The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-09-01

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 good deal of virulence but every
one OF them says that the appropriation for
Buffalo Is too small. Two of thu
Cleveland papers, the Herald and
the Leader, had vicious articles on the
bill the day after we passed il over the veto
but they said sit is no more than fair that
we should admit that the appropriations in
and about Cleveland are small" [Laughterl
They say, further than that, 1--WE have ex-
amined 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
denunciations of the thieves who passed this
bill, but it says there is nothing stolen in
1--WE know it is all right about Chicago and
that we did not get really as much as the
needs of an intelligent population and our
business interests demandn Applause and
laughter.] l have list of AZ pa
pers which have denounced this bill,
out an exception, says that the
money appropriated right around them is too
little, but that the steal is som swhere else.
Prolonged laughter and applause.] The
Boston papers, and you know that anything
from Boston is sure to be right [laughterl
say that 1t is an extravaganza bill, 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]
RIVER IMPROVEMENTS AND CHEAP TRANS
PoRTATIoN.
Now, fellow-citizens, want to say to you
that no man can properly appreciate this
river and harbor bill who cannot take 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 tho country. And
while do not sympathize in the war made
by the fanatics of this country on our rail-
roads, yet / 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 priuci-
pie. Why, they tell us the state of Michi-
gan has received over 100000 So she has,
s777 ,000l But is that more than her harbors
need. Point out to Inc harbor that we APP
propriated for which should be neglected.
THE HARBoR OF MONROE.
The Evening News says the appropriation
for the harbor at Monroe, Mich, is a snide.
II,auphter.] Now if 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
large shipping point--and some of my
friends here remember that time better than
do, as it was before l came
to Michigan-expended large sums
of money i'm building harbor
there. The engineers report that this year
they need a couple Of thousand dollars, not
to improve, but to preserve these works; that
the lake is washing out some of the works
there, and unless they have a little money
to check il the entire works will be ruined.
We gave them a thousand dollars, half of
what they asked, not to improve the harbor,
but to preserve what the government had al
ready improved. That is q terrible thing.to
do, Is 1t noti
THE SMALL RIVERS AND HARBoRs.
Now, l say to you, that in Michigan there
are some ports to be improved which are
not as large in commerce as wa wish they
might be. which get small appropriations.
Right here let me ask you Is IL true that a
harbor or stream is not national unless we
are called on to expend very large amount
of money on IL? Think about it q moment.
Is New York city, because IL has such an i'm
mense commerce, the only thing that should
be improved, the only harbor that is natiorsali
say that our Saginaw river is just exactly
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 It 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 it a navigable
stream and has il sufficient commerce upon
IL to make it of national importancel IL ii has
IL should receive its just amount. We here I'm
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
81, 2OO 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 I'm New
York say IL 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 IL. Is there
commerce enough upon IL 20 make IL nation
al and Is there water enough I'm
A..