Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-08-16
TaE RIVER AND HARBoR BILL.
Senator Hoar Gives the Reasons why
the Massachusetts Delegation Voted
for the Bill.

Boston, Aug. 10.
Senator Hoar has addressed a long letter
to the people of Massachusetts, which will
appear in Wednesday mornings papers, IN
which he gives the reasons which governed
the Massachusetts, delegation in veting for
the river and harbor appropriation bill. The
senator saws: s.What is the river and harbor
bill which has been the subject of such crit
icism? 1t appropriates SIS. 33S SIS, but OF
this sum So ,36S 800 are for special improve
ments on the Mississippi river, according to
the design of the eminent commission, es-
pecially appointed in former year to frame
a plan for that purpose; 100000 for re-
clamation of the malarial and pestiferous
flats near the White House, and S247.500 are
for further surveys. To neither of these
items, as far as / can learn, is there object
ion anywhere? Deducting those three ex-
traordinary items, each might properly been
in separate bills, there remained Sll, 122, $50
as a SUBJECT of discussion. The expenditure
of last year was Sll .45l 800. Further-of
this whole sum, ST., 700. 900, there is but
81 AS this new, all the rest is for public
improvements, partially completed, the most
of which have been going on for years. many
of them under contracts, and all. or
nearly all, if abandoned would cause loss
of all the money previously expended"
Referring to the internal improvement he
saws: 1.-The people get more for their money
from this class of appropriation than any
other. These works are permanent. The
money is expended by board of engineers.
This board is made up of experienced army
officers and has the confidence of the country
more than any other public board, not ex-
cepting the Supreme Court itself.
No member of Congress or anybody else
can influence dollar of expenditure. No
dollar in this department has ever, SO far as
| know, been challenged. The constitution
authorizes these expenditures only when ad-
vantages received by the public repays the
cost, and when that advantage is an advan-
tage to commerce with foreign nations or
among States. If the expenditure be waste
full or be merely for individual or local bene-
fit it is to be condemned. But it does not
follow from this statement because the har-
Dor or waterway is within the limits of one
State or county or town it is for that reason
local only. If the effect of the public work
be to annex that community to a great sys-
TEN of national international ways,
and that community be of sufficient impor-
lance to make that annexation, the national
benefit of the expe niiture is then warranted.
BY this test must each item in the river
and harbor bill stand or fall. OF course,
Senators generally cannot personally inves-
tigate every item which goes to make up this
or any other of appropriation bills. But
having reasons for believing that the provi-
sons of this bill are just and honest, we had
further fact that no human being, as far as l
knew, had ever pointed out one single item
great or small, he thought wrong. Much
general denunciation there was outside
and little in Congress. But no
man to the best of my belief and in
this am confirmed by my associates. and
generally by members of the committe. ever
pointed finger to one single item and said
this is local. this is job. this is for individ-
ual not public benefit" In regard to the
Presidents veto. he says, ''no man feels more
deeply than | the public and party reasons
which make it desirable to support the Presi-
dent, but the duty of a senator or represen-
tative when the President returns a bill with
his objections, is to vote Oh its reconsidera-
ton according to his own conscience,is clear
Nv set forth in the constitution, as is the duty
of the President to do according to his. The
President did not point out any item he
thought of local interest only, and did not
point to anv instance in which he thought the
bill unconstitutional. He did not refer us to
the information on which he acted, that we
might see whether it were he or we that were
deceived; we were therefore left to our own
resources" The senator concludes as fol-
lows: "Whether the policy of this bill is to
be popular in Massachusetts this afternoon,
this week. or this year. | do not know; but
one thing do know, it is in the line of all
her traditions, and is sure, sooner or later,
to command her support"