The sun., 1909-12-09
FOR IMPROVING WATERWAYS
PRESIDENT TAFT TO RIVERS
AND HARB0RS CONGRESS-.


glneers on Msssissippi. Missouri Ana
OhiO RIvers-Fsrers Issue sf Bonds.
WASHINGTON, Dec s.-Presicient TAR
opened the first session OF the National
Rivers and Harbors Congress- this morn
mg with an address in which he outlined
definitely for the first time the extent
which he thinks 10 desirable and 20 which
he believes Congress will 90 in carrying
out the comprehensive plans OF the o0o-
gress for the general improvement OF
the waterways Of the country. While
the President committed himself more
than year ago TO the general idea OF
issuing bonds FOR waterway improve
ments, he said to-day In nsiteratink his
belief that bonds should be i.sued Cor such
q purpose that they should not be pri-
mariy issued for these improvements.
hut only to carry on work which has been
undertaken by direct appropriations and
which could not be finished on account
OF reduced revenue.
The President said that he believed
that the work Of general waterway inn
provemsnts should be confined for the
present TO the recommends tons OF the
army engineers on the Mississippi. the
Missouri and the Ohio rivers between
ST Paul. st. Louis. Pittsburg. Cairo.
New Orleans and other cities. which. he
declared, would benefit larger section
Of the country than any other projects
suggested.
President Taft was introduced by Rep
resentative Ransdell OF Louisiana.
The President said that in his recent
journeys through the country he had
found that there was a live interest felt
by the people Of the respectivs sections
for waterways development He said
that il wssno secret that the Chairman Of
the Riversand Harbors Committee OF the
House. who had most 20 do with the initia-
ton Of projects in Congress. was fully
charged with the necessity of doing some
thing to begin a policy with respect TO
the Missouri. Mississippi and Ohio rivers.
between st. Paul and st. Louis. ST. Louis
60 Cairo. Pittsburg 10 Cairo. and from
Cairo to New Orleans
These improvements said the Presi-
dent. ARE in the heart OF the country.
improvements that reach to more States
than any that can be mentioned in the en-
tire country They affect not only the
States along whose borders the improve
that border on the Mississippi and be-
yond.'
President Taft, referring to the advo-
cafes Of q fourteen foot channel in the
Mississippi. said that the engineers rec-
ommendation for a nine foot channel
obtsined. a fourteen foot channel might
he secured. what 1 am urging. what
am laboring for" he said. els something
practical in the way OF moderate project
IN order that you fDay go on and gradually
develop lcrgeg project Tran was in yc'ir
Referring 70 a speech he delivered a
year ago IN which he advocated the is
suance Of bonds, President Taft said:
NOW l am still consistent advocate
Of that theory. believe that the Govern.
mcnt u entitled to as rapid n method Of
dsrelopine an enterprise and putting Il
Through as private companies. and az they
Always issue bonds. or generally do. In
order to4expedite the compilation OF their
pfQ}ecss " toufd seem wise FOR the nation
te- DO 20 where q would accomplish The
same result. But i want to suggest a
word OF caution, Of prudence, OF policy.
You are going TO encounter in Con-
gress great opposition TO 1.-THE policy OF
issuing bonds right out OF hand. Yod
are much more likely 10 get from Con-
provement ought % be carried out and
spread on the minutes OF Congress in
the form OF a resolution or a statute.
Now. what advise you TO do is get that
declaration. then. when the time comes
that through some exigency the ap-
cannot be made. then the question OF
issuing bonds will arise. l would get
that declaratiop first and not have the
bonds first. for the reason that you will en-
counter the objection by Congress that the
issuance Of bonds and the receipt Of them
pnIv will Aavalnr dQaiFo m aDAxad IN
stead OF first developing the project and
then issuing the bonds 20 complete IL.
Now. that may not meet your views. but
! know something about Congress. |
know where you are going to encounter
opposition. and I believe the best way
is the natural way with those gentlemen
Continuing. the President said that he
believed that declaration by Congress
for the immediate improvement Of the
Mississippi. Missouri and Ohio rivers
engineers would meet the Judgment
Of the convention IL It were moderated
10 the possibilities OF what could be ac-
Complished at the present time. The
President paid the Engineer Corps Of the
army n glowing tribute as to its integrity.
TO the 1sthmian Canal as being constructed
under the supervision OF the Engineer
Corps. In conclusion he said:
Il am in thorough sympathy with the
general object which you seek here, the
development Of the waterways Of the
country by general policy In such q
way as to reduce and control railroad
rates and in such a way as to stimulate
on the bosoms OF the waters OF the country
the transportation of such merchandise
as is peculiarly fitted for carriage by that
means"
When President Taft concluded Mr..
Ransdell introduced Count Won Bern
storf. the German Ambassador, who said
that the transport by water being cheaper
than that by railways the further improve
ment OF the German waterways promises
to be useful to the German industrial life.
"Of important influence on the rela-
tions between tho railways and the water
ways is the fact that the greatest part OF
both is in the possession OF the State.
Therefore there ID generally no compe-
tttion between these means OF transport.
The railways usually furnish the railway
connection between canal harbors and
the next railway station
President Ransdell In his address out
lined the work before the convention.
Gov. Frank B. Weeks OF Connecticut,
who spoke at the afternoon session Of
the congress. said that the time had come
when cheaper methods OF transportation
we're essential TO keep pace with the
increased production OF the country
in all lines. He said that only az per
cent. OF the total expenditures OF the