The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-12-25
WORK OF THE N. R. AND n. CONGRESS.

Ill punt III
and the work accomplished the Ma.
tional Rivers and Harbors congress
through It's fifth annual convention
held during the second week of the
current month, marked an epoch in the
economic history of the nation. And the
resolutions, which were unanimously
adopted by the convention, fearlessly
went upon record for a bond issue OF
FIVE hundred million dollars, to inn
prove the rivers and harbors of the
United States 'as shall be authorized
by congress. said bonds to be sold from
time To time and in snch quantities as
may be necessary. the provisions for
the issuance of said bonds to be SINH
lar 10 those authorizing the bonds for
the construction of the Panama canal"
This action on the part of the Ma
lional Rivers and IiarbOrs congress,
was the elimination of the campaign
Of education begun several years. ago,
the piece meal appropriations on the
part Of the congress of the United
States. by river and harbor bills, in no
sense outlining a fixed and comprehen-
siye policy of waterway improvement,
commensurate with the ever increasing
demands OF trade and commerce.
otwithstandines1he objection entered
by Speaker Cannon 10 the bond issue
feature OF the resolutions, the commit
tee on resolutions, representing all see
tions of the country, had no differences
n Ia the need of fixed annual appro-
priations for waterway development
aud they believed the time ripe for
IN explicit declaration to that end.
The time for argument had gone by
with the $500 delegates who were
in attendance upon the convention, the
time for action was ut hand.
Representative Ransdell of Louisiana,
president of the National Rivers and
years been an active earnest worker
for a comprehensive plan of waterway
betterments, in explaining the action
of the congress over which he pre-
sides said: Nobody contemplates the
issuance of $500 100000 of bonds at one
ti!lit. All We pam - " IdNc ntiitlS Is
sued from time to- time as needed.
These bonds are for permanent works,
for work just rs permanent and pos
sibly more so than the Panama
Canal and destined for the same conf
.mcrcal uses. These works are not alone
for ourselves, they are for posterty
as well and should be paid for, at
least in part, by il.
by the authorization of the issu-
ance of $500,0OOO0O of bonds to carry
out Il broad and comprehensive policy
of waterway Improvement we are but
initiating the wise example OF the rail-
roads who make money by borrowing
money to be used for line extensions,
thereby increasing the means of hand
ling traffic.
If it should be found that sufficient
money cannot be appropriated from cur
rent revenues to carry on the work of
completing water poiects under way
and the beginning OF new ones ap-
proved by the Board of Army Engineers
then there should be sold sufficient
waterway bonds from time to time,
20 that each year win find the work
of improving our rivers, harbors, and
canals steadily going on to fnal COM
pletion.
In 1903 the congress of the United
States authorized the issuance of $780,
100000 of Panama bonds to be sold
as needed. With the S36,000,000 issued
the other day the total amount of the
Panama bond issue up to this time
is $S4,G3h9s0 extending over period
Of nearly six years.
AS II large deficit is in sight, to be
exact $58,O7020l for the fiscal year
ending june 80, 1908, for the next
fiscal year as per the estimate of the
secretary of the treasury, $ll4000,000,
and $ii3,000,000 for the fiscal year
ending June 80 1910, it is clear that
waterways development on n compre-
hensive plan proceed. 1t viii take
made an Egyptian mummy blush with
shame
But what is Chicago going to do
about it. Nothing. Next year the
same junction VIII be held ana the
same debasing and degrading scenes
will be enacted. Another carnival at
Which vice will be Haunted and en-
couraged. The affair win be under
the supervision of the same politicians
who hold Chicago in the hollow of
their hand and laugh down the protests
of respectable people.
The authorities are forced to bow
to the worthless who reap the benefit
from these yearly orgies. The at
mosEhere of Chicago needs purifying
but that thing cannot be accomplished
until the people arouse themselves 10
the seriousness of the eity's immoral
condition and place in authority men
who's will have due regard for de.