The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1909-05-20
TAFT WILL ATTEND
.aOEEP WATERWAYS
CONVENTION

New Orleans, May 19.-That Pres
ident Taft will visit New Orleans in
the fall Is q certainty and that he
will attend the Convention of the
Lakes-to-the-Gulf Deep Waterway
Association Is also assured, though
in the latter case it may be necessary
to change the dates Of the Conven-
II ton from Nov. IL, IL and 13 to
dates that will fit Mr.. Taft's itiuer-
larry.
This is the statement made by
President Philip Werlein, of the
Progressive Union, yesterday, he
having recently returned from Wash
ington, where he went for the pur-
pose Of seeing the President.
I'VE were most Hospitality receiv-
ed by the President" said Mr.. Wer-
lein, and he assured us beyond q
doubt that New Orleans would be
included in the itinerary OF his trip
on his return from the Pacific north
| west This itinerary has not yet been
i completed, nor will i. be fore July,
i hence it may be necessary to alter
the dates set for the Waterway Con-
vention to suit the Presidents ar
arrangement. Speaker Cannon also
promised to be present at that time.
We discussed the big project with
Mr.. Taft and as he is already COM
mitted to it, there was no question
of that kind to arise. The opening
of the Mississippi River from the
lakes to the gulf is q necessary CO.
! rOllary to the operation of the Pana-
ma Canal, as Congress is beginning
to realize and the strengthening OF
the defenses at the mouth of the
L riUpr nnno1lU innOrtont
likewise Is a survey of the gulf and
Caribbean Sea and tropical waters
between the United States and the
i Latin American countries. These
movement have their stanch support
ers in high quarters and eventually
will lie brought to fruition.
i THE strengthening Of our forts is
not merely war scare" idea but a
commercial necessity. AS it now
stands, we would have either to blow
up the ietticS or sink rock-laden
huks in the channel in event of hos
tllltles, for the guns at the fort
would be futile. A most eminent
i authority told me in private con-
| versatiOn that the defenses below
New Orleans, compared with modern
conditions are not as good as during
the Civil War.
| The lakes-to-the-gulf project
means not only great deal to ocean
tonnage. 1t will mean the mainten-
ance of ample depth of water over
The bar. Even as 1T now is the en-
trance to the Mississippi River is far
safer and more navigable than a few
of the so-called star points on the
north Atlantic coast For instance,
the river at Philadelphia, the present
] home port Of the battIeshiD Mississ-
\ ippi, is said by experts to be one of
| the most treacherous in this country,
due to tide and current AT the
Brooklyn naVy-yard in North River,
the conditions are VIGOROUSLY dan
gerous. There the swift current and
the ocean tides make entrance to
the ships Derilous undertaking 1t
is said that United States war vessels
are forced to go in almost at full
|speed and must barely shave the cor
ner Of the ship to make it. Do such
conditions exist in New Orleans? We
know differently by experience Even
supposing ship does run her nose
into the mud Of a bar, what damage
is done. There are no rocks or reefs
to smash into her as on the north
Atlantic seaboard. And in the har-
Dor Of New orleans we have water
ranging from thirty-five to over 200
feet in depth. A harbor which ex-
tends virtually from the forts to
Natchez and beyond. The navies OF
the world could line up in such a
land-locked fresh water harbor.
THE most spectacular demonstra-
ton of the pre-eminent safety and
convenience Of the New Orleans har-
Dor was the morning Of the big bat
tleshlp Mississippi alongside our
Wharves-the first instance of its
kind in the United States Navy.
The Lakes-to-the-Gulf Conven,
ton will develop these facts still
further, and also will show the &C
comDanying necessity for swamp rec
lamation and the storage Of the sur.
plus waters in huge reservoir, to be
fed to the streams as needed to main
tain depth.
TO bring New Orleans I'D to its
proper dignity as a naval post, We
must have the Navy Department as
sign certain Of the war vessels tc
New Orleans as their home port
where also these vessels NAV us,
the dry dock and Naval Station a.
! they should be used. The idea O
sending vessels to Guantanamo, Gu
pa, remote from the base Of suDDlie,
and from the skilled labor which f
necessary is Dreposterous despite tn,
opinion Of certain influences in tn,
Navy Department which do not pro
pose to see New Orleans recognized
If they can help it,"
4