Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-10
CANNON WOULD HELP
WATERWAY PROJECT
Tells Congress of Advocacy
That He Had to Explain.
NOT READY TO VOTE MONEY
Willing to Give Support When Well.
Prepared Scheme Is Proposed.
AMBASSADOR NABUCO SPEAKS
Tells of Brazil's Interest-1m-
mediate Preparation Urged by
Former Senator Higgins.
NOT READY TO VOTE MONEY
AMBASSADOR NABUCO SPEAKS

| "Some propositions. including certain
party Platforms are like Mother Hub
bard dress-it covers everything but
| touches nothing
| This was one Of many pert paragraphs
which enlivened the address of Speaker
/ joe Cannon before the National Rivers
and Harbors Congress today and produced
a contagion of laughter among delegates
and leaders.
| He reminded his hearers that some peo-
pie had tried to stamp out his poislcai
life because, in 1890, he voted FOR the
passage of a rivers and harbors bill
which was vetoed by President Arthur.
He later voted to pass the bill over the
Presidents veto. and declared he spent
many long moons trying to explain to
constituents "out in Illinois,
Other Speakers.
JOAQUIN Nabuco, ambassador from
Brazil. was another morning orator. HIS
topic was rivers and ports of Brazil
| w. c. Edwards. member Of the Cana
dian parliament. told of the waterways OF
Canada 1.-THE Atlantic Coast is the Ma
tional Rivers and Harbors Policy was
|
| former United States senator from Deia-
ware, addressed the convention.
James w. Van Cleave, president or Tue
National Association of manufactures.
told of the manufacturers interest," m !.
| waterway Improvement. Utilization OF
Waterways as Factor in Transporta-
ton was the subject of J. A. Ockerson'
| a member of the Mississippi river COM
| mission.
Higgins Advises Preparations.
Former Senator Higgins, the first speak
| err, gave it as his opinion that Congress
| would have acted long ere this on the
general proposition had comprehensive
and practical plans been submitted to It..
| He said President Roosevelt had indi-
Gated his interest in the matter yesterday
following the reading Of his annual mes
| sage to Congress.
| He advocated. that surveys be made at
the earliest practicable moment. so that
| at the proper time all propositions for
| river Improvement and canals can be
brought together in a concrete project.
| Mr. Higgins remarked that the chair
miteee will say I'VE are facing a deficit
and cannot go ahead in the construction
Of waterways
| But" he added. will that stop the
construction Of the Panama canal?"
| NO; because it. is built on bonds in
stead of from government revenues"
He quoted from eminent authority that
| railroads are no longer equal to the
| freight traffic of the United States, and
spoke of probable freight congestion that
viii follow '.the rolling wave of pros
periiy.''
Mr.. Higgins strongly advocated the con-
struction of the Atlantic deep waterway
ship canal. saying it would prove of i'm
mense benefit to the country, and particu-
larly the Atlantic coast and gulf states.
The chairman then announced that he
would next present to the delegates a
man who can give more help to US than
either the President of the United States
or the Vice President I refer to Speaker
Cannon. who needs no introduction TO
any American audience.
Speaker Given Ovation.
As the Speaker Of the House stepped to
the fore the delegates and ladies arose
and gave him an ovation. Speaker Can
non said he regarded the storm of APP
plause as directed at the Office of Speaker
of the House rather than to the person
ali.y Of the man who happens to be
Speaker
IA began his address by saying it was
hard to look into the faces OF the men
before him and resist the temptation to
say something agreeable to them as an
individual.
"If YOU are disappointed at the close
Of the short session of Congress, you can
lied to you. In and out OF CONGRESS 1
have favored the practical. safe and sane
improvement of our coast and inland wa
terways.
rivers and harbors bill in 1890. and his
vote to pass it over the Presidents veto,
and said:
.The great metropolitan newspapers
made it hot for me. l had the sreatest
fight of my life to explain that vote to
my people. I've been jumped on with
both feet for being practical.
1T is one thing to cast vote that
legtslates and another to cast vote that
does not legislate. l say the rivers and
harbors should be sufficiently improved"
Cannon Will Vote for Project.
Speaker Cannon said he agreed with
the rivers and harbors congress that the
waterways of the country must be inn
proved. He advised against what he
termed unsafe and unsound legislation
with respect to the waterway improve
ments.
He said that if the rivers and harbors
committee should report a bill at this
session providing for the issue of one
thousand million dollars worth Of bonds
in the next ten years he would vote
against it, because. he said. such a course
would beget that kind of combination
that would put great quantities of Ill adj
vised projects upon the country and there
would be a serious accounting therefor
later on.
Il have no doubt he said, that some
of those people who, quarter of a CEN
tury ago, tried to stamp out my political
life for voting for the river and harbor
bill in 1888 over the veto of President
Arthur, will say that am a reactionary-
sort Of fly In the ointment-that / stand
here in the way:
Talk is cheap he said. but action is
another thing
Nobody here wants Congress in the
next sixty days to commit this country
to an expenditure Of $4,000 coo and the
issue Of bonds If it becomes necessary
to issue bonds for the necessary work, I
say issue the bonds.
But we want the work done safely and
sanely. In the Panama canal work we
had to have project or the world would
have laughed at U.S.
He added that it was his belief science
will overcome the formation of sandbars
in the Mississippi river Mr.. Cannon de-
clared he would vote for any rivers and
harbors bill that may be presented by
that practical and safe man. Chairman
Burton OF the rivers and harbors COM
mittee of the House.