The Washington times., 1914-12-10
RIVERS NEGLECTED
BY MAN, SAYS CLARK
Speaker Tells River and Har-
Dor Congress Streams
Should Be 0eepened.

The Creator has given the United
States the greatest system of natural
waterways in the world. but this coun-
try has done less to develop It's advan-
tages than any other government on
the glabe,' said Speaker Champ Clark
In ads "s5ing the eleventh annual con-
ventioh of the National Rivers and
Harbors Congress at the New Willard
today
For tho last twenty-five years
have advocated that the rivers of this
country be made navigabIe." said the
Speaker, even though not a single
passenger or a ton of freight be car
ried over them They should be made
navigable because a sure result will
be to keep down freight rates.
IF our internal waterways are not
improved the very nature of the in
crease OF our commerce will demand
that the railroads double and quadruple
their tracks all over the country, which
could only be done at the expense OF
millions and millions of dollars. It
is far cheaper to improve our water
carrying facilities. we must increase
our capacity for freight transportation,
and we are going to do il. And ] am
glad to come here and testify to my
continued interest in the greatest prob
lem before the American people
Senator Sheppard of Texas. Senator
Weeks of Massachusetts, former Mayor
w. \. Magee, of Pittsburgh, and Lieut.
Col. William L. Sibert. of the Engineer
ing Corps, were other speakers at tho
first session today. Among the after
noon speakers were Senator Salisbury
of Delaware, Senator Smith of Michi-
gan. and Congressman Raker of Cali
fornia,
Irving c. Norwood. secretary of the
Greater Davenport Committee, of
Davenport, Iowa, was the principal
speaker at the session of the conven-
ton yesterday evening, his subject
being water terminals and what the
Iowa cities are doing to improve their
water shipping facilities.
davenport Is now improving her
river front according to a plan that
not only will give 1t eleven acres Of
fine parking said Mr.. Norwood, but
the city will be able to rent terminal
and warehouse sites for enough to add
materially to its revenues. The same
plan is being followed by n number of
other Iowa cities located on rivers
Not only is there a gain from n COM
mercial standpoint, due 10 increased
trade. but the health and sanitation OF
the cities are improved. and the river
fronts. instead Of being the cycsores as
In past year, are becoming the show
places of the municipalities.
There are In Iowa alone 1000 01l
tons of freight that will move by water
Just as soon as the terminal facilities
along the Mississippi river are mad
ready to accommodate the boats"
Senator Sheppard devoted his time to-
day TO defense of the expenditures "a
make the Trinity river havigable from
Dallas, Tex, to the gulf. He admitted
that the Improvement was costing twice
as much as indicated by me Origina
estimate made in 1880. but pointed out
that even though the cost reached three
times the estimate it would only b,
600 per mile, whereas the average
cost of the canalized rivers of 1--Smany
| was 81, go per mile.
The present log rolling" system O.
making rivers and harbors appropria
tons should be abandoned. said Sen
ator Weeks. who urged the substitu
| ton of a national commission, which
would decide on the amounts TO ~
| expended on the various improvement.
after Congress had decided upon thu
general policy and the total amouu
| to be sDent on that work.