The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-12-11
ASK ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS
h Resolution, Convention Declares
 for New Department.
Professor yehn=ca Tells sf syssen ss Waterways Improvement in Eu- ropesn Ceuntries--sesoEu- nons to B. Presented te
 President Taft.

| RansdelI. member of Congress from ! Louisiana was today reelected pres ident of the National Rivers and liar bors Congress, and Captain J. F. El- lison, of Cincinnati was reelected secretary treasurer.
 | Through resolutions, the conyentioH declared for a new department for the I treatment of waterways improvements and for regular annual appropriations for the speedy completion of water way projects now under construction to be paid out of current revenues if possible; otherwise for the sale Of bonds.
 The resolutions also call upon States and municipalities to preserve and protect their dock and landing facilities. without which the improv- ed channel would be crippled in its usefulness.
 Professor Emory R. Johnson. of the University of Pennsylvania. special representative Of the National Rivers and Harbors Congress, with the nae .tfonal waterways commission on it's European trip, made a short report or hts inspection of European water- ways.
 He stated that on the continent of Europe 1t was the policy of the gov~ ernment to regulate railways so aa to prevent their making destructive warfare upon the waterways This. he said. would have to be done by the | United States
 European countries" he said. '.hese not hesitated 10 borrow funds for wa terways where borrowing was neces- sary to economy. Nor should we heH- litate. We ought. however, to borrow only when 1t Is evident that a great and worthy project cannot be exe- cuted promptly from current reve- nues."
 He said there were but two ways in which the money SO borrowed should be paid back. one was by leharging tolls and dues for the use Of fhe waterways and the other toxest Funds by general taxation. l Dcpfores HIoney fm nnmk.
 Secretary and Treasurer Ellison req lported upwards of Ss.eoe in bank. which. he deplored because he believed l that such an association should have little or no money saved up. in order that the work of education might go on.
 special Director Fox urged a wider educational movement and larger publicity in carrying the propaEanda into the interior of the country.
 Field Secretary Thompson empha- sized the needs of co-operation throughout all sections so that aths rising tide. of sentiment may sweep over the country and make the con- gross realize that annual approprfa- tions for waterways arc imperatively l necessary"
 James E., Smith. of. St. Louie chairman of the Committee on Reso- lutions. reported by unanimous con- sent of the committee that the reso~ l lutions would go to the President and Congress as report from a great business organization. He believed further that the great waterways of the country should be developed be- l fore "dreadnoughts" need be built to fight imaginary foes.
 The resolutions were unanimously adopted and committee appointed with James E. Smith as chairfnan and including the chairman of the State delegations to present them to the President of the United States. the vice president and the speaker of the | House
 The resolutions appeal to Congreaa I for an appropriation of fifty million I dollars for river ana harbor work and | fifty million dollars annually for ten years thereafter; express the belief I that the rivers and harbors bill ahould l be placed on an equal footing with the other great appropriation bills and con- demn what Is declared to be the pres | ent method of appropriation. whereby l the river and harbor bill carries only what may remain after the other bud- | gets have been authorized. It Is declared that unless the water | ways of the United States are so im- proved as to provide the proper trans | portation facilities. this country can not hope to increase its domestic com- merce or extend its foreign commerce. as 1t should, or to take advantage of | the opening of the Panama canal. In order to compete with the markets of | the world.
 The resolution suggests the creation Of a bureau of putiic works, with a cabinet officer at its head. to have charge of rivers and harbors improve- ment and other work of a similar character. The bill pending in Con- | gress for an increase of the engineer l corps is endorsed.
 Toledo. O.. and ore or two other cite ies sought the 1910 convention. The matter was put over. however. until a later date. It was said that a major fly of the directors favor Warrington.