The Cairo bulletin., 1908-12-10
BOND ISSUANCE
PLAN APPROVED
BY RIVERS AND HARBORS CON
GREsS WHICH OPENED YES
TERDAY.
OVATION FOR CARNEGIE
He Was Easily Center of interest
Samuel Gompers Makes Speech
Favorine improvement of
Waterways.

Washington, Dec 9--Sentiment il
favor of the issuance CT bonds fo
comprehensive improvement cf tn
: rivers, harbors and canals of Tx
, country, TO the end that this .natioi
shall have the greatest system 0
waterways in the world, gained con
siderable headway at the opening ses
sion of the Rivers and Harbors Con
gress today.
The scheme contemplates the issll
ance Of $3.50 100000 federal bonds fol
internal water courses, to be distlib
uted over ten year period. Follow
ing the lead of President Roosevelt
and President-Elect Taft, both OF
whom before joint conservation
meeting yesterday advocated the is
suance of government bonds for the
construction of permanent public i'm.
provements. enthusiastic endorsement
was given the proposition at the riY-
ers and harbors congress by such
/
banks, Andrew Carnegie and Joseph
f Ransdell president of the cor
gress, and other speakers.
Leading Men Attend.
1t was learned today that the water
way congress in all probability will
adopt resolutions asking the United
States congress TO authorize the is
suance of bonds. Todays sessions
witnessed one of The most notable
gatherings in the history OF the cor
sress. Leading figures in public, in.
dustrial and commercial life of the
nation, indicated their Interest in
waterway Improvement by their pres
ence and participation in the proceed
ugs.
A notable array of speakers includ
EIDE Vice President Fairbanks, An.
drew Carnegie, British Ambassador
Bryce, former Mayor Seth Low, of
New York, Representative Ransde!l,
Champ Clark of Missouri, Goveror
Chamberlain of Oregon, Governor
Sanders of Louisiana. samuel Comp
ers. president of the American FEEDER
alton of aLbor. Judge George Hillyer
member of the Georgia Railroad com
mission, and Professor w. d. Lyman
of Whatman College, Washington.
Upwards of $500 delegates, repre-
senting A states and the territories
a In Z
Porto Rico, were in attendance
Carnegie Gets Ovation.
Interest easily centered in the al
dress of Andrew Carnegie, who re
ceived tremendous ovation when he
declared that he would lend his aid to
inaugurate an extensive system Of
waterway improvements.
The advocacy by Governor Cham
berlain, of the defeat OF senators ami
representatives who have pledged
themselves in favor of waterways i'm |
provements and who fail to redeem
their pleadges, met with the opposi- |
tion OF Representative Champ Clerk. |
The latter declared that congress was |
not opposed to river aud harbor i'm |
provements and neevr has been. To |
say so. he declared, would be to as
sumo that congress is composed OF a |
job lot Of political idiots. He express |
ed the belief that If congress were
Presented with a feasible comprehen
siye scheme for waterway improve
ments, It would be adopted.
Gompers said the labOring man ,s !
vitality interested In waterway expan-
sion. and hoped that the time would /
come when more attention would De !
devoted to such waterway schemes
han to the building OF arsenals ami
navy yards.
To Stop Freight Bloekades.
Calling attention 10 what he said
verC the great freight blockades in
he United States a year ago. Judge
seOrge Hillyer. member Of the Raj /
-Osd commission. said that in Europe
h. difficulty had been obyiated BY
he proper division made into water
reights and rail freights. with due
'egari for the Improvement Of the
fvCrs and the construction Of
'ahals. The transportation problem
n EurpOe had veen solveI be said.
by shipping bulky and uJn-perlsh-
lble freight by river and canal.
shile the costly freight went by rail L
We never hear Of a freight block
Ac in France. E-iEium OF Ger
many. be said. In ans freight
li9cFaie in TIE T-nfed States be
Issertei. probably there were three
.sT lCads Of the heavy. bulky kind
% cne Of the less bulky but cost-y
.i1d. Given the canals AMI rivers /
nd water routes be said. BY [
rhich the bulky. cumbersome and
leavr freiEhts would te shiuued
10 situation in ang freight bioekade
toad D. st C1ce relieved and tte
eCt rrsnce of the sane evil u.er-
fC~rrrnass - r~--fh 1.~.t