Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-07

The seventh annual gathering of the
National Rivers and Harbors Congress
opened three-day session today, with
1900 delegates from all sections of the
country in attendance. s.-r
President Taft, In his role as mayor
Of Washington formally opened the
seventh convention of the waterway
boomers at the New Willard this morn.
ing. and his pithy address served to in
crease the enthusiasm of the assemblage
Applause interrupted the. chief executive
several times, ana when he closed the
1880 men and women arose and cheered
for several minutes.
"Policy-Not a Project.
The convention. which is advocating "a
waterway polfcy-not waterway prof.
ect," is assembled in Washington again
to, urge upon 1.-The natien,s lawmakers
the necessity for spending a few millions
each year on. the Improvement of the
water courses pf the United States. each
address today convened a message of
optimlsm, and men of. prominence rep
resenung every section of the United
states urged the suppression of. local and
individual projects for the Improvement
ana advocacy OF broad national policy
for the betterment Of the waterways.
set for the opening of the congress at
lO o'clock the delegates began to arrive
ana take their places in the auditorium
IN the tenth floor of the tWilard Each
state had separate, section designated
by small flags. Every seat i'm the large
hall was occupied when President Taft.
accompanied by Capt Butt, his military
aid, and Secretary Norton, arrived at
1890 o'clock,
The President took his place on th.
plQ tfOrm with. Rerrecepfof;ro Jooarl,
Ransdell. president of the congress, and
other distinguished guests. Senior Fran
cisco Leon de la Barra, ambassador from
Mexico. who made one Of the addresses
arrived early, and was introduced to the
on1cers OF the convention.
President Taft's Address.
Following the invocation by Rev Sam
uel H. Greene Of the Calvary Baptist
Church, President Taft was introduced to
the congress and made brief address.
He said;
III you have read any part of a COM
men, which was issued yesterday, you
will probably reach the conclusion that
l exercise the powers of the mayor OF
Washington. Now, it is proper function
Of every we'll organized and well conduct
ed mayor to welcome those who coma
as guests of his city, and that is the
1uncllOn IN Wnlcn L appear now. L wei
come you to Washington.
I'VE do not always have snowstorms
in Washington, but snowstorms seem to
be the fashion this year.
Il have delivered myself SO often of
views on rivers and harbors and the char
acter Of appropriations that ought to be
made. and the studies and investigations
that should be conducted i'm advance o.
action, that am not going to detain you
this morning with any disqusition on the
Tn
earn that good will which l lost yester-
day by being short.
Problem Awaiting Solution.
There Is only one thought that l want
to add to what have said to this con-
vention and to other audiences on this
subject, and that is this: There was "a
time in the history of the county when
river navigation was greatly more i'm
portant than 1t is now. The growth OF
the railroads and their entering into the
trade of all sections of the country have
diminished the Importance OF river navi-
cation under existing conditions, and the
problem which you gentlemen have To
solve. and which Congress has to so,ve.
water transportation and, who believe
that 1t has elements of economy tina.
ought to make II enter much more large
ly into the general transportation OF this
country tnAn II does, Ii inc UNI III dno tte
cooperation OF railroads and rivers. The
terminal difficulties with respect to river
transportation are the difnculties that you
have to overcome before you shall solve
this question. Now. they have overcome
it IN q measure In Europe. but they
have not reached the solution that will!
be satisfactory to us. and verify believe
that IN the ingenuity Of the American
expert IN transportation. we shall find
3 solution that will enable US to avail
ourselves of the inherent economy In river
transportation and unite that. 70 that II
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