Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-12-08
LARGE APPROPRIATIONS
URGED BY THE SPEAKERS
Seventh Annual Gathering Of Body
Opens With Largest Number Of Del
eostes Present In Its HIstory--John
C. Freeman, Of Virginia. Appointed
Chairman Of Resolutions Committee
rRy Associated Press,

tby ASSociated frrssJ
WASHINGTON, ID. c.. Dec. -
With the largest number of delegates
known in its his tory present. the sew
enth annual gathering of the National
Rivers and Harbors Congress conveT-
ed here ic1ay for a three-day session.
The welcoming address Of President
Taft, the annual report of President
]. +. Ransdeil, the addresses of Chair
man Alexander OF the house OF repre-.
sentatives on rivers and harbors. OF
Chattanooga, J. A. Patton, OF Chafta-
nocga. president OF the reunessee aiv-
er Improvement Assocs ion. and ID.
Il. Eskey. OF San Francisco. were the
only ones delivered.
River Transpoftati- :.
There was time In the his Org
OF this country when river navi alton
was greatly more important than Z Is
now" said President Taft in his adj
dress. "The growth OF railroads and
their entering into the trade of all
sections OF the country has diminish
ed the Importance OF river navigation
under existing conditions. and the
problem which YOU gentlemen have
10 solve and which all IN favor Of u.s.
Ing of water transportation. and who
believe Il has clements OF economy
that ought to make II enter mach
more largely into the general trans
portation of this c0antry than II does.
is the co-oreration of railroads and
rivers. The terminal difficulties with
respect to river transportation are
the difficulties which you win have
10 overcome to solve this question"
v:rainian Chosen Chairman.
committee on resolutions was
pamed by President Rsnsdeii az which
John G.. Freeman. of Virginia, was
chosen chairman.
Representative Alexander. of New
York. in his address declared that to
favor the improvement OF rivers and
inland waterway trans portation gener-
ally mad now become the fashion.
This was due. he believed. TO the ac-
tivity af the National Rivers and Har-
bors Congress
The congressional committees. Mr..
Alexander said. were now at work on
a bill which they hoDed 10 present
next week which would provide for
annual appropriations for inland wa
terways. This. he declared TO be the /,
only reasonable way to accomplish
the desired ends
Annual Appropriations
Regular annual approximations
for carrying on tfe work Of water
way improvements thro9ehout the
United States were advocated by
President RansdeII. Of fhe Rivers and
Harbcrs Congress. In his opering adj
dress TO the congress Since The con-
vention a year ago of the congress
of which he II president. the rivers
and harbors bin passed by the last
session OF congress. he said. was the
gEeaiet advance vet made toward the
carving cut OF the policies advocated
by the National Rivers and Harbors
Congress.
The annual expenditure Of al least
$50. 000. coo from the public treasury
unon meritoriors rivers and harbors
OF the United States. until every one
OF them is adequately and amrlv i'm
proved already for industrial aad
commercial needs and uses. was the
policy advocated by Mr.. Patton.
He spoke in particular of the needs
OF Engagement in the Tenesses
river We ask that our present
showing and past experience Re taker
as the best guaranty and guide" said
Mr.. Patton
We need and desirve $4,000 to Be
expended at an approximate rate OF
81 COS. 900 a year for ten yoars for
Tennessee below Chattanooga. and
g .5e0. 900 for similar improvement be
tween noxviile and Chattanooga
-Out OF each dollar thar should sc
expended we are nor ashamed 70
claim Two OF three cents for The Ten
nessee river that ranks third IN im-
Dortance among American rivers and
our largest river capable o. year
round navigation