The Washington herald., 1914-03-23
UNDERWOOD aims shot
At CONSERVATIONISTS
Majority Leader of House Says Demo-
Gratis Stand on River Improve
ment Is Plain.
is THE KEY TO PROSPERITY

No member Of Congress representing an
inland district has shown a more active
interest in the improvement OF rivers
and harbors than Representative oscar
W. Underwood. OF Alabama. As majority
leader Of the House he has demonstrated
his zeal by his ready efforts to promote
river and harbor legislation. OF the nine
districts into which his State is DIVIDED
his district has less water than any
Speaking Of the Importance OF the i'm
proyemcnt of the States navigable
streams. Mr.. Underwood said:
''Nayigation without commerce, or the
positive assurance of commerce. is OF
little use. Alabama is blessed far be-
yond most States in the abundance OF
her streams and their susceptibility to
navigation for heavy freight transporta-
ton There are rivers that now through
a naturally richly endowed country,
through fertile farming areas, under the
shadows of mountains of seemingly in
exhaustible mineral wealth, and possess
ing a fall at happily placed intervals that
affords a waterpower possibility unsur-
passed by any like area in the United
States. There is our greatest assurance
of commerce, our best guarantee that
the Improvement of our rivers and Of our
one great harbor, will more than COM
pensate expenditure by the government.
THE progress we have already made
in iron and steel manufacture, and in
deed in all our industries, already sup
Plies a commerce of large proportions.
This progress can be immensely aug
mented to the credit of our national. as
well as State, wealth with the completion
of projected and contemplated improve
rL,t he, he IND of
ports and practical business men.
THE House Interstate and Foreign
Commerce Committee and the War De-
partment authorities are now at work to
perfect a general dam law that will pro-
tect the Federal navigation rights and
at the same time preserve the lawful
interests of the State, while affording
private capital ample opportunity to de-
velope waterpower. 1t is intended, and
I expect 1t will be accomplished. that a
satisfactory measure will be construct
ed. to be passed at this session. I have
never myself had any doubt as to the
wisdom and legitimacy of going ahead
with our waterpower development, and
it would have been in operation on a
large scale long before now, but for the
erratic zeal of some of our uplifters and
conservationists, whose efforts have rath-
er retarded than promoted the public
welfare.
Democrats, certainly. in their pro-
fessed faith of devotion to the principle
Of individual liberty and enterprise, ought
not to hesitate as to where they stand on
this question. Water power development,
In the manifold Industrial uses to which
it points, is the only kind Of conserva-
ton that can be accomplished without
waste and interminable delay. But
expect the vexations that have beset the
question heretofore will be out Of the
way with the passage of the bill assured
from the Interstate and Foreign Com
merce Committee.
The river and harbor appropriation bill
which has just passed the House carries
for Alabama waterways S1.11o.5 500.