The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-09-23
Congressman Pound Talks About the
River and HaraOr BILL

Congressman T. C. Pound, of Wis
consin, is tall man with long
beard. He was caressing the beard
and walking the corridor of the Gil
sey House when a Mail and Express
reporter called to interview" him on
his connection with the River and
Harbor bill. The congressman threw
onto a lounge and said: ~
was an earnest supporter of the river
and harbor bill, but what | say will
not be in the nature of defense of
my action. | have no political am
bltion to serve, having declined a re-
for a fourth term. NV
motive in speaking to you of the meas
ure Is simply to contribute fair ex-
position Of the subject which has been
50 wildly misunderstood and, [ might
say, criminally misrepresented. | will
be more charitable towards the press
than 1t has been towards the peoples
representatives, and not charge cor
rupt or unworthy motives, but gener-
ously suppose that the great wrong
done the victims of a most severe crit
icism is the fruit of ignorance and pre-
judice. Steal, Job 'plunder,' 'divis-
ion of swag,' and similar expressions
are severe terms to be addressed to
two-thirds Of congress. The fact is the
measure complained Of is the most
beneficient, defensible and polite act
which passed congress at its recent
session, and reflects great credit upon
the Committee of Commerce, which for
it, and especially upon Mr..
Page, the chairman. He early an
announced that he would not under
take to pass the bill under suspen-
sion of the rules as a whole, but every
item should be separately considered
and stand or fall on its own merits. 1t
was so considered, and | never heard
an intimation that a single item was
added to secure support for the bill.
Nor have | ever known these expend-
itures to be made to secure personal or
political ends"
"It is charged that you have sccur-
ed quite a large share for your dis
trict," suggested the reporter.
"Yes," answered Mr.. Pound, "there
are quite number of appropriations
northern Wisconsin, which
my district includes. Our state is
bounded mainly by lakes and naviga-
bic rivers, besides having many i'm
portant rivers traversing it.
''That is all very well, but why
should the general government be
taxed to make these local improve
"1our question gives the
key to the whole difficulty. The i'm
provements in question are not local
but national. No one will claim the
river as local. The navi-
gable tributaries of the great stream,
Joining it, form a continuous highway
to the Gulf, bearing not only inter-
state but international commerce. To
illustrate: The Chippewa river, of
which many know nothing, has an i'm
Dortant commerce, amounting to about
100000 annually. Grain, flour or
lumber may be shipped down this riv-
er and continuously by water to Liver
pool, requiring but che trans-ship-
ment. The same is true of the St.
Jroix and Wisconsin rivers; and yet
t is common for the editor of an east
ern paper to speak of these as creeks
II dry runs. Work done to improve
he navigation of these rivers is not
ocal, although done within a state. 1t
promotes general commerce, foreign
Is well as domestic. Of course my
knowledge Of our waterways
5 limited mainly to the upper NIissis-
;ippi valley, and [ do not suppose
hat all items in the bill are as merit
orious or important as those falling
nder my own observation; but | be
ieve that the War Department, which
5 charged with the inquiry and man.
lgement of these works, and the Com
nitttee on Commerce, which gives the
natter the most critical study, are
controlled by one policy, and would
lot willingly do violence to that poll
,y-in short are above the average
standing of ''policy honesty" and not
below the editorial standard. Much
# the product of the soil, the forests
md mines is wholly dependent upon
hese navigable waters for means of
transportation, while travel and traffic
ire benefited by the healthy restraint
md competition thereby afforded, pre-
renting extortion and monopoly by
'ailroads and other common car
.iers. Instead of denouncing the
producers of the measure the ed