New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-08-12
RIVER AND HARBOR IMPROVEMENT

The Buffalo Republic is in a dilemma on this tops.
Its Barnburner principles pull direction-that,
namely, which regards /" the songs of Internal In
| "prOyement" as "libels on the laws Of God, as
COL Sam. Young the chief Of this school, SO forcbly
expressed it, and esteems every public work as got
up either by spectators to fill their pockets at the
public cost, or by demagogues hobby whereon to
ride into Office But then Buffalo is itself child
and creation Of Public Works and like Oliver Twist
it "wonts some more" The Republics only escape
is by the Silas Wright dodge which it elucdates
follows:
"While we are as much in favor of Internal Improve
ments The Journal can be, abominate all such River
and Hsrbor bills as the vetoed; and we hope every
such bill that shall be here after framed in Congress- will
find Executive ready with veto to put to DEATH There
is no necessity for getting such general bill While
Congress abong to get omnibus load OF these Items
tosether from all parts OF the country ana unAerug mem
into single bl dozen bills might be framed and passed,
authorizing single improvements that national in their
constitutional objection. Why should this be
taken What other utility there in such conglomeraton
of Improvement projects than the facility which affords for
slipping through those projects which could not stand alone
and which do no, present single feature of nationality
These huge ations are designed vehicles of
fraud TRey are thus bundled together for the purpose of
making dozen proper objects of national hberay carry
with them e dozen projects for the Improvement of the
property Of individuals companies, which can be no
advantage 10 the nation and with whoh the National Le-
gislature can rghifully have nothing to do
1t strikes US that the above involves clear con.
fessOn by The Republic of the incapacity of its party
fifty TO govern the country. For this vetoed River
and Harbor bill was based on estimates framed in
Department under the supervision of our Democratic
Cabinet shaped by Democratic Committees, and
passed by Congress overwhelmingly Democratic in
both branches. If among all these functionsrities
there are none who possess the ability or fidelity re-
ed IN of he III
.of. 9o" to the improvement of our Rivers and Har-
boIs the case is manifestly hopeless. The Resolves
of 9s were expressly incorporated into the last De-
mocratic National Platform, and the present Con-
gress as well as Executive was elected distinctly
thereon. Yet no Member presented no one seriously
proposed special bill for each River and Harbor u
provement required; the contrary the Democratic
| Committee of the House framed one general bill,
b.. ed on the estimates submitted from the Topo-
s., phical Bureau of the proper Department, which
"a, Democratic House adopted; as did the Senate's
| democratic Committee followed by the Democratic
/ Go ate ITSELF Such has been the uniform practice;
aIa, though Silas Wright for many years inAu
entail Senator he never once attempted TO reduce
his own theory to practice. 1t is simply cutle-6
device to favor the escape Of slippery politicians from
/ difficulty.
Just imagine Congress undertaking to pass es-
pecisly at the short Session some scores Of sepa-
rate bills making appropriations for needed improve
ments in SO many different Rivers and Harbor. Each
BILL by imperative rule, must be considered in Com
mttee of the Whole from which no bill rghtfully
be taken while any one has an amendment to offer.
Now consider that there always from sixty to nine
ty determined opponents of the entire Ybcy Of max
ing such improvements, while the Chairman Of the
Ways and Means must insist that the great regular
and necessary Appropriation bills be acted on, while