Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-08
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Inland Waterway From Boston
to Florida Discussed.
CORNER STONE LAYING
President Will Attend Ceremonies Of
Republics Building.
DAM ACROSS SNAKE RIVER
Again Brought to Presidents Atten-
ton Today, But No Indication Of
What He Will Do With It.

What He Will Do With It.
The project of a great inland water
way. extending from Boston TO Key West,
Fla. was again discussed with President
Roosevelt today. members of the House
from states interested being present.
They were Representatives Moore Of
Pennsylvania, Small of North Carolina,
Gouiden of New York. Wanger of Penn
sylvania. Capron of Rhode Island and
Burton of Delaware About a week ago
a bill was introduced in the House pro-
riding for a survey for a siXteen-foot in
land waterway from Boston to Beaufort.
n. c. Representative Moore of Pcnnsyl-
vania recently returned from a trip
through Florida and portions of Georgia.
AT Savannah he met Secretary Straus.
Representative Small and others deeply
interested in the inland project.
Mr.. Moore informed Secretary StrauS
that from his Investigations he believed
IL perfectly feasible To connect up the
various waterway arteries so as to permit
of vessels going from Boston TO Key
West. \ siXteen-foot channel would not
be necessary. though, from Beaufort y.
c.. to Key West. 1t is now proposed 10
amend the bill recently introduced so as
to provide for a survey of the entire At
iantic coast as far as Key West. Tho
President repeated what he has so often
declared-that he feels a deep concern in
the improvement of all waterways in THIS
country that will aid in furnishing add
tonal transportation. The President was
glad to know that an effort will he made
to provide a survey. His callers told them
they would report progress to him AT m
tervals and would be glad TO receive sug-
gestions and assistance from him.
Will Attend Corner Stone Laying.
President Roosevelt today accepted an
invitation extended by John Barrett. d.
rector of the international bureau or
American republics, to attend the lay
ing Of the corner stone OF the new build
ing for the bureau The President Will
make an address and participate in the
exercises to as full extent as his time
will permit. The occasion promises TO be
a notable one, as il will be attended by
the diplomatic corps, the members of the
Senate and House committees on foreign
relations, cabinet officers and Others me
exact date for the ceremony has not been
set. although the time will be next month.
The new building is to be erected on the
old Van Ness Park site. at 18th and b
streets northwest. The site was bought
by contributions by the various republics
interested in the bureau. costing about
$3.50, 600, but the building, which is to
cost S75O,OOO. Is a gift from Andrew Car
negie. who will be asked to be present.
That Dam Across Snake River.
The bill permitting the erection of an ir-
rigation dam across the Snake river in
Idaho, a measure which would have at
tracted scarcely more attention month
ago than an ordinary private pension bill,
was again the subject of a long discussion
at the White House today. The contro-
versy over this bill is interesting chiefly
because of the Presidents special mes
sage to Congress last month in which he
said. among other things, that he must
veto any and all bills which grant free
water rights on navigabe streams to
private companies. Senator Hepburn OPP
posed the passage of the bill with all his
might but it was passed by an over
whelming vote, although Senator lies re-
fused to accept an amendment which
would avoid the danger of a presidential
veto.
Senator Piles author Of the Senate bill.
and Representative Jones of Washington,
who introduced similar bill in the House
and secured its passage, went to the
White House this morning by invitation
of the President. They told Mr. Roose-
welt that they believed an exception
should be made in favor of this bill, in
asmuch as a similar bill was passed at
the last session In the House and was ia
vorably reported in the Senate. The Pres
ident said he would continue to have the
matter under consideration. but did not
say what he would do. The bill has not
reached the White House yet. as IL is still
in the conference committee of the two
houses. Senator Borah of Idaho was also
a caller at the White House this MORN
ing. but said he did not come to talk
about the Snake river dam bill.
He said that in his opinion the building
of the dam by a private company would
not operate to the disadvantage or injury
o. the state. Although his colleague. Sem
ator Hey burn, was opposed to the passage
of the bill and hopes the President will
veto 1t, he does not agree with the Presi-
dent that the federal government has a
right to go within the. boundaries of q
sovereign state and exact compensation
for the erection of water works by pri-
vate company. even if the works he erect
ed on a navigable stream.
Hale Fires Hot Shot at Brownlow.
Representative Hale of Tennessee. a
leader Of the Hale Evans Sanders COM
bination, which is now in control of tho
state organization, passed some hot ones
over the plate today to Representative
Brownlow of the BrownIow- Oliver Austin
combination. Mr.. Hale was visiting the
White House with some friends. and the
occasion of his remarks was an inquiry
about the accusation of the Brownlow
people that the opposition faction was
making Roadway in the state only by the
use of federal patronage. This is the
way he framed il up:
1.-The complaint that federal officehold-
ers in Tennessee are controlling state
politics is really laughable. and is not
true. The last state convention mad
fewer federal offceholders in ii than has
been known in the last twenty years. 1t
is funny, too, for Mr.. Brownlow and his
people to be talking of efficeholders, S
a glance at the records viii show. Mr..
Brownlow. the head member of this COM
bination. draws $500 a year as a men,
Der of the House: as a member OF the
board of governors OF the soldiers homes
of the United States and as secretary OF
the board he gets $1,000 a year: he is
local manager of the soldiers home at
Johnson City: has been national COM
mitteeman for more than twelve years;
delegate from the state-at-large TO sew
eral national conventions; chairman of
the state convention several times; ref
cree of patronage for a number of years:
delegate to all state and other con-
yentions: has been getting the
complimentary vote OF the party
for senator for many years; has been
local and state boss; chairman of the
republican state executive committee, and
several other places. One of his daugh-
IsH