Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-10-16
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 it's sessions In the
Auditorium Theater at Chicago wed
ncsday, and the city on that day was
host to two presidential candidates and
one vice presidential nominee, who
were guests of honor of the Lakcs-io-
: the. Gulf Deep Waterway Association.
William Howard Taft, Republican
nominee for President William Ieh-
ningS Bryan, Democratic nominee: i"i
President, and John Temple Graves.
vice presidential candidate OF the lnde
pendcnce party, were the three distih-
cuished guests. These three men ad-
dressed the waterways convention
Taft and Bryan at a banquet Wrdnes-
day night and Mr.. Graves at a great
smoker held Thursday night at fhe
Coliseum for 5000 OF the waterway
delegates and their friends. Taft also
spoke at the opening meeting OF 1he
convention Wednesday morning. EryaN
smoke at the session Thursday uorn-
ing.
William K. Kavanaugh. president IT
the association, called the convention
to order and introduced Bishop sam
uel FaIlows, who pronounced the invo-
cation. Bishop FailOws prayed for the
early ~cOnSummatiOn of the conventions
objects in the interest of American pro-
gress and the greater glory of God. Tks
address of President k~avanaugh fol-
lowed the invocation, and after it Sec
rotary William f. Saunders read his
report.
The audience presented an unusual-
~ beautiful assemblage, every delegate
holding an American flag, which bad
been presented to him at the door on
his entrance. On the stage, in addition
to the officers of the association dele
gates, sat Governors, United States
Senators and Congressman Of the vari-
Gus States and officials Of many differ
ent cities.
Waterway History IL Related.
William F. Saunders of st. Louis, ser-
rotary of the Lakes to-thc-Gulf Deey
Waterway Association, in his report 10
the convention detailed the history of III"
| deep-waterway movement, the diili, uiii.sf
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 exg,ka iBeI
by Secretary Saunders.
Through its publicity" the report sets
forth, "the association teaches the Mer-
| chants and manufacturers hat with the
building of the deep waterway freight
| rates will be steady n reasonable anS
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 6he ship waterway
between the lakes and the gulf will be the
trunk line ola comprehensive system Of
waterways.
The actual launching Of the deep wate1-
way movement by the trip down the river
from Chicago to New Orleans over the
route of the proposed waterway made by
Congressman William L0ri1aer and Henry
r. 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 nat connection by TIE yari-
GUS associations, officials and citizens
since then was explained
1.-THE first convention of the association
held in st. Louis had on its roster 1,1e0
delegates representing twelve States
runs the report. "The second convention
in Memphis last year had on its roster
1900 delegates, representing Hinete-n
States. and this convention has on it's
roster 3,517 delegates, representing forty
four States"