Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-06
Department of Public Works.


Department of Public Works.
Fourth. We reaffirm our former decla-
ration in favor of the creation of a de-
partment OF public works, with a cabinet
officer at its head. as the best means Of
securing a comprehensive and systematic
plan Of waterway transportation; said
department, of which the present corps
Of army engineers shall be a part. should
have charge and control over all public
works of this and of a similar character.
Fifth. Whereas certain railroads have
by various agreements and other means
secured control of what should be COM
peting water carriers. and have either
retired or are operating the same under
pretended competition. thereby depriv-
ing the public of the benefits of legiti-
mate competition between rail and water
routes. and whereas such conduct is even
more harmful to the public interest than
similar pretended competition in prac-
tfce between railroads. which latter has
been by our Supreme Court declared TO
be In violation of the Sherman antitrust
law: therefore,
Be 1t resolved. That the attention OF the
Attorney General and of the Interstate
commerce commission be called to such
instance to the end that such practices
may be discovered and their continuance
prevented.
Conditions of Arid Lands.
Conditions of arid lands of the north
western states before and since the prog
ress Of reclamation work were described
Charles j. Blanchard of the government
reclamation service last night. The lee
ture was given under the auspices Of the
ID
Congress.
One of the Oregon delegates to the Con-
gress is Joseph n. Teal Mr. Teal is
OregonS candidate for Secretary of the
Interior in the cabinet of the next ad-
ministration.
Taft on Deep Waterways.
Although expressing his deep sym
pathy with the movement looking to the
Improvement of the waterways of the
Mississippi valley. President Taft, in
addressing at the White House yester-
day afternoon the delegation from the
Lakes to the Gulf Deep Waterways AS
ISOLATION. which presented him with a
handsome bound copy of the resolutions
adopted at its annual convention in
Little Rock, Ark. last September. re-
ferred to what he termed the ''formi-
dable difficulties in the way of carry
ing out the project.
The President declared, however that
II the members Of the Deep Waterways
Association would press and press the
solution In satisfactory form will be
had"
Successor May Acquire Data.
To the more than 100 delegates from
the Waterways Association the President
expressed his thanks for conveying to
him that delicate compliment, which
comes from the intimation by your petit
ton that 1 have the power to confer or
adopted at its annual convention in
view of the fact that the scepter of any
power l may have had is so soon to pass
from me. Nevertheless it is appropriate
that these resolutions be properly passed
on by me to my successor.
In that way he may acquire knowl.
that he has not now. because his atten.
ton may not have been directed to it,
In Democratic Platform.
The President referred to the fact that
the democratic party in it's Baltimore
platform had declared itself on the ques-
ton of the improvement of the water
ways Of the Mississippi valley. and said
If they don't come up to the meas
ure of them. we republicans. in a friend
ly way. are likely to point out their fail
ure in that regard. The declaration in
the platform itself is worth something
and while they may not carry 1t out to
the full. it means they are advancing a
little more toward a solution"