The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-10
NEW ORLEANS
 IS SELECTED For Next Waterways
 Convention. CHICAGO MEETING ADJ0URNS
Resolutions Arc Adopted Making
 Demands on Congress.
The Governments Duty Is to Give the , Country Adequate Trasporta-
 ton Facilities by Develop
 ing NavigabIe Waterways.

Chicago, Oct. e.-Business at the closing session of the fourth annual convention of the Lakes to the Gulf Deep Waterways Association. was transacted at a rapid rate. The old officers were reelected with the excep- ton of D. R. Forgan. of Chicago. as a member of the board of governors. MT. Forgan retired in favor of E. S. Con way, of Chicago.
 New orleans had no opposition for the next convention and 1t will be held in that city.
 After the strenuous proceedings Of the last few days only a few delegates were in their seats. The speakers or the day were Theodore P. Shonts. Of New York. and John A. ockerson, of St Louis. The following resolutions were adopted:
 "The general welfare of the people of the United States can best be pro motd by establishing the commerce of the country on a sound basis and by so enlargIng it that agricultural and min eral resources may be developed to the end that production and manufacturing may be encouraged.
 Easy and adequate transportation is the first essential for the develop ment of the commerce of the United States and the responsibility for this development rests on the general gov ernment.
 Inadequate Transportation.
 "It has been demonstrated during the last ten years that when business conditions are normal. the transporta- tion facilities afforded by the railways are utterly inadequate. The leading railway authorities declare that water transportation must be developed In or der that the freight of the company may be handled properly and prompt ly.
 sUnder the constitution, the regula tion of commerce between the states devolves on the general government and neither states nor private capital can be permitted under the .constitu- tion to assume these duties.
 '"The duty therefore, is on the gov ernment to give the country adequate transportation facilities by developing the navigable waterways. This duty should be recognized by Congress at once and the waterways should be made efficient freight carriers, other wise the United States cannot main tain commercial equality with other nations which give adequate attention to their waterways.
 ''The all important question of trans portation Is a paramount issue. If 1t be found that the current revenues of the government are insufficient for viz orously carrying out on broad plan the development of our waterways, Congress should procure funds for that purpose by providing sufiicient bond issue
 This convention declares that the opening of deep channel way con- meeting the Great Lakes with the Gulf of Mexico to be an imperative dytn Of the general government and thaA this work should be immediately begun and completed as speedily as possible.
 xIas. fnr aaIn NayoN oNeabsF aNya4 Hsa. velopment should comprise a main trunk line in the form of a strait, connecting Lake Michigan with the Gulf of Mexico by the Illinois and Mississippi rivers The improvement of the branches of this main line, such as the upper Mississippi with its trib- utaries, the Ohio with its tributaries including the Tennessee and the Cum berland, the Missouri, the Arkansas. the Red. the White. should proceed simultaneously with the development of the main line.
 ''The deep waterways Is practically complete from Chicago to Joliet, and the continuation from Joliet to St. Louis will cost only S3l 000.000 The state of Illinois, assuming that the Federal government win take the re- sponsibility for completing the water way to the gulf, is about to cooperate to the extent of 20,00O,00O. Natural Resources.
 This convention is in hearty accord with the recent movement for the con- servation of the natural resources of the country and heartily approves the efforts of the National Rivers and liar bors Congress in seeking to develop the waterways of the nation.
 We do hereby demand that a defi- mite and vigorous policy of waterways improvement. beginning with the lakes to the gulf deep waterway be prompt ly adopted by the general govern ment"
 F. & Conway stated in connection in the selection of New Orleans for the next convention In November that New Orleans had given way to Chicago last year and that that city deserved the unanimous approval which the se- lection had received. Mayor Behrman, of New Orleans promised the hospitali- ty of the Louisiana city and declaring that the delegation would see levee and dock improvements which would rival the attractions of the historic sec tIons of the city.
 After the adoption of several ap. propriate resolutions of thanks, the convention adjourned all the work of the meeting having been concluded.