Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-10-08
KAVANAUGH SPEAKS
FOR DEEP WATERWAY
President of the Lakes -to-the-Gulf As
ISOLATION Presents Arguments
in Favor Of Project.

CHICAGO. Oct. THE following is
the speech of William II. Kavapaugh'
president Of the Deep Water Associa-
ton delivered here today at the an
nual meeting OF the organization:
A paramount issue contronts the
people of the United States. In
technical English this issue may be
EXPRESSED in the question: Shall our
Natural Resources be Conserved ana
H.yelopeG?" With equal truth, this
issue may be expressed In the broad
er questiop-"Shall our Na;iona! Pros
perity be Promoted and Perpetual
ed?" For the conservation and de-
y,Iopment of our national resources
EQUALS the promotion and perpetual
ton of cur National prosperity.
It is a noteworthy fact that this is'
sue has become paramount since the
creation, tw5 years ago. OF this
the Lakes-to-,he-Gulf Daep Waterway
Observation-Disclosures principle object
is the dev. lopment OF those great
natural resources, the Mississippi
and it's tributaries.
Other organizations OF snizehs
have helped to raise this issue. Much
has been done by different River I'M
provement Associations, and espe@
ially by the Rivers and Harbors COZ
gress, whose field is the entire coun-
try. We disparags no other organi-
cation. no other movement. All are
needed, and We cordially invite CO.
operation.
Half a century ago-and one-tnlrc
of a century ago-the Mississippi and
its mighty affiuence carried steam
packets, barges and other water
craft in hundreds The rivers were
the chief theatre Of activity through
out the Interior; thy made our COM
merce and production; they made
our Nation. Then the reaction came.
As the President OF the United
States recently said. there is less
commerce on the Mississippi and It's
tributaries today than there was
fifty years ago. The great packets
and busy targes are gone. Their dis
marks the blacklist chap
ter in the history of the American
Nation-a chapter Of National lndit-
ference Or incompetence-of bitter
desp discouragement.
and serious loss to the people. TO
day the strength OF the Nation Hes
in the Interior. How much great
er would Il have been mad the Nation
al Councils. performed their duty
and afforded facilities for conf
merce which would have increased
TT atty, perhaps doubled the rate.
The decline in our transportation
Cannot Justly be charged to any pa
ticular agency such as the railways
for as a matter Of fact, railways
and waterways are and always
should be complementary agencies
70. thu carriage Of freight and Tor
other traffic. and 1t IL especially graft
flying to note that since this Associa-
ton was created, the leading rail-
way men Of the Nation have stgni-
fed approval o; the waterway policy
and have been among the most ef'
fective workers in this Association
But Why have the National authori-
ties failed! Surely not because OF
fear Of imposing q tax on industry
and property, for the indifference. the
failure to supply adequate transpor-
ta.:or facilities. has always been ana
f. today a heavier tax on the energy
ard enterprise Of orr people than
any other. in tact. heavier, de- per
than an others combined Growing
com nnunities need and can beaT MP
un1cr the taxation OF Indifference
and Incompetence What Is true OF
the Mississippi Valley Is in ssmc re-
spects true Of every section Of the
country. The rivers Of the Atlantic,
Pacific aad Gull coasts require d.
veIopmcnt. Our Canals. once a great
means Of etaichnent OF the country.
should be restored. We. Of this A.
sociatior. are sought AMI encouraged
with the variable EFFORTS Of other
sections to end relief from that
burden OF taxation pouring out o,
dfIatoTy and indifferent waterway
policy; yet ve hcld-snd Ne chat