The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-11-06
" ATERWAYs:
CONVENTION

WASHINGTON. Nov. 1.-THE APP
preaching convention of the National
Rivers and Harbors congress to be
held in Washington on December 4,
and 6. will be of the utmost Importance
to trade, commercial and agricultural
interests in the entire country. 1t is
inevitable that there can be neither IN
crease or decrease in transportation
facilities without the effects of the one
or the other operating to the benefit or
to the loss of all interests-the con-
sumner no less than the producer. The
National Rivers and HarbOrs congress
was the pioneer in the demand for
pClicy with reference to waterway i'm
provements. The advocacy of projects
was, and ever would be, a stumbling
block in the way of genuine advance
ment of the cause Of waterway i'm
provement and the fact is sufficiently
demonstrated in the other fact that
today, and Notwithstanding the appro-
rriatiOns made by the congress of the
United Stats less than seven per cent
of the more than $4,000 miles of in
land waterways of the country have
been improved-and with not all i'm
provements undertaken even approach
ing completion.
The need is for a definite plan of
waterway Improvement as part of the
settled policy of the government; with
adequate annual appropriations, aban
doning the inefficient policy of APP
preparations for projects as Hon. Will
Tot npQn
Waterways convention at Chicago
when he said:
Some steps toward a new depart
ure in river and harbor appropriations
are apparent in the rivers and harbors
bill passed by the Fifty ninth con-
gress. wherein provision is made for
the completion of a much larger pro-
portion of projects than in any pre-
vious measure. Perhaps the greatest
influence toward framing a broad,
comprehensive and progressive policy
of river and harbor improvements is
being exerted by the National Rivers
and Harbors congress, of which your
association is a member. It's motto is a
policy. not project
In like manner. and at the same con-
vention, Hon. w. ]. Bryan urged on
the convention the necessity for syste-
matte plans for waterway improve
ment. the manifest sentiment of the
two great political parties being that
the day of projects had passed because
of the intelligent presentation of the
facts through the National Rivers and
Harbors congressional waterway i'm
prOvement was not a political but an
economic question of the utmost i'm
pOrtance to the true development of the
enormously large agricultural, indus
trial and commercial interests of the
United States, all of which are now
suffering from inadequate tcansporta
ton facilities. There should be thor
oughly representative delegations from
every state in the union. from every
city and from all commercial, agricul-
tucal and industrial organizat tons to
the meeting of the National Rivers and
HarbCrS congress. Both parties. and
the candidates of both parties have de-
clared themselves in favor of the def
mite plan of waterway improvements
as urged by the congress. the delibera-
tons and the action of which will be of
the greatest possible benefit to all
classes and conditions DEFENDING on
transportation-that is to say the en-
tire country