Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-28

The river and harbor bill was yester-
day abandoned by its committee, and
hill approprlating $5,0O0,O0O, to be eX-
pended under the direction Of the Secre-
tary of War, was passed by the House.
There is no doubt that the failure of the
bill was largely due to the mismanage-
ment of the River and Harbor Committee,
and the committee is pretty certain to re-
ceive the public censure that it deserves.
Improvements in rivers and harbOrs in
all parts of the country-imprOveme
that are imperatively demanded-will
have to suffer on account of this mis-
management. 1t is true that opposition
to the river and harbOr bill is always very
strong, but that is looked for. Tue River
and HarbOr Committee is expected to
meet this opposition and overcome it by
good judgment in framing the bill, and by
skill in handling it when it is put upon
its passage.
1t cannot be denied that neither judy
ment nor skill was shown in the
management of the bill that was aban-
doned yesterday. The Chairman of the
River and HarbOr Committee is a
very amiable gentleman, but he does not
appear TO be equal to the task of handling
the river and harbOr bill. Even his as
sstants on the committee do not seem to
be exactly the kind of men to be intrusted
with so important measure.
The committee appears to have made
enemies from the time it began Its work.
1t undertook to make up bill to suit
itself and refused to give Representatives
| interested in public improvements a
chance to be heard. The bill therefore,
when it was reported to the House, was
coldly received.
The committee made a grave mistake
in incorporating in it several schemes
that were Objectionable, if not Suspicious.
Almost as soon as the bill came up for
consideration these schemes were at
tackled and finally defeated. Defeats of
this kind weakened the bill.
The Mississippi river people ought to
have learned by this time that their wisest
course is to make appropriations for their
river in a separate bill. A great deal OF
the opposition to the river and harbor bill
is due to the large amount it appropriates.
1t it were not for the Mississippi river the
amount would be much smaller.
1t remains to be seen what the Senate
will do with the $5,OO0.0O0 bill. 1t is be-
lieved that the bill will meet with OppOsi-
ton in that body. An effort will be made
to increase the amount, doubtless, and if
the effort is successful the House may
object. That is one danger with which
the bill Is menaced. Another
is that the Republican Sen
ators, may try to delay its considera-
ton, with the hope of defeating it, for
the purpose of making capital against the
Democratic party in localities where
river and harbOr appropriations are pop
ular.
If the bill finally passes it will
not provide sufficient means to carry
on the improvements as extensively as
they ought TO be carried on. Our own
river. for instance, will suffer. The
original bill which appropriated more
than S1200O,OO gave our river only
$50. 900. What can we expect from bill
that appropriates only $5,OO0,0OO? 1t is
clear that we shall not get our waterway
to the sea improved as soon az we eX-
pected, and it is not improbable that the
work will be so DELAYED that the improve
ments already made will suffer serious
damage.