The Washington herald., 1914-12-11
DOUBTS CAST ON
congress- aims
Rivers Congress Official In
sinuates Base Motives
Backed Fiibuster.
CASTS DOWN GAUNTLET
Secretary Thompson Denies Lobby
Charge Many Noted Men Speak.
Congress Closes Today

Insinuations that sinister motives"
| Influenced Congress in the recent fight
against the rivers and harbors bill and
an open challenge to Congress to in
vestigate the lobby" which supported
the measure were made by S. A Thomp-
son. secretary of the National Rivers
and Harbors Congress, in an address at
| the New Willard yesterday.
I'VE have been lied against, slander-
ed and villified and we may be vexed
justly" Mr.. Thompson declared. We
have been devoting our lives to noble,
honest and just cause.
when an investigation of the Rivers
and Harbors Congress is made l want
another investigation into those in
huences, sinister and otherwise, that
called down upon us the vituperation OF
the United States Congress. and lined
UP the pres of the nation againt us.
guess l should feel complimented
when a Congressman declares in Con-
gress l have conducted the biggest
Mulhall and the N. A. NJ, sink into in
significance.
Denies Lobby Charge.
81 have never spoken a word in
lobbying in my life. by telephone, tele-
graph or telepathy and the charges
that we tried to get pork into the
Our conscience is clean and clear. Our
books are open. We welcome investi-
CATION. The charge was made against
Senator Ransdell that he is our presi-
dent because he owns a big chunk of
stock in a dredging company. He won't
dignity that charge by denial. but l
say he never owned such stock in his
life.
u am defiant and say that II Sena-
VV-fn fE
intention OF filibustering against the
rivers and harbors bill this short ses-
sion he will carry with him when he
goes out of public life on March the
consciousness that he has done more
to delay public development in this
country than any other man in the
United States.
Secretary Thompson answered the
charges made by Representative Frear.
of Wisconsin, and said: The truth OF
these charges can be illustrated by one
insignificant detail. 1t was charged We
had one whole floor of offices in the
Colorado Building. This ridiculous as
sertion may properly, 1 believe. be ac-
cepted as a criterion for all other
charges. The fact is We occupy three
rooms"
Speaker Champ Clark. speaking in the
morning, said traffic Is Increasing so
ble-tracked or quadruple-tracked or the
rivers and harbors must be improved.
Congress Closes Today.
Other speakers included Senator Shep-
pard. of Texas; Senator Salisbury, OF
Delaware; Senator Smith, of Michigan:
Representative Raker, of California: B.
F. Cresson, OF New Jersey; Andrew b.
Sutherland. of Massachusetts,: Perry a.
Randall. of the Michigan Deep Water
way Association; J. W. Cooper. Of St.
Paul, and Gen. William II. Bixby. former
chief engineer OF the army.
In the evening a reception was given
in honor Of the delegates to the Woman's
National Rivers and Harbors Congress.
After the reception a joint session Of the
two congresses were held and addresses
were delivered by Mrs. Sarah Willard
Strout, OF Portland. Me-, president of the
Womans Congress; Mrs. William Cum
ming Story. president general OF the D.
A. R.; Mrs. John Dickinson Sherman,
chairman OF the conservation department
OF the General Federation of Women's
Clubs
With the reading of annual reports,
election OF officers. adoption Of resolu-
tions and disposal Of routine business the
congress will adjourn today.
Britain's wealth is estimated at $s5.-
o0O, 600 900.