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

extension has progressed. Take the post
offices and postroads of this country, because
they, like the rivers and harbors, extend all
over the nation. In 1900 there were only IS
postofiices in the entire United States, not
half as many as have had to fight over in
my district alone. daughter and applause
In 1881 there were A, 512. In 1890 we had
only l,S75 miles of postroads in the United
States; in 1881 we had over 1000 miles of
postroads. 1t cost, i'm l79O, to run the post
offices of this country $50, l40; last year it
cost $50, 251 1856 So with our rivers and
harbors. We are continually develop
ing new country. Why! the east does
not seem to understand that there is but
little country but what lies east of the Ale
ghany mountains; Whereas you take the
map of the United States and three or four
busy flies would blot that eastern country
out In 10 minutes. prolonged laughter and
The great bulk of the country of the United
States lies west Of the Allegheny mountains
and south, and we are constantly opening
up this new country. Take our own state as
an illustration. because We know what
we are talking about around home
here. Thirty years ago il anybody
Au Sable it would have been considered
ridiculous, and yet to-day Au Sable is ship
ping more tonnage than the entire Connecti-
cut river, on which the government has ex-
pended over half million Of dollars. The
same thing may be said of Alpena. Think
for moment. like our President, and I
say to you we have a good President, but
men sometimes make mistakes. Fools never
do. [Laughter.l Our President made mis-
take In yetoing the river and harbor bill, l
think. He did not think so. but say
think he made this mistake. He got
the old Democratic notion into his
head--but it is not Democratic any
longer, because the majority of Democrats do
not believe in it--that q stream must not be
improved unless 1t runs through two or more
states. The fact is, the supreme court OF
this country has decided this question as to
when stream may be improved under our
constitution and they that say that it simply
depends upon whether it is navigable or not;
that is the only question. The state surren-
dered up to the general government all con-
troll over commerce. Is that not true' You
cannot bridge the Saginaw river without
you get permission from congress, because 1t
Is navigable stream. State courts cannot
assume Jurisdiction over any vessel on that
river as your vessel men will tell
you. You must go to the United States
court simply because the commerce of the
country is controlled by the general govern
ment So the harbors must be improved, IL
improved at ALL by the general government.
Ever since there have been appropriations
made money has been paid for the improve
ment Of rivers that only run In one state.
Amongthe earliest appropriations was one for
the Hudson river, in the state of New York
The constitution was hardly cold when the
first river and harbor bill was passed and
that included the Delaware river as one of
the streams that should be improved There
has never been an appropriation bill from
the foundation Of the government down to
this that has paid any attention whatever to
state lines This is as it should be. The
question of whether a navigable river is in
one state or another has nothing to do with
the Improvement of It, The only question
is, Is IL In the United States of America.
II it Is, the government should take care of it
and give 1t such improvement as IL needs.
HOW THE BILL WAS PREPARED.
Let me tell you how carefully we prepared
this bill, then you will seq whether the crit
icisms which are INDUCED in by the press all
over the country are just. Our committee is
composed of IS men. There is not q single
item in the 35l in that bill-perhaps there are
more than that now in it, because give the
number as it was when the bill left the house
there Is not SINCE item In that entire bill
which that committee did not consider care
fully and In reference to which we did not
take the reports of the engineers
and read them critically. first as to what the
improvement was; second, as to the amount
of commerce that fioated over the stream or
into the harbor; third, as to all the informa-
ton that We could get from the papers that
Woio hiou OuUsiuo vi Vic eukihetts TepOrtss
For instance, in reference to our home river,
the Saginaw, the board Of trade sent an
elaborate statement showing the commerce
of this river, tho mills upon its banks,
etc. Every ono of those items was
carefully examined by that committee and
we struck out every one of them that did
not seem to present good reasons for being
improved, and that did not have commercs
enough to sntitle 10 to tho consideration of
the nation. Don't understand me that every
item In that bill met my approval. There
were many In u that voted against There
were many items In it that voted for which
others voted against, II you will think of
it moment you will see that such would
necessarily be the case The majority Of
these men had determined what items
should 60 into the bill, how much money
each tom should receive, and In no instance
Is there dollar given ON . single item
In excess Of what the engineer has said was
needed to complete the work or carry on the
work for tins year. and only in . very few
instances has the full amount asked for been
given. In the bulk Of casss they obtained
30 per cent. only OF what the engineers
recommended In our Saginaw river we
only croft "a nor cant But lot ma saw fellow