The Sentinel=record., 1909-10-23
ADVISES THAT BONDS BE issU-- FOR AID OF THE INLAND
 WAITE RWAYS.
United States Has Spent $500, o,ooo,coo on Her Waterways-The President Speaks from Rear of
 His Train.
His Train.

Corpus Christi, Texas, Oct 22.-- Announcing himself as an enthusiastic advocate of deep waterways, when such projects can be shown to be practicable and necessary, and declar- ing that the iece meal procession by jerks policy of congress in the past with reference to such improvements should be replaced with a definite general plan for opening up great av- enues of commerce, President Taft aroused the delegates to the conven- ton of the Interstate Inland Water. ways League, in session here touay, to an enthusiastic demonstration of approval.
 Continuing, the president said that in addition to extending commerce. deep inland waterways would serve as the best means of controlling rail- road rates In the meantime, how ever he urged the amendment of the interstate commerce laws to make their provisions more effective. MT Taft added however, that he did not favor radical legislation. that his pur- rose merely was to keep railroad com panies within the bounds of law and down to reasonable rates.
 He declared the railroads should be encouraged. In this connection he | took occasion to refer to the effect that in some localities there is dis | position to do injustice to the rail- roads and to drive the corporations to a system of economy which pre-. vents the development of the country through which they pass.
 The president said it was often the case that the citizens of a county would go to any extent to get rail road to come into the county, but once there, not a friend of the rail. road could be found anywhere, ex- cept perhap sthe local counsel
 The remark called forth hearty laughter. The president turned seri- ous again, however, and urged a square deal for the railroads that they might not be deprived of reasonable profits through popular prejudice.
 The president declared that the halting, sporadic system of river ana harbor improvements in the past was due to the army engineers, but was the work Of the committees in con. gress, who had responded to clamor from home and to party consideration. The time has come, he declared. for change in this system.
 nine foot intercoastal canal was one of the projects to which the pres ident referred as part of a definite system of waterways improvement.
 President Taft arrived here at II a. m. and after short automobile ride through the prettily decorated city, was taken to a grand stand plac- ed at the foot of natural terrace. where the delegates to the water ways convention and the general pub Ice were gathered
 The school children were much in evidence. too, and the president made an immediate hit with his audience by asking that three tiers of seats Immediately in front of him be va cated by the early corners to make way for a hundred or more veterans of the Confederate and Union armies, who had been assigned to more re. mote section of the enclosure.
 The day was exceedingly warm. When he began to speak MT. Taft asked his hearers to possess them selves in peace and to console them. selves by the thought that before he was through he would be considerably warmer thai any who had to sit in the direct rays of the sun.
 The president came over from brothers ranch at Gregory on the revenue cutter Wsndom. When he had finished his speech, he motored out to the Corpus Chritl Golf and