Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-30
A BUREAU IN DANGER.
One Senator Asserts That the Geological
Survey Is Useless and Corrupt-PubIic
Building Day In the House-Several New
D;lI.

Survey II Useless and Corrupt-PubIic
Building Day In the House-Several New
Bills.
iFRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON, May 2s-The speech of Sena-
tor Stewart to-day on the subject OF Powell
and his office of the Geological Survey may be
said to be opening gun of one of the hottest
battles that has been had in the Senate for
many a day, 1t is the forerunner of a report
that will soon be made from a committee Of the
Senate, of which Mr.. Stewart is member, in
which Mr.. Powell is reduced to the consistency
of mince meat. There is no denying that there
has been gross perversion OF appropriations
made in the interests of reclaiming the lands
the Western deserts for the purpose of strength
ening the influence of Powell to maintain
his grip on the Geological Survey and make in
1t, instead of a mere survey Office, one OF the
great machines of Government.
1t will be shown in the forthcoming report
and by other evidence which it will be the
means of bringing to light that Powell has
used this money to subsidize sO-called scientific
men, professors in colleges whose influence is
far reaching and Senators and Congressman
through the employment of their worthless
friends and sons, and thus build up machine
that is profitable to himself and friends and
practically useless to the Government, but
which has no rival in point Of strength and in
huence.
NEARLY every influential college of the
country has on the roll of the geological
survey high salaried professor who does little
or no work. Sons of members of Congress who
are loud and constant in their howls for reform
and retrenchment, are on the rolls of the office
OF the survey. but spend their time drinking
and loating about the city, and do no work of
years. w. A Croffut, executive clerk
OF the survey, well-known and versa
uie newspaper man, makes 1t his
chief business, under instructions, to write
up and glorify the survey and percolate in
formation to the press denunciatory of all who
are dangerous to the solidity and influence of
the geological machine. A recent appro-
priation to be expended by the Agricultural
Department in the investigation of the feasI-
bility of irrigation by means Of artesian wells
and other artificial cooperation with the forces
OF nature has aroused the survey to the full
extent OF its antagonism to all that threatens
its opulent existence and the fight inaugurated
openly by Senator Stewart to-day is merely the
first public exhibition of a battle that has been
going on quietly for months.
Colonel Dick Hinton, of Kansas border war
fare and John Brown fame. is at the head Of
the tnvestigations:being carried on by the Agri-
cultural department., He is an expert geol-
oglst, an enthusiast upon the irrigation ques-
ton, the originator of the movement for irriga-
ton on grand plan, radical of the radicals,
aggressive and progressive. cordial hater OF
sham and swindling- He was in the employ OF
complimented by Powell highly. But when
Hinton found out the worthlessness and vir-
tual robbery of the Government on large
scale that was in progress in the office OF the
survey, and refused to be party to 1t, Powell
turned against him, and he and his hunkeys
have since been bounding Hinton in every pos
sible way for the purpose Of driving him alto
gether from the Government service. The
fight promises to be one of the most sensational
of many Congresses, and may be very humiliat-
ing to a lot of dilettante scientific CLUB men
who have been fattening from the spoils Of the
Geological Survey.
Big Day for Public Buildings.
In the House the special order setting apart
the day for the consideration OF measures
Of this character provides that the bills all be
taken up according to the direction of the
Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds.
Mr.. Mills, of Texas. inquired what that direc-
tion was. Mr.. Milliken, Of Maine, replied that
regarding the bills politically two Republican
bills would be called and then one Democratic
bill. This was about the proportion of Repub-
lican and Democratic measures on the calen-
dar. MIR. Mills thought that this arrangement
was unfair, and that the committee should
alternate between the two sides.
Mr.. Allen, of Michigan, declared that the
whole question of passing public building
measures was vicious A general law on the
subject should be enacted. But as long as the
system prevailed there was nothing fair in
passing two Republican bills to one Demo
cratic. Politics should have nothing to do with
the question, and he could not sit calmly and
hear men talk about dividing postofices ac-
cording to the politics of the House.
The bill which gave rise to this discussion
was one called up by Mr.. Milliken for the cree
tion OF public building at Bar Harbor. Me-,
at cost of $4,000 Mr.. Williams, of Illinois,
opposed the pending bill, declaring that no sys-
TEN of log-rolling should be allowed to carry 1t
through. The receipts of the postoffice at Bar
Harbor were not equal to q of per cent of the
sum it was proposed to appropriate. Mr.. Milli-
ken defended the bill and eulogized Bar Har-
bor as the grandest watering place on the
coast. During the winter it contained about
1000 inhabitants; during the summer there were
10 900 or 20 900 or go 900 people there. The bill
was finally laid aside favorably.
The following bills were also laid aside IA
vorably: Mankato, Mimi, $4,000; Meridian,
Miss. $4,000; Milwaukee, increasing amount
to 81, 400 900; Youngstown, o.. SIS. 900; Camden
Area, $4,000; Sioux Falls. S. D., Sl5O 0O0 Stock
ton, Cal s75. 900; Beatrice, Neb., $50, 900; Dav-
enport Ia, 100000; Rock Island. ILL.,, S75, 900;
South Bend, Ind, $4,000; Fargo, N. D., 100000;
Madison, Ind, s40, 600; Pueblo. Col. Sl50, 900;
Sioux City, Ia $500, 600; Lima, o., $4,000: Port
and Ore. 100000; Bloomington, Ill, 500, 900;
Akron. % o. sioo % ocS; kocFfoTd. S vi" IL, S $1,000;
Fort Dodge, Ia. S75,O00; Sheboygan, Wis, $50
700. The committee then rose, the agricult-
1ral bill was reported, and the House ad-
Iourned until Monday.
A Trio of New Measures.
r REPRESENTATIVE BURTON. of Ohio, to-day
introduced bill to regulate the manage
nent of lumber RATS upon the great lakes and
connecting waters. The bill provides that lum-
Der RATS shall be limited in length to $50 feet,
md that not less than two tugs shall be en-
)loyed in handling each. Buoys that have been |
ragged from their places are to be restored at |
,nce and proper lights are to be carried. For |
'1olating the provisions Of the bill heavy pen |
Llties are prescribed.
Representative Grosvenor of Ohio, to-day |
Introduced a resolution in the House instruct |
ng the Committee on Rivers and Harbors to |
Iscertain whether persons have by deposits OF |
Material, constructed embankments in the |
ohio river and settled upon them, and whether
uch buildings are detrimental to navigation.
Senator Plumb to-day proposed as an amend
nent TO the Mckinley bill the bill introduced
" him for the appointment Of q permanent
,ustoms Commission to investigate and report
pon all matters affecting the tariff.