The Washington herald., 1910-12-09

The National Rivers and Harbors Con-
gress split wide apart yesterday. Fac
tionalism, which had been brewing, came
to an open rupture. and the slogan Of the
conventional waterways policy, not a
projsct''-was sadly battered by the
clash of conflicting interests.
Incident 10 the fight. the President OF
the United States was bitterly attacked
by Representative Smith, Of South Caro-
lima. Representative J. Hampton Moore.
Of philadelphia. and Senator Richardson.
of Delaware. led the sudden flank move
ment for the Atlantic deeper waterways
interests against the "monopolistic atti-
tade" of the Middle West delegates, who.
! il was asserted. apparently believe that
! the entire waterways campaign was in
augurated for their especial benefit
DO not try 20 bring undue pressure
to bear upon .ae President" cried Rep
resentative Moore in the convention Il
assure you such an effort as that viii
fail. You cannot bulldoze President
Taft Furthermore. We Eastern dele
gates are determined to make ourselves
felt in this waterways movement here
after I want you 10 remember that we
also have interests TO be conserved. You
cannot slight Us in your programme II
you expect our support
1T is all very well 10 make great plans
about the Iakes-to-the-Gulf project, and
the Ohio River project, but We also ask
your attention for our plans. and solicit
your suppors. This congress is not
sectional affair. It does not mean that
one portion Of the country is TO benefit
at the expense OF another"
Defense Evokes Applause.
Wild cheers greeted Representative
Moore's remarks. He proceeded directly
10 the auditorium from red-hot meet
ing held by the Eastern delegates at
which il was unanimously determined 10
drive several big spikes into the illusion
of harmony which had hitherto dominated
the convention.
At this meeting Representative Smith
of South Carolina arose and declared
President Taft. after accepting the hos
pitaIity OF the Atlantic Deeper Water
ways Association at Norfolk, had return
ed TO the Capital and displayed such evi-
dent partiality for the Middle Western
projects, at the expense Of the Eastern.
that his hosts We're dumbfounded. He
stated that the work of the Atlantic
Deeper Waterways Association had never
received its full need Of recognition. and
that il was imperative TO make their in
fiuence felt in the present congress OF
forever hold their peace.
Senator Richardson also delivered him
self of some remarks 10 the effect that
the Eastern projects were being ignored
in the congress, and that il was high
time to call a halt to the monopolistic
tendency of the Middle Western dele
gates
When Representative Moore was es-
corted to the auditorium from this special
meeting by his friends. a strong demand
was made upon Chairman RansdeI that
the five-minute rule be suspended FOR his
benefit This was done, and the fighting
Philadelphian was granted fifteen mir
utes for his speech. Then came the fire.
works and the throwing of the bomb
shell which dispelled all hopes of con-
tinued harmony in the congress.
Split Not Unexpected.
The rupture was not. indeed. unex-
pected. as Gov Harmon. OF Ohio. had
made veiled references to, the coming
storm in his morning address. and plead
ed with the delegates to avoid il, if pos
sible.
When Lieut. Col William NJ. Sibert.
member of the Isthmian Canal Commls-
sion. was called on for a brief address
by the delegates last night. it was
scarcely expected that he would invest
his remarks with political significance
He declared that the Panama Canal
should be fortified. and opposed the neu-
traliZation OF the canal territory If il
were not fortified. ne added. il wouki be
vulnerable TO ali types OF guerrilla at
tacks, and might even be susceptible 10
damage from the battle ships of an
enemy passing through it.
Other speakers at the meeting last
night. held in conjunction with tbs
Womens Rivers and Harbors Congress,
were Mrs Hoyle Tomkies. Mrs A Bar
ton Miller. Mrs William Cummings
Story. the weil-known insurgent D. A. r.
leader: Representative Sheppsrd Of