The Portland daily press., 1882-08-16
RIVER AND HARBOR BILL.

Senator Hoar Explains Why the Massa
chusetts Delegation Voted in It's Favor.
Boston, Aug. Ex-senator Hoar has ad :
dressed a long letter to the people of Massa
chusetts which will appear in Wednesday
mornings papers in which he gives the rea-
sons which governed the Massachusetts delega-
ton in voting for the River and Harbor appro-
priation bill. The senator says "What is the
river and harbor bill which has been the SUBJ
iect of such criticism? 1t appropriates $18,-
38, ,875, but OF this sum SIS 1868 800 are for spec
ial improvement of the Mississippi river ac-
cording to the design of an eminent commits
sion specially appointed in former year to
frame plan for that purpose; $4C),0 for re-
clamation of malarial and pestiferous flats near
the White House, and $247 800 for future sur
veys. To neither of these items SO far as l can
learn is there objection anywhere. Deduct
ing these three extraordinary items each OF
which might properly have been in a separate
bill there remain $12, ,722, ,875 as the subject of
discussion.
The expenditure of last year was $11, ,451,-
800. Further, of this whole sum l2.700,00O
there is but 1853. .4g5sthat is now; all the rest
is for public improvements partially complet-
ed, most of which have been going on for
years, many of them under contracts and all
or nearly all of which if abandoned would
cause the less of ell money previously OK
pended.
Referring to internal improvement he says:
"People get more for their money from this
class of appropriations than any other. These
works are permanent. The money is expend-
ed by board of engineers and this board is
made up of experienced army officers and has
the confidence of the country more than any
other public body not excepting the supreme
court itself. No member OF Congress or any
body else can influence a dollar OF expendi-
ture. Economy and honesty of expenditure OF
no dollar in this department has ever, SO far as
known been challenged. The constitution au-
thorizes these expenditures only when the ad-
vantage received by the public repays the
cost and when that advantage is ian advantage
to the commerce with foreign nations or
among the States. If the expenditure be
wasteful or be merely for individual benefit it
is to be condemned tbut it does not follow from
this statement because harbor or waterway
is within the limits of one State or county it is
for that reason local only. If the effect of the
public work be to annex that community to
the great system of national or international
Ways and that community be OF sufficient i'm
portance or will be by the improvement made
of sufficient Importance to make that annexa-
ton a national benefit then the expenditure is
warranted. By this test must each item in
the river and harbor bill stand or fall,
OF course senators generally connOt PERSONAL
ly investigate every item which goes to make
up this or any other of the appropriation
bills but having reasons for believing the pro-
visions of this bill were just and honest we had
the further fact that no human being SO far as
know had ever pointed out one single item,
great or small, that he thought wrong. Much
general denunciation there was outside and a
little in Congress, but no man to the best of
my belief-and in this I am confirmed by my
associates and especially by members of the
committee ever pointed their finger to one
single item and said this is local, this is job,
this is for individual and 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 President. But the duty of a
Senator or Representative, when the President
returns bill with his objection to vote on its
reconsideration according to his own con-
scienceIis as clearly setforthln the constitution
as the duty of the President to act according
to his. The President did not point out any
item he thought of local interest only and did
not point out any instance in which he
thought the bill unconstitutional. He did not
refer to the information on which he acted
that we might see whether it were he or we
that were deceived and we were therefore left
to our own resources"
The Senator concludes as follows: whether
the policy of this bill is to be popular in Mas
sachusetts this afternoon, this week or this
year do not know; but one thing I do know
it is in the line of all her traditions and sure
sooner or later to command her support"