Evening star., 1913-12-03
RIVER AND HARb0R
MEN GIVEN CHEER
Senator RansdelI Predicts a
"Great Bill Will Pass
Present Congress.
1000 DELEGATES ATTEND
THE OPENING SESSION
President Wilson, Unable to Be
Present, Sends a Message
of Encouragement.

The tenth annual convention of the
National Rivers and Harbors Congress,
consisting of 1000 delegates, which be-
gan three-day meeting at the New
Willard Hotel today, greeted with
great outburst of applause the declara-
ton made by Senator Joseph E. Rams
dell OF Louisiana, its president, that he
mas every reason to believe that we
Will nave great rivers and harbors
bill at the present session of Congress-"
-z6eenly afertStO catch the significance
OF -evereastatement of it's leaders and the
speakers before it, the convention took
1t for granted that its president has re-
ceived satisfactory assurances that Con-
gress will pass such bill, for the pur-
pose of urging which the rivers and har-
bors delegates have gathered in Wash
ington, and they also applauded a mes
sage from President Wilson, who was
scheduled to speak, but who could not be
present in which he said:
President Wilson's Message.
Il congratulate you on what the con-
gress has already accomplished, not only
in awakening the country to the impor-
tance of the great subjects it handles, but
also in bringing us within sight of a
monized and we shall be able to agree
upon comprehensive and concerted plan
for the benefit of the whole country.
Secretary Lane of the Interior Depart
ment. who has recently served as the
mouthpiece of the administrat on at
many conventions in Washington, es-
pecially those in which the question of
states rights has been expected to play
part today, in place of Secretary
Bryan, delivered the Presidents message
nd hor rrann nd
en-. He prefaced the reading Of the let
ter from the White House with remarks
or his own, in which he said, in part:
90 not know whether you recognize
the fact, but to me it is most significant
that the people of the United States are
now coming together in many conven-
tions, not to speak in behalf of any prof.
ect in their individual states. but with a
national voice, in behalf of the nation
This is new spirit in our public affairs
l see in this audience many senator's and
representatives who know that it is new,
and they Will bear me out when / say
the time is not long past when all we saw
in Washington in the way of public effort
was the spectacle of men coming here to
influence the government for selfish ends
Advocate of Free Harbors.
Now, when 1 was on the interstate
commerce commission few years ago
arrived at certain conclusions regarding
the development of the railroads and the
waterways of the country. There can
be no policy advanced in this country to
work against the interests of the rail-
roads that will result in good to the
country generally. The railroads are vital
to our life. There is no other nation so
dependent upon them. The people of Cali
fornia help to feed the people of New
York, and the people of New York help
to manufacture for Californias needs.
But, when l was member of the
interstate commerce commission ] said
that the first thing to be done in de-
yeloping the waterways of this country
is to separate the railroads from the sea
to make the oceans and the rivers free
You will never develop water transporta-
ton in this country by clearing sand from
must have free harbors. These harbors
must have rfee harbors. These harbors
In no small part are within the control
OF Sou gentlemen from the different
states, and these states have rights, and
these states of yours can play the most
important part in developing the water
ways by seeing that no railroad interests
control the harbors which give access
to the oceans
Il believe, with my chief, my chief and
years, in making this country one of
greater opportunity. in which the natural
resources shall not be closed to those
OF US who are not of favored few"
Control Not Discussed.
Secretary Lane discussed the general
question Of state and federal coptrol only
| In q general way. This question was ex-
pected to come up on presentation of the
| address of Rome G. Brown Of Minneapo-
| lis, Mimi, former president of the Bar
Association Of that state. a recognized
| legal authority on water power matters
But although Mr.. Brown went into
| the question of state and federal con-
troll of water-power resources, he was
| followed Immediately by the annual ad-
dress of Senator Ransdell, the president
| of the National Rivers and Harbors
Congress. and there was no discussion
on the floor of the convention of Mr..
Browns address. Whether there will be
later in the meetings delegates today
could not say.
Many delegates to the rivers and har-