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Show ITiOiL RIVERS AND HARBORS l WASHINGTON. Dec, 7. With tho largest number of delegates known In Its history, the seventh annual gathering gath-ering of the National Rivers and Harbors Har-bors congress convened here today. The welcoming address of President Taft. the annual report of President Joseph IS. Ransdell, tho address of Chairman Alexander, of the house committee on rivers and harbors, .1. A. Patlon, of Tennessee, and D. II Skinner, of Son Francisco, were the only ones delivered. Senator Borah, of Idaho, was unable to speak because of throat trouble. Colonel W. D. Si-bert, Si-bert, of tho Panama canal commission, commis-sion, failed to arrive In time. ''There was a time in the history of this country when river navigation was greatly more important than it Is now." said President Taft In his address. ad-dress. "The growth of railroads has diminished the Importance of river transportation under existing conditions, condi-tions, and the problem which ou gentlemen gen-tlemen have to solve Is the union and cc-operatlon of iallroads and rivers. Tho terminal difficulties, with respect to river transportation, are the difficulties diffi-culties you have to overcome before you shall solve this question " The committee on resolutions wan named by President Ransdell, as follows: fol-lows: John C. Freeman, chairman, Virginia; Vir-ginia; Charles E. Deland, Duluth: Charles E. Carey. Oregon; R. M.. Johnson. Texas; W. P Grant, Washington, Wash-ington, and Andrew Miller, North Dakota. Da-kota. oo |