The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-06-30

terrible steal. They say so far as they have
been able to look the bill over in the amount
appropriated to New York City it is very
judicious only the appropriations are
meager. The Buffalo papers pitch into the
bill with q good deal of virulence but every
one of them says that the appropriation for
Buffalo Is too small. Two of the
Cleveland papers, the Herald and
bill the day after we passed it over the veto
but they said at is no more than fair that
we should admit that the appropriations in
and about Cleveland are small" uaughterl
They say, further than that, "we have ex-
mime the appropriation for the entire lakes
and we are frank TO confess that as far as we
can see the great lake interests did not get
any more money than they ought to-" The
Chicago Tribune is very violent in its
de~nunciations of the thieves who passed this
bill, but it says there is nothing stolen in
Chicago. Laughter. ] They say, in effect,
"We know it is all right about Chicago, and
hat we did not get really as much as the
needs Of an intelligent population and our
business interests demand" Applause and
laughter l have q list of Al pa
pers which have denounced this bill,
and yet every one OF them, with
OuU iii eAttDUlOu, Sa1o tudO bhC
money appropriated right around them is too
little, but that the steal is som ewhere else.
Prolonged laughter II applause.l The
Boston papers, and you know that anything
from Boston is sure to be right [laughterl
say that 1t is an extravagant bill, a terrible
bill, but they also say candor compels them
to admit that as far as the commonwealth
of Massachusetts, is concerned the bill is very
moderate. [~Laughter.1
RIVER IMPROVEMENTS AND CHEAP TRANS
PoRTATIoN.
Now, fellow-citizens 1 want to say to you
that no man can properly appreciate this
river and harbor bill who cannot tax the
map of the United States and study it a lit
tie and see what the future of this country
promises. That bill is in the interest of
cheap food and cheap fuel. 1t is for the
purpose of improving and opening up the
great waterways of the country. And
while l do not sympathize in the war made
by the fanatics of this country on our rail-
roads, yet l say to you plainly that the
only way in which we can secure cheap
transportation for our surplus products to
the sea board is to keep our harbors open
and our rivers dredged out. Applause. ]
That is the reason this bill is right in princi-
pie. Why, they tell us the state of Michi-
gan has received over 100000. So she has,
S777, 900! But is that more than her harbors
need. Point out to me q harbor that we APP
propriated for which should be neglected.
THE HARBoR OF MONROE.
The Evening News says tho appropriation
for the harbor at Monroe, Mich,, is "a snide.
laughter. Now ii the News had exam
ined the report of the engineers it would
have found this state of facts existing: The
government, years ago., when Monroe was a
large shipping portland some of my
friends here remember that time better than
1 do, as it was before L came
to Michigan-expended large sums
of money in building u harbor
there. The engineers report that this year
they need a couple of thousand dollars, not
to improve. but to preserve these works; that
there, and unless they have q little money
to check it the entire works will be ruined.
We gave them q thousand dollars, half Of
what they asked, not to improve the harbor,
but to preserve what the government had al
ready improved. That is a terrible thing to
do, is it notl
THE SMALL RIVER AND HARBoRs.
Now, / say to you, that In Michigan there
are some ports to be improved which are
not as large in IN as we wish they
might DO. which get small appropriations.
| Right here let me ask you is 1t true that a
| harbor or stream is not national unless we
are called on TO expend o very large amount
| of money on it7 Think about it a moment.
Is New York city, because 1t has such an inn
mense commerce, the only thing that should
be improved, the only hsrbor that Is nationals
l say that our Saginaw river Is just exactly
as national as He'll Gate. We ship lumber
from here directly to Europe. We load grain
here for the seaboard. We start out as
much commerce, almost, as any port on the
lakes except three. 1t goes all over the
| United States. The fact that a stream is
| small has nothing to do with the case. The
| question to be decided is, is 1t a ~navigable
| stream and has it sufficient upon
it to make It of national Importance IL il has
1t should receive its just amount. We here in
the Saginaw valley, together with the whole
west, have been paying for improvements In
| New York city for the last thirty odd years.
That harbor alone, as l stated in the house
| on the passage Of this bill, has received
IS, 20O, 900 for its improvements, and now,
forsooth, when some Of the streams which
have been opened up in the west, which
have commerce built up upon their banks,
ask that their waters shall be put In shape
for the ships Of the country, they in New
| York say It is time to put on the brakes;
! that Is, after they have got all they need and
before any other part Of the country gets
| what IL needs.
/ say the length Of a stream has nothing
TO do with it. The only question is, is there
enough upon it to make 1t nation
oil and is there water enough in
it TO make it n~avigablel IL there
Is il Is Just as well entitled to
a small amount Of money asa big port Is to
a large amount. You tax us to pay for the
big ports. We help pay their bills. Because
we collect so much revenue In the city OF
New York It does not follow that the city Of
New York pays it. 1t is paid by the con
% I%sn''' all over the United States