ia
vJr Of a government bond issue for com
pithensive Improvement Of the rivers, har
burs and canals Of the country TO the END
That this nation shall have the greatest
system of waterways in the wcrld, gained
headway at the opening session of the an
nual meeting of the Rivers and Harbors
congress here today.
The scheme contemplates $500, 600 900 worth
Of federal bonds for internal watercourses
10 be distributed over a ten-year period of
So COO 600 annually. Following the lead Of
President Roosevelt and President-elect
Taft, both of whom before the joint con-
srryation meeting advocated the issuance
Of government bonds for constructing per
mEnent public improvements, enthusiastic
endorsement was given the proposition at
the congress by Vice President Fairbanks,
Andrew Carnegie and Joseph Z. RansdeIl.
The gathering likely will adopt resolutions
asking congress to authorize the bonds.
Leading figures in the nations public, in
dustrial and commercial life indicated their
interest in waterway improvements by their
presence and participation. The speakers
included Vice President Fairbanks Andrew
Carnegie. Ambassador Bryce. Seth Low Of
New York Representative Joseph L. Rams
del. Representative Champ Clark Of Mis-
souri, Governor George e. Chamberlain OF
Oregon and Samuel Gompers.
Upwards of $500 delegates, representing
forty-four states, and territories of Alaska,
New Mexico. Hawaii and Porto Rico were
in attendance. Perhaps the largest repre-
sentation from any one city was from
Nashville, Tenn, including ten delegates.
The congress resembled political conven-
and white banners, denoting their respec-
tive states and territories, were grouped in
the Willard hotel auditorium.
Address of Andrew Carnegie.
Interest eentered in the address of An
drew Carnegie. who received an ovation
when he declared he would lend his aid to
inaugurate an extensive system Of water
way Improvements.
Mr.. Carnegie made a characteristic speech
I'm which he took issue with the pessimists
az to the futnre OF the country. These
people he said, ''are always talking about
how slow the world travels. The trouble
with them is that they are looking forward
tc,D much. Let them look back where We
once were and where We stand today
After proclaiming the American constitu
tion the greatest instrument ever drawn
Mr.. Carnegie declared that there were many
things that the states could not possibly
do; that If the general government has no
the power under the constitution, the peo
pie could make . new constitution. Mr.
Carnegie warned the delegates against th'
consideration OF sectional projects, declaring
that prC jects national in their scope wer'
what was wanted. The speaker bestowet
great praise upon what he termed the bril-
liant work in connection with the Panam;
canal. He expressed the belief. however
tat the utilization of our own waterway
was Of Infinitely more Importance than tn,
Panama canal and wished that our owl
waterways had been improved before th'
Panama canal project had been taken up.
The advocacy by Governor Chamberlai
o. Or gon OF the defeat OF senators anC
icIrez entBtves who have pledged them
solves IA favor Of waterway Improvement
and who fail 10 redeem their pledges wal
opposed by Representative Champ Clark
who declared that congress is not oppose,
- river and harbor improvements an,
never has been. To say 50. he declared
would be TO assume that the congress i
composed of joblot of political idiots
h expressed the belief that If congres
wie presented with a feasible scheme 70
waterway Improvement II would be adop, ed
Former Mayor Low said that the presen
greatness Of New York due largely 1
the Erie canal He said New York woul
support national waterway projects a
heartily and unreservedly as any othe
state.
Campers and Fairbanks.
G-vernor Sanders OF Louisiana spoke c
tie menacing effect Of the floods of IN
MISSISSIPPI river and said II was time In
general government should bear It's shar
OF the expense Of maintaining the leve
system.
Samuel Gompers said the laboring ma
was yttal,y Interested in waterway expau
more attention would be devoted TO sue
waterway schemes than to the building {
ars rsenals and navy yards.
President Fairbanks said that while tn
work OF improving river navigation coul
not be done all at once, the rate Of Pre-
EreEs should be determined by an en-
ilghtensd consideration Of all the fact
bearing upon each project. While ther
might be a wide divergence OF individu.
opinion as TO the relative Importance {
v@ri US Fi oJscts he J. ad no doubt a commo
ground Of action might be found. tn
success OF so vast an undertaking In hi
judgment, would depend upon the dii
seminatiOn OF accurate information as
the need and cost OF work ana upon IN
arousing Of Intelligent interest in It anon
the people
COMBINATION COMMISSION SIT