Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-12
WATERWAY POLICY
WILL BE OUTLINED
Chamber of Commerce in Nation
al Capital Indorses Rivers
and HarborS Congress
(Snecial to The Heraldl

WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. 11.-For
the first time in the history of the Ma
tional Rivers and Harbors congress,
whose seventh national convention
will be held in this city December z,
8 and 9 next, has the financial in
dorsement Of the Washington cham
ber of commerce been secured.
Last year the National Rivers and
Harbors congress had 1850 delegates in
attendance upon it's sixth convention,
but it is thought by the officers that
upward of 5000 delegates will be drawn
hither during the first week in De-
cember, not only for the purpose of
witnessing the beginning of the last
session of the SiXty-first congress, but
also to participate in the proceedings
of the great waterway organization
of which Representative Joseph sE.
Ransdell of Louisiana is president and
which stands for waterway policy
and not a waterway project"
RIVER DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICAL
The benefits of a fixed and definite
governmental policy on all questions
are conceded. The Improvement of the
rivers and harbors is in no sense a
political question, but is an economic
question in the truest meaning of the
term 1t appeals to all conditions of
trade and commerce and it is a ques-
ton which intelligent public demand
is speeding to a conclusion that cap-
not fail to be of the utmost possible
benefit to trade and industrial condi-
tions in the United States.
Congressman Ransdell, who has for
the past ten years been an enthusi-
astic believer in an annual river and
harbor bill and who has in season and
out urged such policy as mem
has come when the hands of the COM
mittee of the house, believes the time
has come when the hands of tn com
mittee of congress dealing with this
subject should be supported by an as
semblage in the national capital De-
cember next of such generous propor-
tions as will show congress the neces-
sity for a broad and comprehensive
policy of waterway development.
"There is a growing tendency in the
country said Mr.. Ransdell, "to build
up strong local organizations every
where, which is magnificent thlng
in itself, provided these enthusiasts do
not overlook the fact that their local
projects cannot be carried through
successfully unless the great national
policy of their parent organization be
adopted by the federal congress.
"The work that the National Rivers
and Harbors congress has been doing
has been q work of love, and yet 1t
needs the help of. local organizations as
it does of trade bodies as well as indi-
viduals to make it as it aims to be
nationally educational in character.
''The forthcoming convention should
be the largest in our history, for there
is much yet to be done before a ma
tional policy of waterway improve
ments is written into the statute books.
We have yet much to yield and much
to acquire before we realize our aims
and every organization of whatever
character should lend hand in the
work we have been doing, to the end
that sporadic appropriations for widely
separated projects may be abandoned
and that the coming river and harbor
bill be modelled along natinnal rather
than along local lines"