Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-10-20
BIG MEET TO ADVOCATE
LAkES-TO-GljLF ROUTE
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.

The greatest deep waterway conven-
ton ever he'd began its sessions in the
Auditorium Theater at Chicago We'd
nes1ay, and the city on that day was
host to two presidential candidates and
one vice presidential Nominee, who
were guests of honor of the Lakes-to-
the Gulf Deep Waterway Association
William Howard Taft, Republican
nominee for President; William Jen-
nings Bryan, Democratic nominee for
President, and John Temple Graves,
vice presidential candidate of the indie
pendence party, were the three distin-
guished guests. These three men adj
dressed the waterways convention
Taft and Bryan at banquet Wednes-
day night and Mr.. Graves at a great
smoker held Thursday night at the
Coliseum for 5000 of the waterway
delegates and their friends. Taft also
spoke at the opening meeting of the
convention Wednesday morning. Bryan
spoke at the session Thursday MORN
ing.
William K Kavanaugh, president of
the association, called the convention
to order and introduced Bishop Sam
uel Fallows, who pronounced the invo-
cation. Bishop Fallows prayed for the
early contamination of the conventions
objects in the interest of American pro-
gresS and the greater glory of God. The
address of President Kavanaugh 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 had
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 Is Related.
William f. Saunders of st. Louis, Sec
rotary of the Lakes-to-the-G Gulf Deep
" aterway Association, in his report to
the convention detailed the history of the
deep-waterway movement, the difficulties
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
tire deep-waterway project was explained
by Secretary Saunders.
Through its publicity" the report sets
forth, the association teaches the mer-
chants and manufacturers that with the
building of the deep waterway freight
rates will be steady and reasonable and
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 the ship waterway
between the lakes and the gulf will be the
trunk line of comprehensive system of
waterways.
The actual launching of the deep water
way movement by the trip down the river
from Chicago to New Orleans over the
route of the proposed waterway made by
Congressmen William Lorimer and Henry
T. 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 that connection by the vari
Gus associations, officials and citizens
since then was explained.
''The first convention of the association
held in st. Louis had on its roster 1 100
delegates representing twelve States"
runs the report. "The second convention
in Memphis last year had on its roster
1890 delegates, representing nineteen
States. and this convention has on its
roster 3,517 delegates, representing forty
four States"