Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-07
TAFT FIRST SPEAKER
President to Open Rivers and
Harbors Congress.
DELEGATES FAST ARRIVING
Several Thousand Expected to At.
tend Opening Session Tomorrow.
DEMAND FOR LEGISLATION
Congress to Be Asked for Immediate
Appropriation to Garry Out
Waterways Improvement.
DELEGATES FAST ARRIVING
DEMAND FOR LEGISLATION

President Taft will tomorrow morning
at 10 o'clock deliver the opening address
at the first session of the sixth conven-
ton of the National Rivers and Harbors
Congress. which will be held in the as
sembly hall Of the New Willard Hotel to-
morrow, Thursday and Friday Several
thousand delegates. representing all Sec
lions Of the country and including gov
ernors Of states and other high public
officials. waterway associations, CONNER
cial and business organizations. senators.
representatives and officials Of the exec
utive departments of the government,
will be present.
Almost every hour today delegates to
the congress registered at the various
hotels. and by this evening most of them
will have arrived here.
The president, vice president, directors
and other officers Of the congress will
gather this evening in the red room of
the New Willard for their annual ban
quet when the final business prelimi-
nary to the formal opening of the con-
vention will be discussed and plans for
the future mapped out
Demand for Legislation.
1t is practically assured that the Rivers
and Harbors Congress will make de-
mand for immediate congressional legis-
lation creating a waterways policy by
providing an appropriation of not less
than $50,OOO,OOO annually for ten years
for waterways improvement. The plan
of the Rivers and Harbors Congress in
cludes bond issue TO supply whatever
funds are not available from the current
receipts of the government.
The present convention of the Rivers
and Harbors Congress is the elimination
of the busiest year in the history of the
campaign for waterways Improvement.
1t marks the end of conventions held
throughout the year in all parts of the
country. where special projects have been
advocated. The convention which be-
gins tomorrow will have for its object
the advocacy of definite federal policy
of improvement of all the waterways of
the country.
Order of Business.
Joseph E. Ransdell, president of the
National Rivers and Harbors Congress,
will call the convention to order tomor-
row morning. After the invocation by
Rev. DR.. George Alexander Of New York
city President Taft will make his address.
Following the President, Count J. III. Won
Bernstorff, the German ambassador, will
speak on the extensive work that has
been done on the improvement OF water
ways in his country. The morning ses-
sion will close with the report of Presi-
dent Ransdell. who will announce the
rules which, in the absence of objection,
will govern the proceedings of the con-
vention. and will appoint committee on
credentials.
The afternoon session tomorrow will
he called at $50 O'Clock. The chairman
of the state delegations will be recog-
nized by the presiding officer to name
members on the various committees.
Addresses will be made by F. w. Gran
Hall. Travellers Protective Association Of
the United States; Senator George E.
Chamberlain OF Oregon, Albert Bettinger
oI Ohio. Herbert s. Hadley. Governor Of
Missouri; Condo Hamlin, New York Tri-
Dune; Frank B. Weeks. Governor OF Con-
necticut: Representative John Dalzell of
Pennsylvania and Representative George
Burgess of Texas.
Thursday Morning Session.
At the morning session Thursday adj
dresses will be delivered by the following
delegates: Representative William E.
Ermphrey Of Washington. Judson Har-
mon. Governor of Ohio: Charles Nagel.
Secretary Commerce and Labor; Senator
Theodore E. Burton Of Ohio, chairman
national waterways commission; B. Cam
sron, president Farmers National Con-
sress; Representative William A. Roden-
oerg of Illinois: Lafayette Young, editor
Des Moines Capital, iowa; Benton Nc
MILAN, ex-governor of Tennessee, and
Frank Gates Allen of Illinois.
Those who will speak Thursday after
noon are Danforth f. Ainsworth of New
York, William G.. Fits of Alabama, Dr.
]. F. Crowell, New York Journal of Com
merce; Representative ]. Hampton Moore
Of Pennsylvania, John Burke, Governor
Of North Dakota: Maj. Frank Knott of
California, Herbert Knox Smith, COM
missioner OF corporations: F. w. johnson,
Commercial Travellers of America, and
REPRESENTATIVE John Small of North
Carolina.
Ladies Are Invited.
Ladies have been requested to attend
he session on Thursday evening, and
The speakers on Thursday evening will
,e Maj. j. A. Dapray, National Drainags
Association: Gov. A. 0. Eberhart of
Minnesota, Gov. NJ F. Ansel of South
Carolina Mrs. Amanda Allison Tomkins,
president of the Woman's National
Rivers and Harbors Congress, and O. P.
Austin, bureau OF statistics, who will
give an illustrated lecture on Com
nercial Highways to the Ocean"
The final session will be held Friday
morning. The chairmen of the state
delegations will name the vice presidents
II the congress from their respective
states to serve for the ensuing year.
Prof. Emory r. Johnson Of the University
" Pennsylvania, who was a special rep
aarbors Congress with the national
waterways commission on its European
rip, will make a special report. Annual
eports will then be made by j. F. Ellison
special director, and S. A. Thompson,
ield secretary After a few announce