The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-10-18
The Pulse of the Nation Has Been
ouickened For a Bigger, Bet
ter and Broader System
of Improvement.
BIG DECEMBER MEETING
National Rivers and Harbors Congress
viii Hold Its Sixth National
Convention in Washing
ton Dec. 8, 9 and 10.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Oct. 1S.John
A. Fox, special director Of the Ma
tional Rivers and Harbors congress
which holds its sixth national conven-
ton in this city, December 8, 9 and
10, is enthusiastic over the prospects
for the biggest gathering of waterway
advocates this country has ever seen.
Mr.. Fox, who is an engineer of dis
tinction having been connected with
many of the big waterway projects of
the country, is just completing tour
of the United States in the interest of
the National Rivers and Harbors con-
gress whose cardinal plank is "a
policy and not a project" insofar as
the waterways of the United States
are concerned. Mr.. Fox, who is an
earnest advocate for bond issue of
| $500,000,000 to be spent upon the riv-
ers, harLors and canals of the United
States to make them equal of the best
| in Europe said, speaking of his tour
of education for better waterways:
II have just completed practically
the same circuit Of the United States
that President Taft is now making,
having travelled over $4,000 miles since
going south out of this city last De-
cember. 1t took me down the Atlantic
seaboard to Florida; through the
southern states to the Mexican border
on the Rio Grande; UP the Pacific
coast states from San Diego on the
south to Bellingham on the north of
Puget Sound, back through the valley
of the Columbia and Missouri rivers;
east along the lakes, down to the
Ohio and Tennessee rivers and now
again to the Atlantic seaboard.
Throughout that entire journey
the pulse of the nation has been quick
ened for bigger, better and broader
system of waterway improvement.
The Pacific coast harbors need i'm
mediate appropriations from congress
, to deepen them and provide for COM
merce through the Panama canal
Eureka, Portland. Gray's Harbor, Ia
coma, and Seattle must be provided
for more literally in the future if the
western coast is to reap the full bene
e fit of the great Isthmian cut now be
ing made The Sacramento and Sar
JOAQUIN, the Columbia and Snake riv
ers on the western slope traverse
i, country that is developing too fast tt
! wait for appropriations made in che
;, old manner They must receive larg
err amounts from congress if the coun
= try is to receive any marked benefits
"The great region adjacent to thu
, Missouri river in Montana, Nebraska
: Iowa and Missouri is awakening from
? the desert like a huge giant unde
:, the wonderful touch of irrigation: ant
:. that magnificent artery of traffic ca
no longer be allowed to remain unused
: and unserviceable when the farme
in that railroad bound empire, is pay
. ing II and Is mills per ton per mil
= to move his product that could, by
y iudicious expenditure of money, an TIL
a great river be moved for 21a mill
at most by water
"The people along the Ohio, til
!. Tennessee and the upper MISSISSIPPI
y rivers are clamoring for relief throug
o adequate water transportation, and
st every member of congress could hay
II heard the unanimous cry that | hav
IS listened to. during my $4,000 mile
IS tour for larger and more regular al
& preparations on the part of congress:
for business like development of GU
great arteries of traffic, am sure ths
re relief would be provided, and tha
Y, quickly From all that have gathe
~ ed throughout this tour / Judge thu
Is the meeting of the National River
d. and Harbors congress to be held
M December will be attended by full
5000 of the best business men of til
country, bent on securing favorab
legislation for our river and harbt
n. Improvement at the coming session
e5 congress. Fifty million dollars a
IS nually must be provided for, and
current revenues do not warra7
: such an expenditure, then we mu
: issue bonds and begin this great VOL
at once"