The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-13

ESTIMATES OF THE ENGINEERS.
The report presented by Chairman
Blanchard to accompany the bill says that
the estimates of the engineer officers upon
which the bill was based aggregated $780,
ESQ, and that the appropriations made
are in each case for the continuation OF
projects already begun. The report says
The purpose for which appropriations Of the
character embraced in the bill are made IS an
entirely proper and legitimate one. Taking
into consideration the number and extent or our
waterways and the enormous value of the COM
merce created by and dep nde upon them, an
annual allotment of even $4,000 900 year would
be comparatively a moderate sum for country
of the continental dimensions and limitless
resources OF the United States to eXpend upon
their improvement. The objection to the river
and harbor bills urged by a portion of the pub
lie press of the country, your ccmmitteee con-
ceive to be based largely upon editorial pro
vincialism; that is. carelessness and want OF
knowledge of the needs and conditions OF other
localities than their own.
FEELING OF THE PEOPLE.
So far as the people themselves are concerned,
your committee is satisfied that there is
no bill before congress that embodies
more popular interest and urgency. and gives
more general satisfaction than the bill for the
care and Improvement of our harbors and wa
terways. While it may be true that now and
then an objectionable appropriation creeps into
such bills, upon the whole the actual proportion
of the Objectionable items is really very small
Inc value given Inc Improvement mas no ulTecG
relation to its magnitude or cost. The
opening of a comparatively small stream
or channel entrance may be of as great
Importance to the community interested in and
to be affected by it as a vastly greater one to
some other. With the opening of water navi-
CATION freights are reduced and railroads are
forced to be reasonable in their charges; trade
improves, production increases and the COM
munity thril es-all because a few thousand dol
lars were spent in DIRE ging away bar at the
mouth of stream, or removing distractions
which rendered its navigation dangerous or
costly.
THE PEOPLE NOT SELFISH
The people of such a neghborhood can never
be convinced that the money was unwisely or
unrighteously appropriated, nor will they OBJ
ject to similar expenditures elsewhere. So also
of cases where a stream furnishes the sole
means of transportation to region otherwise
inaccessible. 1t is not necessary in order to
appropriation that the commerce to be bene
flied SHOULD be actually existent. 1t
is sufficient if its zssdevelopment can
be reasonably anticipated from known and
recorded facts Otherwise some of the most
valuable waterways would await development
forever. Glasgow would be a fishing village
had not the Clyde been dredged. The foreign
commerce of the Mississippi valley depends
upon opening the mouth of the river and keep
ing it open. Nor does custom house rating es-
tablish the character of an improvement. Do
nestle commerce outweighs many times for
eign trade, and does not need to pay custom
dues TO prove its value or national character.