New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-22
NATIONAL LAW MAKING.
RIVER AND HARBOR APPROPRIATIONS
SHARP ATTACK by MIR. INGALLS, on THE SENATE
CONFERENCE AND COMMERCE COMMITTEES
,N

SHARP ATTACK by MIR. INGALLs on THE SENATE
CONFERENCE AND COMMERCE COMMITTEES
SENATOR'S on THE DEFENSIVE.
lBY TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUSEI
WASHINGTON, July 21.-Tt must be that the ap-
proach Of dog days has heated the Congressional
mind disposng it 10 contentious and chickering's.
The epidemic of Ill temper and personalities which
has recently manifested itself with such violence III
the House of Representatives has attacked the
Senate, and to-day gathered in several victims
The session began with vigorous and caustIc
tongue-lashing iof the members of the conference
committee on the River and Harbor bill, by Senator
ingalls,, and their replies in kind, and ended with
an exchange of mild personalities between Senator
Dawes and Senator Beck.
At II o'clock Senator Mcmillan made report
from the conference committee, announcing that
agreements had been reached upon all the features
of the River and Harbor bill except the Iennepin
and Delaware Canals. the Mississippi River inn
prOvoment and the Potomac Flats, and recommend
ing that the Senate insist upon its amendments ana
ask for a new conference with the House. The
trouble was prccptated by declaration from Sen
ingalls, that the report contained many sinister
features, and in substance that the Senators
upon the conference committee had secured
the appropriations for their own States,
or for those of members of the
Committee on Commerce, from winch the bill was
reported to the Senate, and had given away" all
the rest of the Senate amendments Senator McMll-
Ian ed that the record did not sustain the ae-
cations of the senator from Kansas.
Senator Ingdll srceratcd his charges, stlgmatlZng
the action as shame less." Turning toward Sena-
tor Ransom, of North Carolina VINO he sad was
member of the Commerce Committee and OF the con-
ference committee, he read n long llsl OF ahenu-
ments for improvements IN North Carolina waters,
which had been retained. Turning to the Otner
members III turn, he read from the amendments III
tstsr a HON al fer.
with sharp reflections upon Tho acts OF the cOIult-
tee and CharaceriZng the River and larDOr BIZ as
"degIadlng and debaslng" lhe discovery that the
great national improvements are absolutely essen
tIal only in those States where members OF the con-
ference and the Commerce Committees reside was
absolutely startling If there was one feature
which relieved the bill from absolute baseness nc
would be glad 10 know 1t.
Senator McMillan-usualy even-tempered and
sei-possesSed-was wrought up to a white heat by
The remarks OF the senator from Kansas and made
PASSIONATE defence OF his committee ana MS re-
pOrC He SAID the terms by which the Senator from
Kansas had attacked the report were ungentlcmlnly
and unjust and ms charges were without SnaiOW
O foundation. La reading over the report, the SEN
alor had not sustained the charges Many things
had been surrendered by members OIL the confer
euce Committee, and many had been retained l0r
sta. es winch were not represented upon IL. lhIs
Senator Mcmillan proc cded TO show III DETAIL Con
,mulng, SAID the statement oil tine senator from
Kansas was not true ana he ought to nave Known H.
If he had examined the report lie would nave known
il. lis attack unJuStlllabc and ungenilelnailly
Throughout lIt NuOit history Vi hlNcL duu ildiOOi
bills no man could point to ii scandal III the eXpen-
di.uIe OF the money appropriated. Inc senator
from Kansas had undertaken TO charge that, IL the
report agleed to. the conference committee III
tended TO aDanuOn the fur great wOlks upon Whicn
an agreement had not been reached. lie would tell
the senator from Kansas that the charge was UNI
true, etc.
In tneIr turn the several members of the commit
tees attacked arose and poured out the walls Of
their wrath upon the head OF the Senator from
Kansas. The exhibition lasted with vary
rtftfH nlnI
closing the debate with rejoInder TO All the
speeches which had been fired at hlln, IN when
he declared that the American people had stamped
the River and llarDOr blll with Inelr Glspeasufe.
Iney regarded II as the most wanton, WlcAeG, prOn-
gate IndeiensiDIe appropriation Tor the purpose
ever made from the puOhc treasury The people,
he SAID, understood the Misunderstanding TO the
pubic cOnscIence--by which combinations are
formed by means OF which these eXtravagant
amounts are voted out OF the puDlc treasury.
The exchange OF compliments" between Sena-
tor Dawes and senator Beck was more terrible III
volume tnan IN meaning. he TWO are sad to be
excellent friends ana III private mutual admirers;
but III public they are often by tue ears