Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-04-18
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
ANOTHER ANTI-CHINESE BILL.
The Measure Rnshed Through the
HOuse-K eIfeF Loses His Head and
His Temper-A Setback 10 the
Banks-A Black Eve for the Navy
KelIOg2's Mississippi Improve
ment BlII-FIOrida's Rivers and
HRrbOrs- Georgia Omees-NomI-
nations and CoDf1rmatiOns.

HRrbOrs- Georgia Omees-Nomi-
nations and Combinations.
WASHINGTON, April 17.-Arthur, as was
predicted in the NEWS long time ago, to-
day nominated Holden as Postmaster at
Augusta. He will follow it by the nomina-
ton OF R. D. Locke as Postmaster at
Columbus. It is understood on good
authority this will wind up the government
offices in Georgia.
Speaker Keifer was "rigged" to-day by
both sides of the House. The Democratic
side used him to make the Republicans
show up In opposition to the Chinese bill,
even with the limitation of ten years. Ger
tsin Republicans, opposed to any restriction
of Chinese emigration, also made a butt of
Keifer. For three hours the House was in
an uproar over the Chinese bill and finally
passed It.
1t was Pages bill. There was no doubt
about the passage of the bill, but the Dem
ocrats succeeded in dividing the Republi-
cans. That is exactly what they varied
At the same time they succeeded In making
Keifer an ass. Keifer made so many blum
ders and lost his head so many times, that
the only conclusion which could be reached
was that he is totally untitled for his present
position. In addition to losing his head
Keifer did what was worse-he lost his
| temper.
URGENT APPEALS FOR FLoRIDA's RIVERS
AND UARBORs
To-day several States had a hearing
before the House Commerce Committee.
Florida was one of the States. Representa-
tive Finley urged an adequate appropria-
tion for Fernandina, Cumberland Sound,
the entrance to the st. Johns river, Han
over Canal, the Halifax and Matarzas
rivers.
Representative Davidson urged that
| Pensacola be given $50 600, Apalachicola
river So 600 Tampa Bay $25, 900, Suwannee
river $4,000, WithacoOchte river $1,000,
| Ssles' Peake creek 81 000 Escambia river
$4,000, Kew West $25000, Mauetee river
| $40 600, and for other rivers and improve
ments $25 600.
Senator Call urged S4OO 600 for Fernan-
| dina. Jacksonville and the Atlantic coast of
the State, and $780, 600 for the Gulf coast.
| SENAIE HhOCEEDlNGSs
In the Senate George M. Chilcott quail
| fed as Senator from Colorado, to succeed
Henry NJ. Teller.
The bill recently reported by Mr.. Kellogg,
from the Commerce Committee, for deep
| ening the channels and improving the navi-
| cation Of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers,
| came up as the regular order. The bill pro
| vIdes that the work is TO be carried on by
the Secretary Of War upon the plans of the
PIRATES five millions for the Mississippi ard
one million for tho Missouri river. 1t pro-
hibits the use of any portion of the money
| in The construction or repair of levees.
An amendment to the bill intended to be
proposed by Mr.. Jonas, OF Louisiana, ap-
nlies so much of the appropriation as the
| Secretary of War may deem necessary upon
the advice of the Mississippi River Commits
| sion in immediate repair, or the cOnetruc-
tion of such levees as will assist in deepen
ing the channel and improving navigation,
but not for the purpose of preventing in
jury TO lands by overfOws.
An amendment prepared by Mr. Garland
increases the appropriation to $15000,000
(thirteen millions for the Mississippi and
two millions for the Missouri rivers), to be
expended in the construction, completion,
repairing and preservation of such works as
in the Judgment of the commission, will
best locate and deepen the river channel
and protect the banks, improve and give
safety to navigation, prevent destruction by
floods and facilitate trade and prosperity.
Mr.. Kellogg, in opening the debate, said
that while the bill was unanimously re-
ported, some member of the committee be-
lieved 1t better to impose no restrictions
upon the Mississippi River Commission,
and would be at liberty to agree on an
amendment constituting the members of
that body the sole judges as to whether
CT ~ OH cH al ha
in building levees. Upon the magnitude of
the recent overflow, he said 1t covered a
highly cultivated area, inhabited by farm
ers and planters, of rearlV 1000 miles in
length and from three TO fifty miles in
width. He said the States In the valley had
expended millions In fruitless preventive
measures, that corporations had been alike
unsuccessful. and that now all were COM
PEELED TO look to the General Government
for some effective plans for protection. He
understood the commission to have adopted
the concentration rather than the outlet
theory (the one upon which the channel at
the South Pass was deepened by the aid of
ietties), and he believed this plan wodld
ultimately dispense with the necessity for
any eystem OF levees as such. This plan
would close the gap in the embankments,
confine the stream within narrower limits,
and increase the current In such manner
as to cut snd deepen the channel. AS TO
the justice of the demand for Congressional
aid, he said this was now generally recog-
nIzed as the work of the nation. The
Mississippi river was the property of the
United States, having been acquired by
purchase, and its free navigation
having been provided for In the
treaty with France He quoted from
General Garfeld's letter of acceptance and
Presidential recommendation upon the
profound importance" of an improve
merit Of his great national highway, and re-
marked that the proposed appropriation
was only about one-half the amount annu-
silly imposed upon the commerce OF the
Mississippi for increased rates of insurance.
The appropriation was predicated solely
upon the estimates and report of the COM
mittees and was supported by careful esti-
mates OF responsible corps of engineers. |
It was less by Sl23 600 than the estimate OF |
the commission. After specifying the many |
expenditures of the government upon iH- |
ternal improvements, such as railroads, |
rivers and harbors, to show the authority |
and justification for improving this great in
land sea, the commerce and trade of which |
exceed our entire foreign commerce, Mr.. |
Kellogg proceeded to discuss the systems |
of the improvement considered by the COM
missioners. One, apparently regarded as |
most feasible, contemplates the securing |
out Of the channel, three shadows and bars, |
where the width of the river is excessive, |
with the view to establishing q uniform /
velocity at all stages of the river.
Mr. Cameron, of Wisconsin, favored the /
bill but doubted the propriety of conining
the entire expenditure for the Mississippi |
improvement below New Madrid, as was
contemplated by the plans of the commits
zion.
Mr.. Mcmillan, of Minnesota, complained
that the c7mmission had given too much
attention to the lower portion of the river,
to the prejudice of the survey above st.
Louis.
MIR. Conger made like criticism.
Mr.. Kellogg argued to show the urgency
of improvements below the mouth of the
Ohio, and that these, like the jetty system,
would be of general utility to the commerce
of all the States. He suggested compari-
son of the amount of the expenditure now
proposed for the benefit of the national high
way with the probable aggregate OF from
seven to nine millions to be voted IN the
river and harbor bill for improvements
which are comparatively OF local or trivial
importance.
Mr.. Vest, in elaboration OF Mr.. Kellogg's
argument, quoted from official records to
show that up to 1878 the States represented
by Messrs Cameron and Conger WISCONSIN
and Michigau) received for rivers and har-
bors-exclusive of lighthouses and other
public works-$3 ,457 600, while the total Of
{ he appropriations to the Mississippi valley
States-includipg the amounts for Missis-
sippi river provements-was 81, 4Sl ,464.
Messrs. Jonas (of Louisians) and Cockrell
briefly defended the work OF the Mississippi
River Commission.
Pending a motion for an executive ses-
IA 4