Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-26
.COMMENDS
LAKES-GULF
WATERWAY
Speaker Cannon Supports
President Taft
SOUTHERN PROJECT is GIVEN
NEW IMPETUS
BOND ISSUE FAVORED FOR BIG
IMPROVEMENT
Executive Party En- Voyage Down
Mississippi River Aboard FlotIIla
of PaddIe-WheeI Steamers
to Attend Convention
BOND ISSUE FAVORED FOR BIG
IMPROVEMENT

L L. LOOlD, OCl- HOs--I lCSlOCllb eslN
~ and Speaker Cannon apparently
~ think the same regarding water
way improvement as a part of ma
tional policy of conserving the streams.
The speaker indorsed the presidents
attitude today in the matter of bond
issue to pay for the imp1 ovements.
While Mr.. Taft's utterances on the
subject were not so far-reaching re-
garding the creation of the 14-foot
channel as those of President Roose-
Welt on a similar occasion, and there-
fore not entirely cheering to the adVo-
Gates of an immediate commencement ~
of the work, yet Speaker Cannon's in
dorsement gave those same advocates
encouragement.
The general good was the test the
president prescribed for the undertake
ing of ambitious works.
Let us take up each project on lts
merits" he said, "and determine by all
means at our command whether tne
country in which that project Is to be
carried out is so far developed as TO
Justify the expenditure of large sum
of money, and whether the project VIII
be useful when done.
Favors Rapid Action
'sWhen you have determined that on
entire country then I am in favor OF
doing that work as rapidly as it can be
done. and I am in favor of issuing
bonds to do it.
Referring to this sentiment which
was uttered in a melting at the 81.
Louis Coliseum at noon, Speaker can
non, addressing the gathering at the
dedication of the new federal building
irs East st. Louis, later In the day,
said:
1T is safe and sound outlining of a
nroper policy for us to pursue In this
great midlle west We have improved
the Mississippi In the past and we shall
be improving 1t hundred years from
now, when we shall need all our water
courses. We in this federation VIII 40
our part wisely. We will not throw
money into rivers to be washed into the
sea, We shall do that first which needs
doing most"
The speaker indorsed the levee sys-
tenn. congra tulating East st. Louis ana
its neighboring towns on the compile
ton of the river barriers, the dedicatlon
of which formed part of the days cele-
bration.
He predicted that the Mississippi yet
would be permanently confined to it's
banks throughout it's length, ana urged
that the states adjoining the stream
share the cost with the national gov
ernment.
Notable Events
Both meetings were notable events.
Vice-President Sherman, cabinet MEM
bers, United States senators and repre-
sentatives and ministers from foreign
governments, listened to the speeches.
Added to these were state and mu-
nicipal officials of all degrees ana close
to 100000 citizens.
Tonight tile president. the speaker,
the diplomats, the legislators and sew
eral hundred representatives OF COM
mercial organizations of numerous
states, are speeding down the Missis-
sippi river aboard a fiotilla OF paddle-
wheel steamers, bound for New Or
leans. 80
There they will assemble with hun
dreds of others in the annual conven-
tion of the Lakes -to-the-Gulf Deep
Waterway association, the pet project
of which is the creation of a perma-
nent 14-foot channel from the mouth
of the Illinois rivere to the gult OF
Mexico.
When President Taft left here at 3
o'clock this afternoon, after strenu-
ous dav of speechmaking, dining and
riding, he embarked upon a river trip
of nearly 1900 miles.
President on Dick
Following the government steamer
Oleander, on whose upper deck the
president stood, acknowledging the
thunderous farewells of the crowds on
the levees and bridges, came ten river
packets carrying two cabinet officers,
thirty governors, several diplomats and
representatives of eight South and
Central American governments, at
Washington; twenty United States sem
ators, nearly two hundred members Of
congress and officials of every state on
both sides of the river besides hun
dreds of delegates from commercial
bodies, bound for the convention of the
Lakes-to-the- Gulf Deep Waterways
association. at New Orleans
The fiotilla was preceded down the
river Yesterday by the second diyi-
sion of the Atlantic torpedo boat flo
tilla of the United States navy.
This squadron. consisting of the de-
stroyer Macdonough and the torpedo
boats Wilkes, Thornton and Ttngey, is
charged with the duty Of preparing for
the proper reception Of the president
at each of the eight cities where stops
will be made before New Orleans is
reached next Saturday morning.
The squadron is under the command
of Lieut.. willis G.. Mitchell, and has
been in st. Louis since the celebration
Continued on Page Two.