The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-02-21
Many Years Since Measure Of This
Kind Has Had Such Easy Sail
ing Through the
House.
CANNON WAS IN FAVOR 4
What the Speaker Had to Say About
the Improvement OF Rivers Of
Which He is An
Advocate.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. 21.-it
has been many years since a river
and harbor bill has had as clear a
pathway to its final passage as the bill
which the house of representatives
adopted without material change early
last week.
Remarkable as was the unanimity
that such a bill ought to receive early
consideration 1t was even more re-
markable that distinguished members
OF congress took advantage Of the oc.
casion to state their position toward
the interior waterways of the United
States and the pressing needs for
comprehensive policy looking to their
Improvement
In this group of leaders in the low
er branch of congress wno declared
themselves satisfied witt the general
endorsement to annual appropriations
for rivers, harbors and canals, Speak
er Cannon easily leads all the rest.
Without a suspicion of antagonism
to the bill, which Chairman Alexander
stated in his opening remarks, while
somewhat singular in character but
not SO much in method as in policy,
Speaker Cannon gave evidences OF
considerable changeSof heart. Wheth-
4 er that change of heart is due to the
trip which the speaker made with Presi-
dent Taft, governors of states and a
hundred or more members of copgress
down the Mississippi from st. Louis
TO New Orleans or whether there has
been change of sentimeDl in the dis
trict which Mr.. Cannon represents
toward the domestic waterways of the
country is question which only Jn-
Gle Joe" can answer. But his comr iete
surrender to the necessities of mckiag
the rivers work was one OF the illuuiin-
ating features Of a discussion which
showed the temper Of congress as
nothing else has done in decade
Mr.. Cannon gave evidence of having
first-hand knowledge of existing coz
ditions when he said in his speech DIR
ing the consideration OF the bill: IF
we are to depend upon transportation
by rail alone we will have to multiply
( the railway mileage by two, by three,
by four.
we have 90,000,o0O of people in this
country now. When fully populated
and developed we will have 100000 600
of people Already we have almost
one-half of the railroad mileage Of the
round earth, carrying one.third of the
products Of the civilized world bacl;
and forth to market"
Speaking of the improvements con.
templated by the bill, Speaker Can.
non, said: 1T is a long work to make
these improvements, toSadd to nature
Sufficient depth of water to carry the
great and constantly increasing com
merce. Terminals are to be cared for
II you had railroad running from
New York to Chicago, with no sta
tlons, 1t would carry great dea' o.
commerce originating on the lakes
down to the seashore, but no railroad
could be easily maintained unless
there were hundreds of stations. These
stations will come on the rivers, bu
all this cannot be done in day"
In a reminiscent view he told O
those other days when he voted tc
pass river and harbor bill over The
veto of President Arthur in 1882 HI
told of the fight made against hin
on account of that vote, but thanked
God then as thank God now tha
that constituency, agricultural as it |.
today had the breadth and the intelli
gence and / may say the patriotism
crossed with that breadth and intelli
gence to stand by me at the polls"
Probably no man on the river ant
harbor committee has worked will
a more enthusiastic devotion to The
cause of waterway imroyements thar
has Chairman Alexander and his mas
terly handling of bill that carries
over s42 100000 in cash and authorized
contracts for water betterments is q
tribute to his close, analytical study
of his subject
Speaking of the noticeable growth
of sentiment which has been aroused
in favor of river and harhor improve
ments, Chairman Alexander said;
Beginning four or five years ago il
has continued to increase. rapidly
growing in strength until this city IL
the last three or four years has wit
messed the presence Of a great riverf
and .arbors congress representing ths
friends Of river and harhor improve
ments from nearly every state IN tht
union.