Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1913-04-10
IMPROVEMENT
OF RIVERS TO
CHECK FLOODS
Present Congress is Expected
to Adopt Means to Pre-
vent Future De-
VISITATION
SYSTEMATIC PLAN OF
PROTECTION SUGGESTED

Special TO THE EVENING JOURNAL.
WASHINGTON, ID. C., April TO-
With torrenua foods pouring from
the water sheds Of the great inland
streams OF the country, bringing ruin
and desolation in their wake. interest
in the preservation Of navigation and
Of tho integrity of the channels OF
the great streams themselves has nat
urally greatly increased II Is al
ready evident from present discus
sion that Congress will take up the
f0od-control subject. and Il will nee
essarily be considered in connection
with river navigation Improvement
Disaster SO widespread and appalling
as has afflicted the Ohio Valley can
not be avorted by any work Of con-
etruction horn OF theory: the best
that can be done in the opinion Of
practical men is to provide against
dangers that ordinarily recur In the
shifting seas0ns This. I'm expert
opinion. shouts be undertaken along
with the perfecNng Of q comprehen-
sive system OF national waterway inn
provement.
For the first time in eighteen years
the Democrats are In control of both
Houses OF Congress. and consequent
~ have a majority in their import
ant standing committees. So for the
first time In eighteen years they CON
troll both the committees having to
deal with appropriations for rivers
and harbors. the Senate Committee
on Commerce and the House Commit
tee on Rivers and Harbors But no
legislation In Congress. Il should be
remarked. has been as little tainted
with partisan conduct as that per-
tanning TO river and harbor improve
ment. For that very reason perhaps.
more than any other. no schemes OF
legislation have developed a broader,
more progressive scope than those
emanating from these two commit
tees. Leaders Of both the great par
ties, as we'll as heads of the different
adnistrations, responsive to en-
lightened public conviction, have
united In the establishment of prac-
teal annual appropriations common
Eurate with existing needs and the OBJ
vious demands OF the near future
The committees of the two houses
having to deal with the question OF
water transportation through i'm
streams and harbors has of late years
been composed of the foremost men
OF Congress. The personnel of the
committees In the present Congress
promises 70 prove we'll up to that
high mark.
The Senate Committee on Com
MERGE has been appointed while that
or the House is yet TO be named. The
change OF political complexion Of the
Senate changed the chairmanship and
shifted the majority. The new chair
man is James r. Clarke, OF Arkansas.
with the rest OF the Democrats, Dun
can u. Fletcher OF Florida. George q.
Chamberlain of oregon. Joseph f.
Ransdell Of Louisiana. Morris Shep-
pard OF Texas, James K vardaman
Of Mississippi, John X Shields OF
Tennessee. Thomas s Martin Of vir-
ginia, John H. Bankhead OF Alabama
and Furnifold NJ Simmons OF North
Carolina The Republicans are Knute
Nelson OF Minnesota. former chair
man: George c. Perkins of California.
William Alden Smith OF Michigan.
Theodore =. Burton Of Ohio. Isaac
Stephenson OF Wisconsin, Coe. l.
lCrawford Of South Dakota and Geo
T. Oliver of Pennsylvania. Every
part OF the country Is represented.
from the Atlantic 10 the Pacific and
from the lakes 10 the gulf, and by
imen who have had experience in
both houses on one OF the other of
the committees dealing with naviga-
Mon Improvement except in the cases
lof Messrs. Clarke, Sheppard. Varda-
man and Shields. Chairman Clarke
comes from a state OF the Mississippi
Valley vitality concerned I'm naviga-
ltion and levee construction, as do
Messrs. Ransdell and Vardaman. Mr..
Ransdell is the most notable acauisi-
tion to the Senate committee on ac-
count both OF the distinguished SER
vice he rendered IN an official capa-
city as a member OF the House com
mittee in recent congresses. and as
President. since its present organiza-
ton. OF the National Rivers and Har-
bors Congress. The character Of the
committee from top TO bottom Is an
earnest Of high capacity and an as
surance OF wise legislation
The EXAMINATIONS from the last Con-
ieress are Messrs. Bourne of Oregon,
Burnham Of New Hampshire. Crane
of Massachusetts. Republicans. and