Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-09

Secretary Nagel of the Department Of
| Commerce and Labor and Senator Bur-
| ton of Ohio were the principal speakers
at toda Us session of the National Rivers
/ and Harbors Congress. Each aroused
! the delegates to enthusiasm by his
wards. t,f e.sac oara cement ard advice
| concerning the campaign for national
| plan of improving the WATERWAYS. There
were several other speakers, and all
added material suggestions to, the gen
eral discussion of what course of action
was tie best To pursue to attain the
objects for which the congress was
created.
Secrelary Nagei declared that he was
heartily in favor of an extensive plan of
improving the waterways, and that as
neither the Individual nor the state can
do it, it should be done by the national
government. He said that those VINO are
declaiming about states rights should AS
sist the states in exercising their rights,
by regulating mines. increasing educa-
tional facilities and looking after other
matters that pertain to the states, and
| that national government should look af-
ter the improvement OF the waterways.
He said that the War Der aitnent,
which is now charged with the con-
structinn Of the Panama c-na, should
also be made responsible for the water
| ways o. the county. Don forfeit what
you have by immature pan, he said
DO your work on a big scale. The
greatest enemy CT WATERWAYS has been
the appropriations by driblets.
Senator Burton's "Don'ts.'
Senator Burton, who was introduced as
! chairman of the national waterways com
mission. was applauded for nearly a
minute before he began to speak. tie
said there was an erroneous opinion in
ofr-t h1t
had been niggardly with the rivers and
narbo1s, ana recalled that duiinS the
last fourteen years S:sc0.#aooa mad been
appropriated for the improvements OF
the waterways.
to the congress. he said: Don't raise
sectional issues III advocating improve
mentS to the rivers ana harnofs, dlu
don't attack the members OF the rivers
aud larbors committee, VINO nave doiie
the best they could under the eircum-
stances.
- ..,ti..c; that there were certain to be
liberal appropriations for the improve
ment of rivers and harbors, and that no
conflicting interest or inertia would DE
permitted to interfere with the WORK
| prank Gates allen of Illinois in his
address came to the defense OF speakel
cannon who lad been criticised by sew
eral sneakers yesterday, and said fhai
it was not good policy for the congress
10 make enemies. or 70 threaten .. lou
catch more flies With ioldSses tlf'h WIN
vinegar" he added.
y cameron of North Carolina, presi-
of the Farmers National Congress, as
sured the convention that the farmers
are in the fight to stay
Two Places in ''the Procession
Ex-Goy. Mcmillan advised the delegates
TO suggest to Congress that there are
but two places III our professionalism
hat
doesn't follow after it it will be made to
come under it.
J. A. Cullinan of Oswego, \. Y. chair
man of the New York waterway COM
mission told of the progress Canada had
made in the Improvement of her water
ways and of the work done III the state
of New York. His statement that water
ways Improvement in New York was done
by issuing bonds brought forth applause
that seemed to indicate plainly that the
majority of the delegates 10 the congress
are heartily in favor of bond issue
Hurt by Court Decisions
Gov. Hadley of Missouri declared in his
address Yesterday afternoon that the ef-
fectiveness of the Hepburn rate bill had
been greatly impaired by court decisions.
THE Importance of the question OF
waterway transportation is Increased by
tfe lack OF successful results secured by
the state and national governments in
re. ulating the charges o. railroad trans
portation While it l. clearly manifest
on casual investigation that conditions
existing in railroad transportation are
much better than they We're number
of years ago. and much better than they
would have been had it not been for the
persistent efforts of the state and
tional governments to correct abuses and
secure reasonable rates. yet IL is clearly
manifest that the efforts of the state and
ma ational governments TO bring about sat
isfactory results In the regulation of the
rates i'm railroad transportation have been
disappointing and unsatisfactory.
by the recent decision of the United
States circuit court of appeals the ef-
fectiveness Of the Hepburn rate bill en-