Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-12-02
WILL DISCUSS
WATERWAYS.
National Rivers and Harbors
Congress Meets Tomorrow
at Washington D. c.
PRESIDENT ON PROGRAM
President Wilson Abandons
New Years Reception to
Save Good Right Arm

WASHINGTON. D. c., Nov. 90
Especially The Tenth Annual Conven-
tion Of the National Rivers and Har.
bors Congress which will be held in
this city December 3, and next.
is expected to bring to the National
Capital the largest gathering OF
Waterway enthusiasts ever assembled
in this country. Governors Of states,
mayors Of cities and commercial
bodies have been busy appointing
delegates to the Congress which is
next to the Federal Congress in i'm.
portance. At . least half dozen exc
cutives of states will head their state
delegations. the importance of the
meeting being most generally recog.
nized.
The presence of President Woodrow
Wilson at the head Of the program
nationalizes the Congress and his po.
sition on some Of the problems Of
river and harbor development will be
watched with interest. Mr. Wilson. a.
governor Of New Jersey. was looked
upon as friends OF improved water.
ways. Now that he has been elevated
to the highest office in the gift of the
people, his utterances will be listen.
ed to with even greater respect, as
it is expected his address will indi-
cate the policy of his administration
toward these highly important arter.
les Of trade and commerce.
It is expected by the officers Of the
Congress that two thousand will be
in Washington next month to parti.
cipate in the deliberations OF the or
ganization which stands for a broad
and comprehensive policy of water.
way development and which has been
markedly instrumental in bringing
about the passage Of an annual river
and harbor bill.
With the early completion Of the
Panama Canal, the South and
West are alive to the importance Of
deepening and widening the rivers
that flow in to the Atlantic. the Gulf
and the Pacific, and they are coming
to the convention determined to take
a hand in building the platform of the
Congress.
President smashes Precedent
Another time-honored custom has
been regulated to the limbo of things
that we're. by President Wilson when
he announced this week that the New
Years reception at the White House
would be abandoned. He proposes to
take a well-earned rest during the
holidays and .as another long session
is in front Of him. he proposes getting
ready for the winter activities by 60
ing away for little while.
The New Years reception was in.
augurated by President Washington
and has been followed by every presi.
dent since the custom was establish
ed with only one or two exceptions.
Even when civil was was stalking
over the land and the days were dark
and ominous. President Lincoln fol-
lowed the old custom Of meeting the
people on New Year with punctilious
care. However disappointing 1t may
be to thousands who we're planning
to grip the president by the hand on
New Years day, this much must be
said. the New Years reception at the
White House had grown to be almost
rout instead of a friendly call to
wish the President and his wife good
luck for the year. President Taft at
his last New Year reception shook
hands with upwards Of 5000 people
and his hand was so puffed up and
bruised that he was compelled to have
it bandaged for a week or more.
While the New Years reception at
the White House has many delight
full things to commend It, 1t also has
its very serious drawbacks.