The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1882-06-06
Fernandina Mirror, June 81
Appropriations for Florida Rivers
and Harh0rS Local JealOusles
DEPRECATED.


The Pensacola AdOdnce- Gazette of the Gath of
May, in an article on appropriations, says: If
Mr. Davidson were a statemen of enlarged views,
and found that he could get only $136 900 for his
district, he would have asked for that entire sum
for Pensacola. What comparison could the repu-
tation of having given to several points in his
districts small driblets, that will do them but
little good, be TO the reputation which he would
make by being the benefactor of the great me-
tropolis of the Gulf of Mexico-the Carthage of
the New Worlds Mediterranean
The Advance Gazette seems TO proceed upon
the assumption that the River and Harbor Bill
is free lunch, and that all that is necessary to
do is to ask in order 10 obtain.
1t also assumes that the amounts to be appro-
priated are allotted by States, and that the Rep
resentatives have the control of the fund and can
divide it up at pleasure, and give it all to one
port or to many.
If the Adcdnce- Gazette will consult the public
documents transmitted to Congress it will find
that the initiative process for procuring the i'm
provement of any river or harbor is, first to
have the proposed point made the subject of
government survey and examination by the En-
gineer Department; then, if favorably reported
upon as q proper and necessary work. to get it
engrafted upon the River and Harbor Bill with
an appropriation for some amount as a recogni-
lion Of the work The engineer in charge reports
how much can be judiciously expended during
the ensuing fiscal year. The Secretary of the
Treasury sends into Congress book of estimates
for all proposed expenditures With this before
them, and the report of the Engineer Depart
ment, the House Committee on Commerce 60 to
work to make up the River and Harbor Bill
They have before them the official reports of the
engineers as to the nature and requirements Of
the works. They first determine, in q general
way, the gross amount TO be appropriated, which
Is seldom more than one third of the gross esti-
mates. They then proceed in committee, and
with closed doors, to allot to each work such
amount as may be fixed upon having relation to
the gross sum to be given in the whole bill
usually about one-third is given. At the present
session the members representing the respective
districts were not allowed hearing before the
committee until after the bill had been made up,
and the committee had already fixed the amounts
they proposed to appropriate. As rule the COM
mittee have, after hearing the members, adhered
10 their own previous action. The districts
which had the good fortune TO have their Rep
resentative member Of the committee of course
had greatly the advantage over everybody else.
- by system Of give and take they could give
their own districts very liberal appropriations;
bat a. the committee consists of but Is and the
House of 2oS members. the remainder have to
take their chance. With this difference, how
ever, that the larger States can combine, and by
their weight Of votes oblige the committee to do
them justice, Or run the risk Of having the bill
defeated. States with small representation In
Congress like Florida, have TO take what they
can get apportioned, according to the estimates
Of the Engineer Department by the committee
The appropFia lions given In Florida are gen.
eralIy about one-lhird Of the estimate except, In
one nosable Instance, that Of Fernandina, known
in the hin as the enirance To Cumberland Sound.
| Pensacola, with the engineers estimate Of e76,-
| 600 receives $4,000; 81. Johns, with an esti-
J mate of esOoeOo. receives $4,000. while Far