New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-05
PRESIDENT IN FAVOR
OF MISSISSIPPI WORK
Would Spend 1000, 900 in
River Improvement for Pro-
lection Against Floods.
UNDER ARMY CONTROL ONLY
Boston Mayor Tells Rivers and
Harbors Congress Govern
ment Should Own Coun-
try's Coal Mines.
From The Tribune Bureau. J

From The Tribune Bureau
Washington. Dec. 4.-President Taft,
addressing the $500 delegates to the Ma
| tional Rivers and Harbors Congress a.
its opening session at the New WIZARD
Hotel to-day, declared In favor OF spend-
ing $4,000. 900 or 81. OOo, 900 for the improve
ment of the Mississippi, but said such
expenditure should not be urged for the
improvement OF navigation but Tor the
protection OF the country against dam
ages by flood
The President declared that not only
should this great sum be spent Tor the
improvement OF the levee system OF the
Mississippi. but the work should be done
by the federal government, with or with
out the aid of the states. and that the
whole Improvement should be under the
direct control OF the army engineers and
the War Department
While he spoke Of waterway improve
! ments in general, President Taft confined
his remarks almost entirely TO the ques-
| ton OF whether the federal government
should or should not appropriate the
necessary money to improve the Missis-
sippi levees for the protection OF life and
property. He pointed out that this I'm
provement was not OF local character,
but was Of interest to the whole country,
and said:
The history Of the Mississippi River has
| esta blished. it seems to me. its treat
ment to be considered national qucs-
| ton, and II / were Responsibilities | am
| not going TO bel would not hesitate TO
/ IA Ii Al. eatv nj
| by saying, not that We want twenty
| four foot waterway when We haven't the
commerce for Il. not that We are going
ahead In any way 10 persuade people on
| the theory that IL Is navigation that taxes
us there but on the ground that We have
as the real object the saving OF large
section Of the country, so large that II
| requires national assistance. ana ! would
make IL an absolute condition that the
whole Improvement, from one end to the
other. should be completely under the
| control OF the army engineers and the
War Department, and that the contribu-
| tons from each state should be meas
ured in some just way, and that the gov
ernmont foot the difference. which under
any consideration will be large enough.
| The reason why We have the right 10
appropriate 100000 for this purpose is
| that IL is closely connected with the Juris-
diction OF the national government over
nayigable streams. and thereby the gov
| eminent is better fitted. through its en-
gIneer corps and other means which II
has at its hands. TO do the work, and be-
cause IL ~ OF such q character that tho
whole government must do II and the
states along the way cannot do IT, Now,
I would not prevent the states from con-
| tributing, az they ought TO contribute.
TO this work, which Is going to save
them: and what they ought 10 do Is TO
| turn over the work entirely to the gov
| eminent OF the United States. and get rid
OF their local machinery that does not
| work as well or as economically az fed
eral engineering work.
Mayor Fitzgerald. OF Boston, made the
declaration In an address that the United
States should own the coal mines OF the
| country. lie did not agree. however.
with Senator Townsend. OF Michigan. who
had preceded him. that 1t might BE well
for the federal government to take pos
session of dock sites OIL rivers improved
by the government, so az to Keep rail-
yays from preventing water compeu-
ton.
Tho railroads Of tho country could not
carry all the business. the Mayor said'
and should have plenty OF water compe-
tItlon. He declared that on 'S""''VVV
worth OF coal Boston had paid So."''"V
In TRANSFORMATION charges. and something
should be done TO Improve the condition.
The government would take possession OF
,be coal mines OF the country In lew
voars he asserted. II things Kept on as
tbey had been going during the last few
years
Mrs. Elmer @. Laurence, secretary OF
the Woman's National Rivers and Har-
bors Congress. told OF the means being
used by that body 10 arouse interest In
waterways. IT. Mel. Harding. consult
ing engineer OF the New York City Dock
Department, gave an illustrated lecture
on water terminals.
Representative Ransdell. of Louisiana,
president Of the congress. In his annual
address charged that railroads monopo-
lized river terminals and destroyed the
use OF them after improvements had been
mace. He quoted from Colonel Goethals.
I'm charge OF the construction OF the Pan
anna Canal, TO the effect that three times
he had seen Western rivers improved.
three times boat lines established as a
result OF the Improvement. while the
waterway commerce increased by leaps
and bounds. and In every case the boat
lines had been bought by railroads and
dismantled.