The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-10-31
President Taft Speaks Before Wa
terways Meeting and lntimates
Futures Of Rivers Rests
With Government.
LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP
Believes That the Present Meeting
Marks an Epoch In the Change
Of Character OF
Transportation.

[Gate City Leased Wire 4service.l
NEW ORLEANS, La, Oct. 30.-"We1
have got to come down to brass tacks,
where mere general oratory In favor
of a waterway does not suffice. 1t
is the question what can you do, how
much will 1t cost, how long will 1t
take, and what will it result in? Now
when you address yourselves to this
problem and treat it as a mere ques-
tion of transportation on a profitable
basis, / have not the slightest doubt
that you will reach a solution that will
appeal to those who have the re-
sponsibility Of voting the money for
the government. and that you will get
what you desire in the measurable
time"
In these words President Taft con-
cluded his speech today before the
lakes to the Gulf deep waterway as
sociation. BY so doing. according to
the Interpretation of delegates who
heard him he handed the responsible
ity for the future Of waterways to
congress.
The keynote of the speech was
Look Before You Leap" eve are
glad to be here" he said in one
breath. because our coming indicates
what we hope may be an epoch In the
change Of the character Of tranHporta-
ton of the country. But he hastily
added: DO not misunderstood. i do
not think we are going to fill the
bosom of the Mississippi with barges
and ocean-liners tomorrow morning.
The changes which is bound to come
will come gradually"
This trip has been eliminating to
many of us, not SO much in offering a
solution to the problems presented in
trying to develop the Mississippi and
other rivers for that kind Of transpor-
tation which would be most beneficial
to the country but it has been illumin-
ating in showing the difficulties that
we have to meet and overcome in
order that these rivers shall occupy
their proper place in transportation.
Nov we have reached a point
where we are bound to use the rivers
because the amount that is required
to be carried will necessitate 1T. What
do we do? Why we say to the rail-
roads ''if you will only arrange your
rates so as to compete with the rivers,
we will permit you to make them so
as to drive the river out Of business 2
Now that is what has been done.
17ai irivy hoe
regulating rates to a certain extent
and reducing them, yet never the less
! it has not exercised that power and
that influence that 1t might If 1t were
| actually used for the purpose"
we have satisfied ourselves re-
garding the solution of problem on
the Ohio,' said Taft
"The o. 10 is the most imortant
feeder Of the Mississippi. But T am
not in favor of delaying the improve.
ment of the Mississippi until the Ohio
river Improvement is completed, he
added" / am in favor of finding out
what you ought to do to the Missis
sippi river and knowing what it will
! cost before you get in and spend all
your money
President Taft was busy every min.
ute of his stay here. He was enter
tanned by Archbishop Blenk before
/ going to the waterways convention
and after the meeting was whirled
away in an automobile to see two foot
ball games. He remained at each
game half an hour. He was a din
ner guest at the Pickwick club and
at night attended performance OF
4 Los Hugenots in French. Then he
4 looked in on smoker at the Athe
neum. 1t was nearly midnight before
he retired
Tomorrow Taft will attend the Uni
tartan church, visit various historic
places in an automobile and lunch al
one of the old French restaurants
He will start east at 8 a. m. Monday
and spend most of the day at Jack
son, Miss.
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