Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-06-27
Will the River and Harbor Bill be
Vetoed?

The Washington correspondent of the
New York World says that sit is regarded
as certain that the river and harbor Dill
will be vetoed" The correspondent
doubtless voices the sentiment at Wash
! ington, but there is no reason for think
ing that anything more isBnown in Wash
| ington about what the President intends
/ to do with regard to the bill than is
! known in Savannah. The amount of the
bill Is the ground for the belief, doubtless,
that it will be vetoed.
The President, however, will no doubt
take into consideration the fact that there
was no appropriations for rivers and
narbors last year. The present bill
really contains appropriations for two
years. There would have been no trouble
at the last session over the river and
harDor bill if it had carried only $9,000,-
600, and if bill of that character had
become law there would be nOdificulty
in passing bill for a similar amount at
the present session. IL there is no objec-
ton to two bills, each calling for So, 000,-
600, why should there be objection to one
bill for $1S,OO0,000 covering the same
period?
The President will look at the matter
as a sensible man should. He will not
permit himself TO be influenced by the
clamor OF a few newspapers which are
VIGOROUSLY under the influence of great
railroad corporations. In handling pri-
waite pension bills he is doing what he be-
lieves to be right. He will doubtless act
upon his own judgment with respect to
the river and harbor bill.
If the bill contains no items which
ought not to be In it the President can be
depended on to sign it il the amount be
within the bounds of reason. If it con-
tains items which he does not approve
the chances are that he will veto it.
The Senate has put into it one appropri-
alton which the House will hardly agree
to. 1t is an appropriation of $500, 900 for
beginning work on the Hennepin canal.
Every Congressman from the South At
lannc coast states ought to oppose put
ting the Hennepin scheme in the river
and harbor bill. Let that scheme be dealt
with in separate bill. If Congress con-
tinues to provide tor the Mississippi river
improvement, the Ohio river improve
ment, the Potomac flats improvement,
the Hennepin scheme and other things OF
like character, in the river and harbOr
bill, and insists on keeping the bill within
$4,000, 900 or $15,OOO,OOO, the South At
lantic harbors will be about crowded out
of it. The North Atlantic harbors have
influence enough to get what they want.
A fact that will be brought to the at
tention of the President, doubtless, when
the pill reaches him is that unless there
is an appropriation to continue the pub
lie works the loss to the government will
be many millions OF dollars. For want
Of means nothing is now being done
on these works. They are suffering
damage every day. Before another river
and harbOr bill could be framed and
passed next session the damage would be
so great that it would require about all
that would likely be appropriated to put
the works in the condition they are at
present. There are plenty of arguments,
and strong ones, against a veto, even if
the bill should appropriate more than
| $4,000, 600. As the President listens to
reason, Washington sentiment relative to
his purpose with respect to the river and
harbOr bill is probably wrong.