The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-02-03
TUMNER.s sPEECm.
River EmprOVeme and
what he FaVOTs.

Mr. TURNER, Of Kentucky. Mr.. Speak
err, during the second session Of The For
~ sixth Congress | had occasion TO dis
cuss this very question, and hope the
amendment Of the gentleman from Louisi-
ana Mr. King with the amendment that
will oe offered will prevail. At that time
| cOnte ended with others that the juristic-
ton of the improvement Of the Mississippi
River and its nRvigahle tributaries should
be given TO separate, distinct committee.
entertain to-day the same views that
did then on this question regarding the
magnitude and interest involved in the
improvement of these mighty rivers. The
question of their improvement should
occupy the attention Of one committee ex-
clusively.
Now. sir, at the proper time I under
stand an amendment will be offered by
another gentleman of this House that the
Ohio River and its navigable tributaries
shall be included in the amendment Of the
gentleman from Louisiana. And | hope
il may be adopted That will include the
Cum berland and the Tennessee, which are
navigable rivers Of over one thousand
miles in extent, and the other tributaries
of the Ohio river. l want one committee,
sir, 10 have jurisdiction of the whole Mis-
sissippi Valley and of its navigable
streams, and then believe they will have
the power to carry appropriations of suf-
6cieut magnitude TO properly improve
those great navigsble streams as they
ought to be improved, and do it economi-
cally. Mr.. Speaker, l believe that we
would have carried this proposition al
! the second session Of the Forty sixth Con-
gress, but gentlemen were induced to be-
| lieye that they would get larger aPpro
1 priations from the Committee on Com
meroe. But their hopes were vain-they
were deceived. The victory that they
/ believed to be won turned to ashes on
| their lips The appropriation of four
millions Of dollars recommended by the
/ Committee on Mississippi improvement
I was cut down TO one million Of dollars or
/ less, and the greater part OF that large
/ appropriation Of over ten millions IN the
| last river and barbor bill was made to
( small aud Insignificant streams, not even
subject to admiralty jurisdiction, and
[ diverted from the channels IN which IL
/ should have gone, and scattered through
/ out the country on insignificant streams
| l regard that bin as one of the most ex-
/ travagant and worst appropriation bills
/ that ever passed this House since I have
/ been member, and | voted against it,.
! But by the organization Of separate
/ committee, with the jurisdiction proposed,
{ | believe We can get q fairer proportion
/ Of the appropriation 90 which We are en-
[ titleI for those rivers than we have ever
/ before received. and an appropriation ade-
/ quate for the great commercial interests
! of that portion Of the country through
which these nav gable rivers dow.
( / believe, Mr.. Speaker, that the Repre-
seutatives of he States bordering on these
! rivers together with the ftir-mlnie
/ Representatives Of other States. regard
/ ing the commercial wants Of the vast
country through which these rivers run
when this matter comes fairly before
! them and is duly consilsred--wil give 10
/ us in 4 spirit OF libsrality all that is nee
essary and proper, without subjectIng us
/ TO a logrolliug system, such rs has been
/ practicsd heretofore and which Is obuOx-
I ious 10 many members on this floor.
Mr.. Speaker AS my colleague Mr..
/ Willis desires me TO yield him part Of ny
/ time 10 offer his amendment and as my time
/ IS 90 short, I will incorporate ia my re-
/ marks part Of the remarks that l made
/ upon this question at the second session
/ of the Forty sixth Congress, which | send
+ 10 the Reporter In conclusion, Mr. Speak
err, | will say that there is no member on
/ thIs floor who more earnestly desires the
proper improvement Of the Mississippi
/ River and its navigable tributaries than
do; AMI l am willing TO vote for an
amount sufficient to accomplish this greal
purpose.
Mr.. Kenna. Before the gentlemen
closes | desire to ask him question.
Mr. King. fit is to be taken out Of my
time | object TO yielding the floor.
The Speaker. 1t must be taken out OF
( the time of the gentleman from Louisiana.
Mr.. Willis. viii the gentleman from
Kentucky yield to me TO sub nit an amend
meut.
Mr.. Turner, of Kentucky. I viii.
Mr.. King will yield 10 the gentle
man from West Virginia for moment
SIR. Kenna. | desire 20 ask the gentle
man from Kentucky, who speaks 50 elo
/ quently in favor Of large appropriations
for the Mississippi, the Cumberland, aud
/ the Tennessee Rivers, if he will csndidly
/ inform the House when, after the long
service he has seen here, he ever voted
for an appropriation for any river in the
United States. Laughter.
Mr.. Turner, of Kentucky. In reply to
the gentlemnn's question, Mr.. Speaker,
| will say to him that he on the Commerce
/ Committee seemed to me to regard no in
terest outside of his own State of West
( Virginia, and that his appropriations were
generally scattered among streams thai
ought 10 have been macadamized instead
of undertaking to make them navigable
/ 1Grest laughter.
Mr. Kenna. The gentleman from Ken
lucky has always taken occasion TO refer
in this manner to any appropriations made
for the rivers in my State. had better
conhne himself to the little streams fol-
which appropriations were made in Ken
lucky.
Mr.. Turner, Of Kentucky. The Cumb
land, the Tennessee. the Mississippi. anC
the Missouri Rivers are not confined t.
nv district am for improving the
navigable rivers that float the great com
mercs Of this country, not for improving
rivers that ought to be macadamized aud
are dry most of the year. Laughter anc
applause Mr.. Speaker, will now send
| 10 The Rannrfar the ramarks | refarrel 10