THE LAKES^TO^GULF CONVENTION 



AT CHICAGO 



THE third annual convention of 

 the Lakes-to-Gulf Deep Water- 

 way Association, held in the 

 Auditorium Theater, Chicago, October 

 7-9, was notable in several respects. In 

 the first place it is claimed to be the 

 largest waterway convention ever as- 

 sembled in the United States, the offi- 

 cial roster comprising some 4,300 

 delegates from forty-four states ; and 

 in the second place, it brought together 

 for the first time in American history, 

 the Presidential candidates of the two 

 great political parties to occupy the 

 same forum, and essentially the same 

 platform so far as concerns the para- 

 mount issue now before the American 

 people — that of improved transporta- 

 tion through waterway development. It 

 was even more notable in that, for the 

 first time in such an assemblage, no 

 efifort was made to solicit the favor of 

 Congressional leaders, or to get any 

 public men on record ; the position as- 

 sumed being that of citizens represent- 

 ing a majority of the people determin- 

 ing in convention the lines of policy 

 which the people demand shall be car- 

 ried out. Conformably with this posi- 

 tion, the address of the President was 

 one of the broadest and most stalwart 

 utterances ever made in a waterway 

 convention ; while the resolutions 

 framed by a committee drawn from 

 some thirty states and unanimously 

 adopted by the entire Convention are 

 far and away the most comprehensive, 

 constructive, and vigorous thus far 

 framed in the waterway interests of 

 either the interior or the country at 

 large. 



After assembling on the morning of 

 October 7, the address of President 

 Kavanaugh (printed in later para- 

 graphs) was delivered ; it was followed 



by a notable report submitted by Sec- 

 retary Saunders. At eleven-thirty Judge 

 William H, Taft was introduced and re- 

 ceived a stirring ovation. He delivered 

 a scholarly and eflFective address, indi- 

 cating the need for waterway improve- 

 ment on a comprehensive scale, point- 

 ing out the defects in the methods 

 hitherto pursued, and explaining the 

 policy of the present and prospective 

 administration regarding the complete 

 control and utilization of running 

 waters for navigation and all related 

 purposes by methods involving coopera- 

 tion between the Federal Government 

 and states. The address elicited great 

 enthusiasm. 



The afternoon was devoted to an in- 

 spection of the great sanitary drainage 

 canal connecting Lake Michigan with 

 the Illinois River, by means of special 

 trains and barges provided by the Chi- 

 cago Association of Commerce, the 

 host of the convention. Delegates and 

 other guests (including ladies) filled 

 four special trains on the Santa Fe 

 Railway. 



No exercises were set for the even- 

 ing by the association ; but several of 

 the officers and delegates, including 

 the Governors, Senators, and Represen- 

 tatives in attendance, were guests at 

 the fourth annual dinner of the Chi- 

 cago Association of Commerce, in the 

 Auditorium Hotel, in celebration of the 

 rebuilding of Chicago since the fire of 

 1871. This function was made espe- 

 cially notable by the presence at the 

 same board, at either side of President 

 Richard C. Hall, of Judge William H. 

 Taft. and Hon. William J. Bryan, as 

 chief speakers. 



During the morning session of Octo- 

 ber 8 a most efifective paper, emphasiz- 

 ing the necessity for waterway improve- 



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