The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-02-14
Mr.. McComas' Speech.


HarbOr bill: provided that the
sums ny this act appropriated shall
be expended only tor such of the riv-
ers. harbors, ice harbOrs, harbors of
refuge, creeks, bayOus, canals and
reservoirs named in this act as Secre-
tary of War, under the direction of
the President, shall determine and
provided further, that in no case
shall the expenditure for any purpose
exceed the sum now designated by
this act for that purpose" He then
went on to say that he offered the
amendment IN good faith, and under
the conviction that it would save
many thousands, and perhaps mil.
lions, of dollars from being wasted.
Said he:
81 want the responsibility for this
expenditure placed somewhere.
While some worthy gentlemen are
sensitive respecting this bill, no one
seems responsible for all of it. This
debate has disclosed the fact that the
engineers are not responsible. The
report of the chief engineer warns 'uS
that the estimates of the engineers
are not to be considered as carrying
with them recommendation Of the
need ofthe expenditures. The House
thus far has not cOntrived tc make
any amendment of this bill looking
to the reduction or material mOdifi-
cation of appropriations. The men,
bers of the Committee on Biyers and
HarbOrs themselves in tbs debate
one after another have snown this
House that they are not United upon
the policy of the main items of APP
preparation in this bill Nor has
there yet been a single member of
that committee who, when pressed,
has not admitted in effect that there
are many lesser items in the bill
which are of doubtful pr0priety or
public need. Now, Mr.. Chairman,
since we appropriated Sl3, 100000 for
rivers and harbors last session, and
propose to add S12, 100000 in the pres
ent session, if it be tue, as do not
doubt it is true. that the committee
were hurried for want of time, it
seems to me that we are making too
much haste to expeld S25 5000, 600 by
the appropriations of this Congress
for rivers and harhOrs. Without my
amendment, this bill, as an annual
appropriation bill, in effect directs
the President to expend Sl2.000,0OG
in SO brief period that the expendi-
ture cannot be made economically
AMI advantageOusly. fit is adopt,
ed, l believe the result will show a
saving, from which the taxpayers of
the country would realize a great
benefit.
l find in this hill the two Kama
Whas, and am reminded that Wash
ington, in the days of the Potomac
Company, in letter to Governor
Johnson, of Maryland, as early AS
July 20. 1770, recommended the con-
nection of these waters on either side
of the Alleghanies upon a more en-.
farged plan. as a means of becoming
the channel of conveyance of the ex-
tenSive and valuable trade of IA rising
empire; but he did not dream of ask
ing Congress alone to do it. Virginia
and Maryland expended millions up
on the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, as
it extended toward the Ohio river.
Now, who in these days expects the
State of West Virginia to go hand in
hand with Congress in putting locks
on the Great and Little Kanawha :?
Instead, its demand upon Congress
grows in frequency. and we are rap.
idly nearing the time when the gen.
eral government will be expected to
provide, where there is a color of ma
tIonal advantage, for every variety
of state or local benefit. AS a friend
of liberal national policy, protest
against abuse. Why is it that the
appariti)n Of the constitutional law
yer. from his ghost walk on The other
side of the House, does not stalk
across the floor in this debate? Can
it be that so many of the habitual
constitutional lawyers of this house
reside hard by the green pastures and
still waters of the streams now favor.
ed and first made famous by this bill; ;
that, like the Ghost in Hamlet they
scent the morning air, and, therefore,
do not materialize on days when we
are discussing the River and Harbor
bill" Mr.. McCOmas then paid his
respects to the matter of the Calves.
ton harbOr appropriation, as follows I:
"Mr. Chairman-I have heard the
committe complain justly and pa
theticaIly of their prolonged sessions,
extending far into the evenings, and
when heard how late they sat on
these short winter DAVIS whiIa thox,