The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-30
FOR WATERWAYS
MUCH WORK ys DnlHo Dossn FOB
FrispAs of Movemsnt Want . DsnA Is- sue 0f e60e, ,0O0y O0yoeo-ssvsAaA-
 cans Afsaal of the

Washington, March sS..-(epscisi.l-- Much earnest work ts beinG quietiy done in Congress In behalf of the prop osition to have the Government au- thorise a bond issue of tseo. o.ooo. .eoe for the proper improvement of the water ways.
 It is within the range of possibih ties that an attempt will actually be made during this extra session to force the question to . vote. In connection with the Panama Canal there is bond section in the tariff bill. and If the friends of tbe rivers and harbors can see their way clearly an amendment could be offered to include the bond Issue for the improvement of the wa. terways. Some of the most earnest advocates are getting impatient over the Ions delay in forcing the question to test in Congress. They claim that the sent iment of the country is undoubtedly Tn favor of this method of dealing with the waterways propositton. The last convention of the National Rivers and Harbors Congress. which met here in December had approximately 5000 duly accredited delegates. They came from every important trade centre of the country. That convention was truly . representative one. It was composed of men identified with the leading in- dustries of the country. Among the delegates were also numerous State officials. The professions were we'll represented In the gathering.
 The discussions were on broadest lines. Railway magnates and eminent engineers. as well as scientific men. participated in the proceedings. It was thoroughly representative gath ering of those identified with the pro- gress of the United States as could pos- sibly have gotten together.
 That great convention with hardly q dissenting voice voted for the $60o.- 000.000 bond issue, the overwhelming sentiment being that the waterways will never be adequately cared for while Congress continues the niggard- ly policy of voting little dabs of money every now and then for gigantic pro jects that can never be successfully carried out while the average adult now living is on earth.
 Those behind this bond movement are feeling their way carefully. They do not want to make an attempt to force the fighting until they are cer- tain they can muster . sufrcient num- Der of votes. For this reason some of the most enthusiastic supporters of the proposition favor a postponement un- til the regular session next winter. They think that if they tried 1t now and Speaker Cannon and his assistant managers were to squelch them during the extra session the effect would be bad, and might be injurious to the cause when the real test comes in Con- gross.
 If the bond issue is eventually au- thorized, only $50.000,o0o a year will be spent. The Improvements when com menced would have appropriations cov- ering a period of ten years. The Idea, as Is well known, is to have long term bonds. so that posterity will pay off the bulk of the obligations, the theory being that as future generations will reap most of the benefits. men yet to be born should shoulder the obligations to the fullest extent. That is the poll icy that France adopted in the con- struction of her magnificent system of inland waterways. consisting chiefly of canals to connect the principal rivers of the country.
 The same idea Is being carried out in other European countries. At Ma tional Rivers and Harbors Congress held here the French Ambassador, M Jusserand. made an address on the ca nals of his country that was truly an eye-opener for his listeners. At that same convention James J. Hin. the great railway magnate in the North west, impressiveiy advocated the most extensive river improvement. stating that the railroads could not possibly handle the traffic of the United States unless a system of inland waterways was established, and he added that ev- cry million spent in river improvement hepled the railways.
 The cry is heard here that the Gov