Arizona republican., 1912-01-22
FOR IMPROVEMENT OF
 RIVERS AND HARBORS
S' A. thompson, Secretary of the R & H. Congress is Enthu-
 sisstic Over Prospects.
lSfccidI CorrtSPoHdcnccI

l
 WASHINGTON. D. C. Jan. 21-
 Tt is a source of great qualification
 to find the president of the United
 States urging in an official message | tp congress one of the cardinal points l for which the national rivers and | hirbors has Contendcd ever since it's ! organization. namely that wherever | project has been adopted by the | federal congress to be completed. that all the money be provided that can
 be economically expended in any ydlr. since the sooner a work k com
 pleted. the greater is the ultimate ! economy"
 S. A. Thompson. secretary and | treasurer Of the national rivers and | harbors congress, who has pcrman- cnty opened offices in this city to be nearer the fountain head of Oitcr- way legislation and construction. is enthusiastic over the outlook for the adoption of a wise and comprehcu-
 sive policy of river and harbor im-
 provement for which he has Iabored indeGltigably for quarter of d century.
 As look at this great ques- tion.' continued Mir Thompson.
 nothing should be commenced which is not entitled to be finished And if II k to bc finished at all why not get it done as early as practicable SO that the country will begin to receive the resultant benefits
 The national rivers and hIrbors congress has repeatedly gone ou Tee ord as favorius the issuance of bonds for waterway Improvements SO that an work authorized will hc con tinuOusly prosecuted until comple- ton. While President Taft did not spccifiullly recommend this course. in his recent message (" congress he has never receded from the position taken before the national couS.rtI- ton congress held in this city three years ago wherein he outlined at con siderable length his ideas as tp the development of our waterways. Spdtking from the sam" platform with cN-President Roosevelt and both voiCing the same sentiment Mr. Taft said that every man. woman aud child within our borders has an interest in the waterways. through avigation. power. irrigation or water supply or through all four We have neglected our waterways more than any other natural resource and We must put an end to that neglect
 continuing to further outline his position on this very vital subject President Taft said-'Our previous policy toward our waterways has been one of procrdstination. delay and fitful and partial action has borne its perfect fruit Our watcrNiys are deserted and in return for our vast expenditures we have little OF mo navigation to show. The people are ready for change Let us nave 1t aJ once If We can pay the cost from current revenues let us d." so 1T not let us issue bonds By either method let Us have the waterways and that quickly. Above all not one cent should be expended Co satis- fy special interests. whether of a business or locality or promote any mans political fortunes. This k too large d matter to he handled in such a way. We must approach il from the point of view of the national in tcrcst. under the guidance of the wiscst experts in engineering. in transportation and all the uses of our streams.
 "Throughout his term President Taft has not deviated a hairs breadth from that position and now that an annual river and harbor bill is toI become the fixed policy of congress. there is sincere cause for Congratula tion in the fact that at least one of The cardinal principles of the national rivers and harbors congress has been achieved. But there is still much to be done before all We are fighting for iS accomplished"