The Washington times., 1909-12-08

j recognize the gentlemen who ap-
plaud as coming from the Columbia riv-
er section" said the President, laugh
inEly.
Preserving the hul1or. he then added
II illustrated the disinterestei feeling
which would support the carrying out
OF all the projects.
The crowd caught the point: appreci-
ated the trap into which the Ohio river
delegates had fallen, and the President
received another round Of applause.
Advocates the Theory.
Speaking Of the convention on the
conservation Of national resources held
at the Belasco Theater IN Washington
last winter, at which both he and for
mer President Roosevelt expressed
themselves as favoring bond issuance,
President Taft said he still was an adj
vocate Of that theory. He asserted that
he believed the Government was as
much entitled 10 a rapid method OF de-
veloping an enterprise and putting IL
through as private corporation.
II was at this point that the President
lnterjected his opinion that the request
Tor bond issue should be reserved until
other methods had failed
II have thought it all over he said.
know something about Congress.
Lead them or to favOrfnE certain
things. Get them recorded as declaring
those things are to be carried OUT
If the money from current revenues
was not forthcoming for the carrying
out Of the declarations, Congress would
have to issue bonds, he said.
Count BernstOrff Speaks.
You are getting to the point where
you can accomplish something" declared
the President, IF you don't do il the
wrong way
Immediately upon the conclusion of the
Presidents address, Ambassador Won
BernStOrff was introduced. He traced
the steps by which Germany acquired
its extensive inland waterways system.
The great importance of the inland
waterways traffic, he explained. will
be best seen by a comparison with the
railways Notwithstanding the constant
increase of the latter, the short water
ways have had a trade equal to nearly
third Of the aggregate railway trade.
The transport by water being cheap
Improvement Of the German waterways
promises to be useful to the German in
dusSrial life
Possession of State.
of important influence on the rela-
tons between the railways and the
waterways is the fact that the greatest
part of both is in the possession OF the
state. Therefore there is generally no
competition between these means Of
transport The railways usually furnish
the railway connection between canal
UdIDpI8 anu Ille next railway station
When one considers that the rail-
ways, IN spite OF the active inland navi-
cation. have attained "A favorable de-
Velopnfent. and that they are most proTi-
table in Prussia, where inland naviga-
tion IS best developed. IL is evident that
harmonious cooperation of wat srNVays
and railways is also profitable to the
latter"
German inland navigation" said
Count Won Bernstorff I'm conclusion.
has much developed in a technical.
OF the clements which have in high de-
gree favored the Industrial and COM
mercial rise Of Germany"
Gives Annual Report.
In presenting his annual report in
which he outlined the work before the
convention, President Ransdell drew
attention TO the attitude Of Indifference
held by many railwsy men toward the
improvement Of waterways. and declar-
ed he feared their position in this re-
spect would strengthen the advocacy OF
Government ownership OF railroads.
After putting himself on record as he
ing opposed to Government ov-uershfn
OF railroads, President RansdelI present
ed statistics showing that, exclusive Of
the United States, there are 1S2. 7g2 miles
OF privately owned railways and Isl, 531
miles Of government owned RAILWAYS
AS a good friend Of railways" said
the speaker. which l consider the
most marvellous agents OF civilization
OF warning and insist that the strongest
weapon for defense against this menace
OF Government ownership is the best
possible transportation system for the
entire union Of combined. correlated. in
terdependent, and friendly railways and
waterways cooperation, not competi-
1ion. and I urge the friends Of these
two great agencies to unite their forces
and secure in the near future this end
so devoutly wished by every lover OF
the republic"
Educate the People.
President RansdeT said the people
who elect Representatives to Congress
should be taught that transportation by
water rather than by rail is much
cheaper for heavy, low-class, bulky
articles, and that a weT-imprOved sys-
TEN Of rivers and canals, along the sea-
board and interior. would furnish adj
mirable facilities for moving freight
and would prevent the congestion which
caused heavy losses three years ago,
and which threatens 20 reCdr. He
pointed out that while nature had
given the United States many fine
waters they had been sadly neglected
by the National Government: that the
railroads had been given a free hand I'm
the past without any restrictions; that
most Of the terminals on the water
courses are owned by one or more rail-
roads. and used for selfish interest with
scant regard for the public welfare.
This situation must be changed and
IT. said Mr.. RansdeD. 1T rs the duty
of the friends Of waterways 10 see that
the demand is made Immediately and
strongly. Let us work together for that
end and forget our local interest until
our national lawmakers have adopted
the broad, comprehensive policy for the
Improvement Of the nations waterways
advocated by us.
I'VE must insure the success Of that
policy by an annual appropriation Of
so CQ0.000. secured by an authorized
bond issue Of 100000 a year, TO be
used only when the current revenues
are not available financial program
fully warranted by the magnitude OF
the interests involved. Let us bend
every energy TO induce interested COM
munities, cities, and States to secure
for the public use suitable terminals
on all navigable waterways. and make
them as perfect as human ingenuity
can devise.
Improper Competition.
And let ms protect our water courses
from improper rail competition by ade-
Quatc State and national laws, to the
end that this great natural resource
may be used 20 assist IN solving our