The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-10-15
BIG MEET TO ADVOCATE
LAKES-T0-CULF ROUTE
Greatest OF Deep Waterway Gath
erings Is Opened in the Chi
cago Auditorium.
ADDRESSES BY NOTABLE MEN.
Boom for Improvement of the Coun-
try's Natural Transportation Re
sources Given New Impetus.

ton ever held began its sessions in the
Auditorium Theater at Chicago We'd
lesday, and the city on that day was
acst to two presidential candidates and
me vice presidential nominee, who
we're guests of honor of the Lakes-to-
he Gulf Deep Waterway Association.
William Howard Taft, Republican
1ominee for President; William Jen-
lings Bryan, Democratic nominee for
President, and John Temple Graves,
yice presidential candidate of the indie
lendence party, were the three distin-
yuished guests. These three men ad-
dressed the waterways convention
Taft and Bryan at banquet Wednes-
lay night and Mr. Graves at great
smoker held Thursday night at the
Coliseum for 5000 of the waterway
delegates and their friends. Taft also
spoke at the opening meeting of the
convention Wednesday morning. Bryan
spoke at the session Thursday morn
ng.
William K. Kavanaugh, president OF
The association, called the convention
70 order and introduced Bishop SAM
lei Fallows, who pronounced the invo-
,ation. Bishop Fallows prayed for the
Early consummation of the conventions
objects in the interest of American pro-
yress and the greater glory of God. The
address of President Kavanaugh fol-
lowed the invocation. and after ii Sec
rotary William L. Saunders read his
report
The audience presented an unusual
" beautiful assemblage, every delegate
holding an American flag, which had
been presented to him at the door on
his entrance. On the stage, i'm addition
TO the officers of the association dele
gates, sat Governors, United States
Senator's and Congressman of the vari-
ous States and officials of many differ
ent cities.
Waterway History Is Related.
William f. Saunders of St. Louis, Sec
rotary of the Lakes-to-the-Gulf Deep
Waterway Association, in his report to
the convention detailed the history of the
deep-waterway movement, the difficulties
it encountered in the beginning, its pur-
pose scope and prospects for the future
and the benefits that the United States
would derive from it,
The work of the association in teach
ing through newspapers, magazines,
pamphlets and speakers the Importance of
the deep-waterway project was explained
by Secretary Saunders.
Through its publicity" the report sets
forth, 1.-THE association teaches the mer-
chants and manufacturers that with the
building of the deep waterway freight
rates will be steady and reasonable and
not subject to the violent fluctuations
such as occur at present. 1t also teaches
the 100000 men directly employed by
the railways that rail and river trans
portation are complementary; they must
help each other to perfect the transpor-
tation of the country"
According to Secretary Saunders the
doctrine of the association is that the
first duty of the government is to perfect
its transportation and that this can only
be done by building the deep waterway
from Chicago to New Orleans, improving
at the same time into complete naviga-
bility the principal tributaries of the Mis-
sissippi river so that the ship waterway
between the lakes and the gulf will be the
trunk line of comprehensive system of
waterways.
The actual launching of the deep water
way movement by the trip down the river
from Chicago to New Orleans over the
route of the proposed waterway made by
Congressman William Lorimer and Henry
T. Rainey of Illinois and Ben Humphreys
of Mississippi and their organizing of
the deep waterway association was re-
lated by Secretary Saunders and every
step taken in that connection by the vari-
Gus associations, officials and citizens
since then was explained.
1.-The first convention of the association
held in st. Louis had on its roster LOO
delegates representing twelve States"
runs the report. 1.-THE second convention
in Memphis last year had on its roster
$500 delegates, representing nineteen
States. and this convention has on its
roster 3,517 delegates, representing forty
four States"