Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-10
ONE GRAND SCHEME
FOR WATERWAYS
Speakers at Rivers and Har-
bors Congress Advocate Con-
centration of Purpose.
SHOULD PRESENT PROJECT
IN COMPREHENSIVE FORM
Convention Reflects Senator Rams
dell President and O. A. Thomp.
son Secretary, and Adjourns.

son Secretary, and Adjourns.
Naturalization of all rivers and har-
bors projects into one grand scheme of
| improvement was urged on the dele
gates at the twelfth annual convention
! OF the national rivers and harbors con-
gress in session at the New Willard
Hotel today Senator Newlands told
| the delegates that the rivers and har-
bors advocates were responsible for the
failure of the waterways project. be-
cause they did not have a comprehen-
sive project.
The convention went on record in IA
vor of the naturalization of the water
ways development into comprehensive
project.
Senator Ransdell was unanimously re-
elected president and o. A. Thompson
of this city was reelected secretary.
Albert Schulties of this city was
elected director for the south Atlantic
seaboard.
The new board Of directors and vice
presidents is meeting at the Willard
this afternoon. The program for the
ensuing year is being discussed and
The convention adjourned sine die at
2 o'clock.
Speaker Urges Cooperation.
Cooperation between state and local
organizations with the national rivers and
| harbors body was urged today in an ad-
dress by Capt. Wilson I. Downey. field
secretary for Michigan. He told the
delegates that cooperation is necessary,
and that the sentiment of the general
pubic must be aroused in favor o. rivers
and harbors projects.
Sidney j. Roy of Hannibal. Mo-. field
secretary for Missouri. told the delegates
that they must talk national waterways
rather than local projects.
Declaring that there are but 45S yes
sells of the size that can economically
cross the ocean. aggregating l.9Oo,ooo
gross tons. Frank l.. Neale OF Phlia-
delphia spoke on the American mer-
chant marine. This, he said. included
all the vessels admitted under the ship
transfer act of the last Congress AL
though the exports OF the country had
increased away beyond the widest
dreams. aggregating now five billions
| of dollars, only per cent OF that
amount goes into American bottoms.
Charging that the railroads Of the
country throttled water competition,
George Sullivan of saltwater. Mimi.
said that ample evidence of 1t can be
, found in the last report of the House
man along the Mississippi. he said. dare
invest any capital in establishing a
water route because of the death
throttling methods of the railroads. He
pointed out that France in four years
had spent more on her waterways than
had been spent by the United States
in it's entire history. He also said that
the delegates should go out and de-
mand S5O0,000,000 for rivers and har-
bors.
nava1on the rivers and harhors proj-
ects into one big project and then go
before the country with 1t as ma
tional project is the only way to get
action. said Z. D. Dewitt of Muskogee.
Okla He urged the delegates to go
home and follow this suggestion, :"
Annual Reports Submitted.
S. A. Thompson of this city. secretary
Of the organization. read his annual
report, together with that Of the treas
urer. He said that although the reve-
nues had been reduced. the expenses
had been reduced. Saying that this
meant harder work and longer work,
he paid tribute to the staff of assis-
tants in his office in this city. He
urged the delegates to work Tor many
the organization may be increased and
enable the waterways advocates to ade7
auately fight the element which is cry
ing pork barrel"
Those who have been engaged In wa
terways propaganda are responsible for
the failure to develop the waterways,
Senator Francis G. Newlands told the
delegates.
Fail to Present Definite Plan.
you have been responsible" he said.
because you have not presented 10 Con-
eress a clear, comprehensive and defi-
mite plan that will embrace every wa
tershed and. will meet the demand of
those that want the waterways for
navigation; of those who want to save
the 100000, 900 damage annually from
foods, and those who want the food
waters for irrigation. those who want
to take waters of the wet lands and
those who believe in the development
Of waterpower and those who believe
in the development of great watersheds
as storage reservoirs.
IF you will shape a measure that
meets the demands of these people, a
hill for waterways alone-not water
ways and harbors-a bill that VIII meet
all these requirements and extend It's
! operation over ten years. you WI! De
will meet You will be amazed at the
response from Congress-
nv all means, he said, separate the
waterways from the harbors. He urged
! the delegates to give their ENDORSEMENT
to the Newlands- Broussard inland wa
terways bill.
Holds Elimination Needed.
Senator Gore told the convention he
had never voted for rivers and har-
bofs bill because with the wise
projects were bad ones. He said they
needed a process of elimination.
few examples Of the uses OF inland
navigation should be made. he said,
and to that end he intended to intro
duce in the Senate today bill calling
On the Secretary of War for the cost
and time necessary to complete
waterway from New York to ST. Paul.
Mimi, by way Of the Hudson river
Erie canal and great lakes.
He advocated a moderate tax on m
lin sacred fund to be used for IN
ternal improvement
Representative Small of North Car
olira read the report OF the resoiu-
lions committee. The report gives
support to the projects advocated by
the army engineers: recommends
Jurisdiction; the outlining Of sys-
tenn Of waterways as national project,
a harmonious and comprehensive sys-
tenn to be completed at the earliest
practical date; recommends the COM
pletion of the trunk projects before
channel depth and width; a complete
CO ordination of railways and water
ways: an amendment to the interstate
commerce commission act giving that
body power to fix minimum as we'll as
maximum freight rates: the collection
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