The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-28
MENoRwooD EXPLAINS.
Why hf allied To Get Larger Appro-
urtion for savannah Harbor.

ome hear that those who desire to de-
.at nre-election to Congress are using
craiDshle the failure, or rather the refusal,
f the .mmittee on Rivers and Hsrbors to
inter- ton the new work to get % feet of
,ateri Savannah river. This refusal by
le Cdmittee is charged to my account,
nd fish to explain to my friends and all
tirmided citizens il Savannah, and in
MS Congressional District, as briefly as
an, NY / ain not responsible for that re-
Isal
| sbmit, first, the following letter of Mr..
standard, Chairman of that Committee:
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U. s.,
WASHINGTON, D. c., April 49, 1888.
Lon : NJ Nor1oood House of Representatives..
My hear SIR-Yours of this date, calling my
ttentbn to an editorial in a recent issue of the
AvANtAH MORNING NEWS, entitled "A Compare
IN of congressman is received.
You ask me whether or not, in my opinion,
on could have done any more than was done
o secure from the committee a larger appro-
ration for the harbor of Savannah
In reply, / unhesitatingly say that you did
eeds of the harbor Of Savannah before
he committee, and in urging its claims
on urged the committee to under
AXE the new work proposed there, to deepen
ne harbor to % feet, and asked for $780, 900 to
omplete the present project and commence the
The committee did full justice to Savannah
he estimate for the completion of the present
roiect was $4,000. We gave 800 000 or one.
alf of the sum asked for. In view Of the fact
rat As per cent. of the estimates was the basis
pom which, as a rule, the bill was made up, it
i'll be seen that Savannah received her full
hare, or, to be accurate, a little more than her
Ill share. We were obliged to reduce
le appropriations far below the sums
Ne Chief of Engineers asked for or else the
i'll would aggregate $4,000, 000 and it is well
nown no such bill can possibly pass Congress
receive the approval of the Executive.
Now as to the new project, which is to deepen
and seven millions. The committee did not
eem it prudent to commence this great work
it'll the present project is completed.
We desired to ascertain first whether the re-
Its aimed at in the present project, to deepen
% feet, can be attained and held before com
lifting the Government to the enor-
GUS expense involved in the new
piect. l know of no single project of river
i'd harbor improvement the government has
er undertaken which is costly as the new
,rk proposed at Savannah, except those of
Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Under the
cumstances the committee thought it proper
postpone until the completion of the twenty
o feet project, the consideration of the larger
ID more costly project.
The Georgia delegation, with one or two ex-
ptions perhaps, were before the committee,
durged with zeal and ability the wants of
At State in the way of river and harbor i'm
ovement And let me say in this connection
rat l have had occasion to say several
nes before in conversation, that for fidelity TO
trust committed to them, and ability in the
charge Of that trust, the Georgia delegation
nds second to none in the House.
But so strong were the reasons why we should
a tnow enter upon the new work at Savannah,
committee would not, in my opinion,
appropriated for it even if the delegation
body had requested it.
After the present project is completed it may
that the enlarged project will address itself
the favorable consideration of Congress;
rdly before. NEWTON G. BLANCHARD
! Will any just man say, after reading
at letter, that am at fault But that is
tall. did not rely on my own efforts.
le new work will cost at least S. 900, 900
got resolution passed in 1886 for survey
this new work. The Chief Engineer
not send his report of the survey to the
cretary of War until October, 1887, and
Engineers estimate was submitted to
)ngress in December last.
lnNovember last a conference was held in
y office on this work. Mr.. Lester, Mayor
7. F. M. Hull President Board of Trade ;
pt Flannery, Mr.. Conner and others
Il myself were present. then and there
ted that as this was a work not yet
proved by Congress, and as the amount
very large and this is the year for
bsidential election, it was very doubtful
neither Congress would enter on this work
lis year. That doubt was shared by all
resent. so far as | know. | said | would
all | could to persuade the committee to
iopt the report of the engineers and start
10 work
| accordingly introduced bill early in
ne session, asking for 5000, 900, and had it
eferred to that committee. Not willing to
ely on my own efforts only, l requested
1ayor Lester to give me aid. He
md Collector Wheaton and Lieut. o. NJ.
carter went to Washington, and the inn
prtance-the necessity-for this work was
lrged upon the committee Every fact
slowing the urgent necessity was presented.
Those gentlemen returned, and the com
nittee went on with their work, hearing
allegations from points. on the Atlantic,
ue Gulf Of Mexico, Pacific coast. and the
likes, and inland rivers. Savannah had
lad her day, and the committee, owing to
The delay in printing the engineers report
vas unwilling to give more than one hear
| mg to any one point as they had to meet
every day, and work laboriously to get the
bill reported in time to make its passage
reasonably certain.
When the committee had heard members
and delegations representing all the thou and
and more works, they went into secret seS
sion to consider and make up their report
or bill. They resolved not to make known
any decisions they reached, and forbade the
clerk OF the committee to give information
70 any one. That plan was considered
necessary to prevent importantly and
consequent delay, as they had only sufficient
ume to devote exclusively to making up the
Dill; Numbers, among them myself, often
made inquiry about their local and special
works, but got no answer
When the secrecy was removed, and l
learned that the new work for Savannah
mad not been adopted, / complained, and
gave notice of my intention to make the
EFFORT to get the House to adopt 1t, and
iialllng to get it, | would appear before the
senate committee and urge its adoption.
said so, but with no hope, whatever, of
success In the House, and why? Because
wuen that committee, after elaboration on
proposition, with all the facts before it,
uecldes against it, the House will not re-
verse their decision unless new and very i'm
portant facts and reasons can be given for
such reversal.
IL seems not to be known that the river
anu harbor bill is not popular; that there is
large number of members who always
soIe against it; that they often "flibuster"
70 defeat it, and that the friends of the bill
nave to stand by it as reported by the mn
nlIttee, to insure its safety. The committee
always report as large a sum as they be-
neH n they can get through the House and
VIII escape veto.
Inc present bill is for more than nine
Teen and half millions-the largest bill
ever eve reported. The next largest was for
Slo'O0O,O0O, and it was vetoed by Republi-
do