The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-11
RANSDELL AGAIN
 MADE PRESIDENT Waterways Congress aDeclares for Action By the Nation WIDER MOVEMENT URGED Field Secretary Emphasizes Needs of Cooperation In All Parts of coun-
 try to Arouse Sentiment
 of People.
WIDER MOVEMENT URGED

Washington. December 1o.-Joseph p. Ransdeil. member of Congress from Louis jana, was today reelected president of tho national rivers and harbors congress. Capt J. F. Ellison of Cincinnati was re- elected secretary and treasurer. Through resolutions tho convention declared for new department for the treatment of waterways improvements and for rezular annual appropriations for tho speedy com pietion of waterway protects now under construction to be paid out of current revenues. if found possible, otherwise for the sale of bonds
 The resolutions also call upon states and municipalities to preserve and pro- tect their docks and landing facilities without which the improved channel would be crippled in it's usefulness.
 Prof. Emery R. Johnson of tho Unf- versity of Pennsylvania, special repre- sentative of the national rivers and hsr- bors congress with tho national water ways commission op it's Europeah trip. made short report of his inspection of European waterways.
 He stated that on the continent of Europe 1t was the policy Of the govern ment to regulate railways so as to pre- vent their making destructive warfare upon the waterway concerns. This, he said, would have to be done in the United States.
 European countries," said he s.have not hesitated to borrow funds for water ways where borrowing was necessary to economy. Nor should we hesitate. We ought however. to borrow only when 1t is evident that great and worthy proj- ect cannot be executed promptly from current revenues" s
 He said thsre were only two ways in which the money so borrowed should be paid back. One, he said, was by charFinK tolls and dues for the use of the water ways, and the other was to get funds by general taxation.
 Secretary and Treasurer Ellison reported upward of sS0Oo in bank which he depiored association should have little or no money saved up, in order that the work Of eau- cation might 10 on.
 Special Director Fox urged wider ed ucational movement, and a larger pub licity in carrying the propaganda into the interior of the country.
 Field Secretary S. A. Thompson em- phaslzed the needs of the best of CO., operation throughout all sections so that the rising side of sentiment may sweep over the country and make tho congress realize that annual appropriations for waterways are imperatively necessary"
 James E. Smith of St. Louis, chairman of the committee on resolutions. reported by unanimous content that the resolu- tions would go to the President and Con gress as q report from . great business organization.
 He further believed he said. that the great waterways of the country should be developed before 'Dreadnoushts" need ed to be built to fight imaginary foes.
 The resolutions were unanimously adopt ed and committee appointed. with James E Smith as chairman. and including the chairmen of the state delegations to pre- sent them to the President of the United States. the vice president and the speaker of the House.