The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-04-19
TO INSPECT
 WATERWAYS  National Cornnlis Ion to
 Mate 1f. EuloPz wn,s : BE VISITED cenglrss Wat Heas Preliminary Repoft h Decembes. T. |. B.i,sv.s rA.s He s.A.ts.tl.i River a.a H.rser sail win
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 Han isil.
i. BY ALFRED .. sTOrnIl.

BY ALFRED .. sTOFER.
 Washington, April tS.-( -(Speeial.)-- shortly after the extra session of Con- Sress ends the members of the Nation al Waterways Commission, will start on trips of investigation.
 Just who will get, the pick of the trips has not yet been fully deter- mined. It ia conceded that those who will go to Europe during the summer will have a more enjoyable time than the statesmen who wfll have to study Improvement pfoblemss-in the United States. As has been announced. this commission Is composed of twelve members of Congress- It was origi- naliy authorized that there should be seven Representatives and five Sena- tors on the commission. The 1nitixl ef- forts for the creation of the commits sion were made in the House. Shortly after the commission was provided for, MT. Burton. of Ohio. was elected to the Senate from Ohio. He was elected chairman of the commission. the un- ierskanding Bsing that q member of the popular branch Of Congress should have the chairmanship. But his trans fer to the Senate EivesA that body an equal number of men on the commjs- sion. It was not Intended to be so, but as long as 1t was Burton. no one has raised any objection. He had been for number of years chairman of the Hcuee Committee on Rivers and Har- bors. That higt position fairly enti- tied himsto the chairmanship
 The other Senators on the cornmis- Piles of Washington, smith of Michi- gan, Republicans aud Simmons of North Carolina and Clarke of Arkansas Democrats. The Representatives on the commission are Alexander Of New York. who is probably slated for the chairmanship of the Rivaxs and Haf- bors Conmittee when Speaker canaon announces the complexion of the com mitteess Lorinner of Iilinois. stevens oi Minnesota and wanser of Pennsyi. vAnia, Republicans; and sparkman oi Florida. and Moon of Tennessee. Dem
 rrvfssss Ansfast wansery
 Aenskain& ta ,esrpf7ents heard aFzicnE Con8reasrnens WAn&er Df NMnsytvarta ought never to hare been on the com. miszioh. He comes from q portion oi hts State In which water traneporta- tieft cuts no figure. and he has given little or no study to the question, Sparkman and Moon owe their selec- tion to the influence of Burton. They voted with him and several other Res publIeans to prevent last winter the framing of general river and harbor bin. which all of the other Democrats opr the committee insisted upon. and which majority of the Republican members of the committee desired also, but only few had the nerve to stand out against the Republicaf managers of the House. These two namocrats helped to. fix up the combination and they got their reward by being made members of the commission. Judge Moon had been made a member of the Rivers and Harhors Committee only al the beginning of the last Congress. He was jumped over some Democrats by rights considered entitled to this hon. or.
 J Hampton Moore. of Philadelphia, sis looked upon as pennsylvania Re- publican who should have been placed on the commission If selection was to be made outside of the Rivers and Harbors Committee. which certainly Wanger. for the latter has never served on Rivers and HArbots. Indeed. his committee assignments have been in- significant Moore is President of the Atiantic Deeper Waterways Associa- ton. which has held two big conven- lions. the aim of this association be- ing to construct inland xaterways so as to make complete chain from Boston on down to Florida. canals to be leading object in order to connect various rivers. +
 The last river and harbor bill which appropriated about eio, 100000. provides only for surveys instead of allowing sums sufficient to push 2 important works that the engineers have report ed are suffering for lack of funds. Oi course. this was for the object of 7de- lay, but Information obtained at the War Department is to the effect that the engineers are making considerable progress in his direction. and the ad- vocates of improvement of the water ways can only hope that .thig substi- ute for the sort of the Dill they urged will result In ascertaining what streams are worthy of being Included in the next subetantial bill that is
 Who of the National Commission will 70 to Europe during the summer has not yet been, fully determined. Chair man Burton will certainly be one Probably not more than i've will take that trip It Is said they will study the system of Improvement on the rfveri Rhine, Rhone and Seine on the conti. nent. and will also make a special study of the ship canals in England particulariy that of Manchester.
 A preliminary report is to be made to Congress at the beginning of the regular aession in December. This vii be followed by a formal and more comprehensive report later in the win. ter, Also the members of the com. mission who will visit various point, in the United States and Canada vii make their reports.
 Unless there Is a waking up. 1t is be. lieved that no substantial river ana harbor bill will be passed earlier thar 1911. There certainly will be none un. less the advocates of the $500. 900, 00t bond issue force that Issue and get ac, tion within the coming year. Mucf viii depend upon what Is recommend ed by this commission. Impatience fl manifested already. and there Is strong talk that the commission will have tt do something by the end of this year oI there will be 6 rumpus in Congress-.
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