The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-02
AROUSE INTEREST IN WATERWAY PROJECT Fox Will Speak At Commercial
 Club Today MOVEMENT IS NATIONAL The Plan Is To Induce Congress To Appropriate $5o,ooo,ooo Yearly
 For the Work For Period
 of Ten Years.
MOVEMENT IS NATIONAL

tlonal rivers and harbors congress, ar- rived in Birmingham yesterday after noon, and will address public meet ing at o'clock this afternoon In the Commercial club rooms. MT, Fox is full of life, talks interestingly and his speech this afternoon is sure to be entertaining. A large crowd is expected to be present at the meeting.
 He has already toured the states of South Carolina, Mississippi and Geor- gia, having been on the jump since Decem- Der 26, and before next December will have visited every state In the union. The object of his trip is to stir lip a sentiment all over the United States to- wards having Congress make an appro- priation of $500, ,OO0,00o for the improve ment of rivers and harbors, this appro- priat1on to be expended in installments of $50, 000,00O per year for the next ten yesrs.
 MT. Fox arrived In Birmingham yes terday afternoon, coming here from Sa- vsnnah, where he wound up the Georgia campaign Wednesday night. He reg istered at the Morris, and was taken oa an automobile tour around the district yesterday afternoon by Col T. G. Bush and J. B. Babb, and was much impressed by the need of navlgable waterway from here to the gulf.
 In talking of his tour late yesterday afternoon he said:
 Fox Discusses Plans.
 "As director of the national waterways congress l have come to spend the next four weeks in the state of Alabama visiting hs many points as possible that are directly interested and that will reap direct benefit from improved water ways. The national rivers and harbors congress, which I represent, has under taken to awaken sentiment throughout the union in favor of deepened harbors and improved rivers such as will lead to large and regular amounts being appro- priated by the national government to speedily and continuously carry out this work
 Tt was founded and began it's labors in December, 1906 and has worked steadi- ly pushing its campaign of education ever since with the result that the whole country is now extensively aroused and is joining in its mission. Two congresses have been held since it's formation, and at the last one held in December, 1907, some 2000 representatives were present from 45 states, in an endeavor to urge Con gress to adopt the policy advocated by our organization.
 That policy is that $500, 900, 900 be ex- pended during the next ten years by the national government in river and har- bor improvement at the rate of $50, 1000, 900 per year, providing regularly and an- nually for the various projects under taken until they shall have all been com pleted Congress was very much i'm pressed by the showing that was made and doubtless this session of Congress would have undertaken the work as out lined by the national rivers and harbors congress were it not for the fact that 0 presidential campaign is at hand.
 This organization is now in splendid working shape and a board of 30 directors, one of wrom is one of Birmngham's lead ing citizens, Col. T. G. Bush, is en- trusted with carrying out the plans of the congress between now and next De- cember. This board of directors feels that if they can carry on an active and aggressive campaign of education be- tween now and that time, reaching the cities upon every waterway in each state in the union, that such a sentiment will be built up as will lead Congress at it's next session to enter upon this great in- ternal improvement.
 Will Visit Important centers.
 AS the special director or field rep- resentative of the board, have under. taken to visit personally the important commercial centers in as many states as possible and carefully lay before the bus mess men the scope and purpose of our plan. I have already since the congress adjourned last December visited IA points in the state of Mississippi, 12 in South Carolina, and Il in Georgia, at each of which large and enthusiastic gatherings have been held, and our mission warmly received. l have just finished the tour of Georgia at Savannah, where on last Wednesday night some 800 representative business men of that city Joined hearti- ly in the move which I advocated. came direct from there to cooperate with Colonel Bush, the director for tkis sec tion of the United States, and with w. F. Vandiver of Montgomery, the vice president for Alabama, in order to plan a campaign for Alabama. These gentle men have already taken the matter up with number of cities which they de- sire me to visit in the state, and at the meeting to be held Monday definite dates will be fixed for each city, SC that "a large gathering may be held in each place at which I can explain the object and mission of our congress.
 Alabama should take a leading part In this work as she is well favored by na- ture with waterways capable of being made navigable to an important degree In fact l think she is more highly fav- ored than any of the southern state, hav- ing the Tennessee on her northern bound ary the Chattahoochee on her east boundary, the Tombigbee on the west and the gulf on the south, with the great Alabama river system comprising some SSG miles of navigable waterways. pene. trating the interior.
 Benefit To Birmingham.
 While Birmingham is not. so directly to be benefited as some of the cities upon the waterways, which will be adequately and definitely improved at the earliest mo- ment, if we are successful in carrying out this policy, still being the most import ant manufacturing center in the state. 1t will he of the greatest commercial value