The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-12-10
FOR PROVIDING SUITABLE WATER
WAYS DECLARES SEcRE-
TARY NAGEL.
AN EXCITING MEETING
Held BY National Rivers and Harbcrs
Congress at Which Dozen
Prominent Men Spoke
Their Minds.

meeting wherein more than a dozen
delegates to the convention of the
National Rivers and Harbors congress
spoke their convictions about the pol
icy and methods of improving the
waterways, characterized today's ses-
sion Of the convention.
One of the strongest pleas for the
Improvement OF the towing highways
was made by Secretary Nagel of the
department of commerce and labor,
who declared that very nature of in
terstate navigation made the national
government responsible for providing
suitable water courses for commerce.
Neither private enterprise nor state
appropriations could be permitted to
improve these nations highways, he
said, SO. if they We're to be looked
after the general government must
do it, Without making distinct refer,
ence to the issuance OF bonds, he sug-
gested that whatever is done Should
be accomplished in a way to secure
the prompt completion of compre-
hensive project.
Representative j. Hampton Moore,
president of the Atlantic Deeper
Waterway convention, stirred an un.
usual degree of enthusiasm. So long
was the applause greeting his appear
ance upon the platform that he be-
sought the presiding officer no to de-
duct, it from the time allotted him He
showed how the east has ben out
stripped by the west in transportation
facilities, which, during the car short
age OF 1906 and 1907, caused the peo-
pie of tise ets2t 10 awaker te the need
Of an inland passage along the AT.
lantic coast as means of placing the
industries there more nearly upon
equality with those of the more pro,
gressive citizens Of the middle west.
One of the most interesting speak
ers was Senator Burton, of Ohio, who,
avoiding taking Issue with those who
advocated the bond issue, reminded
them that he had a couple of don't %
He admonished them not TO allow any
sectionalism to enter their efforts for
waterway improvements, and caution
ed item against abusing the rivers
and harbors committee
j. A. Cullinan, chairman of the New
York canal commission, indicated dis
satisfaction with what the national
government had done for waterway
improvement by showing that while
congress appropriated $lo,900,000
for such work, in New York, the state
itself appropriated $350.000G00.
Herbert Knox Smith commissioner
Of corporations, suggested the wisdom
of providing that the local communi-
ties to be benefited by the waterway
Improvement should provide suitable
terminals, which would not only be
necessary but act as check upon any
tendency against communities seeking
improvements in whlcn they had been
willing to invest in the past
Other addresses which were en-
thusastically received were by Presi-
dent Cameron of the Farmers Ma,
tional Congress; Ex-Governor McMil-
Ian, of Tennessee; Frank Gates Allen,
of Illinois; William c. Fits, of Ala
bama; L ], L. Cromwell of New
York; f. w. Johnson Of the United
Commercial Travellers; Representa-
tive John Small, Of North Carolina.
For Southern States.
Mr.. Fits was the spokesman for
the pi-to-the-Atlautic Cult
Coast" group of states. He said
These same southern states have
$4,000 miles of railroad so there are
about one half as many miles of
navigable waters as there are rail
ways. Already the export trade OF
the Gulf and Southern Atlantic ports
is increasing in astonishing proper.
tions. Waters highways and ma
lures highways belong to the people
Railroads are the artificial highways
and must be subject to the govern
ment permitting them to do business
If canals and lakes are of benefit to
this country how much more so is
the Improvement of these 5000 miles
of coast waterways and 25,000 miles
of navigable streams. This inland
and coastwise navigation should be
enlarged without delay for defense az
well as for commerce.
These states fortified by natural
resources and confident of the portion
they must obtain when the changing
front of the world has accommodates
itself TO the completion of the Pan
ANA canal; and the front door Of the
United States has come to the Gull
of Mexico. are ready to accept re
suits and so forward
For Upper River Valley.
Mr., Allen, representing the Uppel