Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-09-12

AT the chamber of commerce yesterday |
morning MIR. J.W. McClung, from the com
mittee on Mississippi river submitted the i
following valuable and elaborate report:
The committee on the Mississippi river |
held an adjourned meeting on Thursday to |
consider the letter of Senator Mcmillan re- |
ferred to them by the chamber. This cham
Der on the 22d of May last passed re-
spectful resolution and ordered it sent to
Senators Window and Mcmillan, and Rep
resentative Washburn requesting them to
Inform the chamber of the present status
of the saw dust bill, and their own feel
ings and position on the whole question"
In reply to this, which was the third time
such request was made-two previous re-
quests ehciting no reply-Senator McMil-
Ian on the oath of June announced that he
had introduced bill handed him by Gen.
Sanborn on the ODD of January, 1880. that
it was referred to the committee on COM
merce, and by them to the war department
and came back recommended for passage
in modified form, charging its scope.
Under these circumstances"
SAYS SENATOR MCMILLAN,
''And owing to the late period of the
session at which tho bill was returned, ac-
ton could not be secured at that session
of congress, and the 46th congress, which
terminated with the next session, expired
without further action.
Il will again introduce the bill in &C
cordance with your views, and have the
same referred to the committee on COM
merce for consideration. The importance
of keeping uninterrupted the navigable
streams of the country. and especially the
Mississippi river. cannot be over-estimated,
and while do not commit myself TO any
particular bill | am in favor of whatever
legislation may be necessary to prevent
distractions in our navigable streams"
IF THIS WAS ALL
we knew about the sawdust bill, and all we
could find out. after three times writing to
our representatives about it. we would GER
tainly be unable to ascertain the present
status Of the bill, anRof its past difficulties,
dangers and conflicts. whether it is dead or
only sleepeth, or the feelings and position
OF our representatives on the whole ques-
ton" We have received no reply whatever
from Senator Window, and not word
from our immediate representative and
neighbor, Mr.. Washburn. And all that we
learn from Senator Mcmillan is that he
introduced bill which was prepared and
handed to him, allowed it to fail in the
Forty fifth congress, and took no action
on it whatever during ithe Fortysixth con-
gress. The senator promises again to in
troduce the bill. but is careful to avoid say
ing it will have his cordial support. or any
support whatever. He simply
promises to have it referred to
the committee on commerce. 1t
would have been quite encouraging to his
constituents to have been assured that his
own bill would receive his own support,
but on the contrary all hope is dissipated
in this direction by the assurance of the
senator that he will not commit himself
to any particular bill-not even the one he
Introduces himself. The sawdust bill does
not seem to be favorite one with the SEN
ator, and his letter cannot be said to kindle
and glow with any enthusiasm for the
measure. Considering that Senator Nc
MILAN lives in Minnesota and st. Paul,
and that it will require the vigorous and
united championship of all Minnesota's rep
resentatives to secure an act which has
much interested opposition to fight
against, and that st. Paul will be expected
to take the laboring oar in this fight, this
letter has not
IHE KING III II
which gives any encouragement or hope of
success, and while 10th to be harsh or un-
just in criticising the action of our repre-
sentatives, and willing to concede them
honesty of purpose in their record on this
subject, fidelity to the great interests in
volved in the improvement of the Missis-
sippi river and fidelity to Minnesota, and
especially to st. Paul, compels us to ex-
press our regret that our representatives
have not united on this subject and that a
majority of them have shown
NO SYMPATHY
whatever for this important interest OF
their constituents, but on the contrary
quite the reverse feeling. The chamber
having utterly failed to elicit any light
from Senator Window and Representative
Washburn as to their position and feel
ings on the whole subject" have had
recourse to other sources for light, and beg
leave to give the chamber such informa-
ton as they have received.
Before entering upon this phase of the
case, however, we herewith present state
ment furnished us by Hon. M. III. Dunnell
which gives a brief history of the bill in its
initial stages, and shows that something
more than the "lateness of the session when
the bill was returned" Gas stated by Senator
McMillan) was the cause of its failure tc
pass two years ago.
Mr.. DUNNELL's STATEMENT.
During the forty fourth and forty fifth
congresses, while was a member of the
committee on commerce of the house OF
representatives, the national board OF
trade held meeting in Washington, ano
by memorial to congress and the commit
tee on commerce called the attention OF
congress to the distractions made in the
harbors and navigable rivers of the coun
try by the deposit of various articles. such
as the offal of the large cities in the har.
bors. and of sawdust. slabs, etc.. in many
of the rivers. Just at that time the
st. Paul chamber of commerce sent in a
memorial on the subject of sawdust, etc.
from the mills of Minneapolis. l was
made subcommittee on the subject
and made report favorable to the bill
which the national board of trade had
submitted to the committee When the re.
port was submitted objections were especi.
ally made to it by the members of the Pa.
cifc coast. The lumber interests of Min.
neapolis made objections to the bill, but
announced willingness to have the bill
passed, if they could be allowed one year