New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-05
AT THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
THE RIVER AND HARBOR BILL.
AN ATTEMPT TO BE MADE TO-DAY TO PASS 1T IN
TIE HoUsE--A LARGE SUM ASKED FOR.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSEl

THE HoUsE--A LARGE SUM ASKED FOR
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSE.l
WASHINGTON, June 4-TwO or three days ago
Chairman Page, of the Commerce Committee. gave
the House notice that tomorrow he would move
to pass the River and Harbor Appropriation bill
under the suspension of the rules. 1t appears that
Mr.. Page has changed his mind since he announced
TO the House some weeks ago that the Commerce
Committee would at The proper time bring in this
bill and ask its consideration in Committee of tho
Whole where it would be open to debate and
amendment.
Mr.. Pages change Of views is decidedly unsatls-
factory to very many Republican members of the
House. They say that, in the first place, as meHl-
bers of the party responsible for legislation thcy
cannot afford to help vote away, without oppor-
tunity for discussion, large an amount OF money
$17 }42 S75; and. in the second place, they CANNOT
consent to the language of the section whlch
appropriatcs 81 .923 900 for the improvement OF
the Mississippi River They might add as third
reason that the goose creek and duck pohu
items in this bill are numerous and extravagaht
as were ever recommended by commerce COM
mittee
In the report accompanying the bill, which, Dy 'he
wav was only printed in its present form yesterday,
there is no comparison of the amount recommended
with the amount appropriated in the last River and
the country to show how the appropriations for
rivers and harbors have grown from year to year.
Beginning with 1867 the amounts appropriated
have been as follows: 1867, $3,7OOOOO lS6S'
81 700 900: 1869 bills vetoed; 1870. S2,OOO,OOO;
1871 $3. .945OOO 1872 $f,400,000; 1873, $5,5oO,-
600; 1874, SO, 100, 900 1875, S5,2OO,OOO; 1870,
SO 600 900; 1877 S5,O15 900; 1878, no app opri-
alton; 1879, $s.20O,000 1880. $95OO,OOO;
1881, $s,9OOO0O; 1882, $11,5OOOOO; 1883
amount recommended. $17342S75 The report
does however, set forth the reasons which guided
| the committee in framing the bill, chief among
| which are the following:
The bill deals literally with AL such works az VIII
largely and generally facilitate the commerce o the Ma
lion by opening up The great waterways Of the country
| TO free nayigaton The committee believe that at no
time in the history OF our Government nave the penpe
| so unanimously demanded % Congress liberal appfo-
paions Tor rivers and harbOrs; that at 10 time IN iS
history has the treasury been in such condition as To
warrant such expenditures in tins direction, anu th
| ia Of Infinite importance for the protection oi tne
| public from the undue eNactohs OF raiIIoau com CON-
panes that the great natural nj Vi t mn Con-
the Of the country shall be placed IN ln ost c
diton to compete with then' " ne ~ hee conn
try. committee have no placed IN TINS pi uppIo
| meTce In the cases many tidal streams. which are
termed 'creeks the committee found. after eNamina
ton that they larger and more important 70 CON-
mcrce ard navigation than many OF the rivers OF the
| country. =. H. ro,,,r,. thoro
fore let us have big River and Harbor bil appears
| creeks must be improved, but small streams gen
| erallv not although it il of infinite importance"
| TO protect the public from the "undue exactions OF
| railroad companies" And. therefore, the rivers
| of the country" the great natural highways OF
| commorcev must be put in the best condition
to compete with them" Among the " great
natural highways of commerce" the bill includes
! such magnificent streams not tidal creeks
| either as the Dan River in Virginia and North
| Carolina for which $500 is asked Elk River.
| West Virginia $1,000; Guyandotte River, west
! Virginia 81 O0O French Broad River, North Caro-
lima. So 900; Flint River Georgia, $4,000; Oconee
River, Georgia, 5000: Caney Fork River. Tennes-
sec. 81 600; Duck River Tennessee. $4,000; Big
Sandy River Kentucky, $4,000; Trade Water
River. Kentucky SO, 800 and host of other creeks
and rivuets which never be made of any beneht
10 commerce. no matter how much money IS eX-
pendcd for alleged improvements" for that purpose
| Indeed in respect to the appropriations OF the
character described, this appears to be about tle
worse River and larbOr b that was ever invented.
| The bill approprates for the Mississippi RIVER, he
side the 81 92} O0J 10 be expended under the dr'c'
lion of the Mississippi River Commission, various
sums amounting IN the aggregate 10 @ Il,2GQ; III III
| Commission the bill contains the following PIoNl-
sons:
Iorori9ed That portion OF this appropriation shall
he xpcuded To repair rebuild levocs for the sale and
exclusive purpose OF reclaming lands or preventing IN
| Jury to lands by OVcriO"s. .--,-
Irocidca hoceceT. That the Commission is auth3rlze
to repair and build leyecs II IN her JIngneh ~ sn9
be done of their plan to afford ease ana sac
to tne navigation and commerce Ot the river anu u
| deepen the channel
The bill, which passed the Senate on April %, ap-
nronri, ,tup - 900 600 for the Improvement of tho
| Nississppl River and 81 900, 900 for the Missouri
| River 10 he expended under the direction OF the
| Mississippi River Commission, contained the 1ollOW
| ing provls0:
That no part Of said herein appropriated shan be
construction or repair OF eNcCs OF Ior IA,
purpO.e OF preventing injury to land by overflow, or o
| any other purpose WlAeVcr except as means VI
deepening Inc channels improving the navigation o
the said river.
The difference between the House and Senate
| bills will be apparent at glance. The House has
| refused once already this session, ana by
a very decisive vote, to appropriate money
TO bc used in building and repairing lcyees
| The Republicans, whose voices were raised III OPP
position thcn declare that the proylso IN the HNei
and HarbOr bill Is quite as dangerous ana opJec-
| tiouabe and that they viii never consent to IT'S
passage especially under the gag rule, which cuts
oil amendments absolutely and limits debate u
fifteen minutes each side. . 80,
Mr. Page will NOT be able TO call up his pm TO-
morrow unless he can get the iioor ana TO that ne
must secure the Speakers recognition" IL Is sald
that several prominent RepublIcans haYo strongly
advised and urged the Speaker not To iocos-
ni2e Mr. Page tomorrow, the ground
M an attempt to pass the bill under suspension
of The rules would IjuTc the RcpuDllcan party
even if it should fail 80 far as known the speaker
has given no hint Oh his purpose.
TIE GARFIELD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.