The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-23
NOW FOR WATERWAYS.
THE HOUSE TAKES UP THE RIVER
AND HARBOR BILL.

-
Members of the Committee Say 1t
VIII be Passed Before Tomorrow
Night-They Also Assert That it Will
Pass the Senate and be Signed by
the President.
WASHINGTON. May 22.-The House to-
day went into committee of the whole, with
Mr.. Burrows in the chair, on the river and
harbor bill. The members of the river and
harbor committee say that the bill will pass
the House before Saturday night. They also
assert that it will pass the Senate and be
signed by the President. They say that
they are prepared to make long fight for
it if necessary. In fact, they say that if a
deadlock arises between the two houses
they will stay here all summer for it.
In opening. the debate to-day Mr..
Henderson Of Illinois, chairman of the
committee on rivers and harbors, ex-
planned the provisions of the bill, stating
that it appropriated SIC, ,93e 900, based upon
estimates aggregating $50, 100000. He be-
lieved that there was no money that went
out of the treasury that was so much in the
interest Of the people of the country as the
money expended in the improvement of
the rivers and harbors. Every dollar
expended in removing distractions
in the rivers and impediments in the har-
bors was expended in behalf of the people,
and If this government was constituted for
any wise purpose, whatever, it was con-
stituted for the purpose Of looking to the
interest Of the people.
BEAT INTERSTATE COMMERCE ACTS.
Mr.. Blanchard of Louisiana spoke in
favor of the principle of the river and har-
N hillo nd commanded fhof fhau
to solve the problem of cheap transporta-
ton than all the interstate commerce bills
that could be. passed. He argued that
the time has come,when the general govern
ment should take entire charge of the Mis-
sissippi river and provide at once for an
adequate system of levees. He en-
tered into an elaborate constitu-
tional argument to show that the
general government had perfect
jurisdiction over the Mississippi river not
only under the regulation Of the commerce
clause, not only under the police power
clause, but also under the clause comforting
on congress power to establish postofflces
and postroads.
GOVERNMENT PLANS EXPLAINED.
Mr.. Catchings made a comprehensive and
exhaustive explanation of the plans by
which the government was undertaking the
improvement of the Mississippi river. He
urR0u Ludb Iuo lL1prOEoulSHb OL Cu6 TlVer
would furnish greater relief to the western
farmers than anything else that congress
could do. He made an earnest appeal for
broad, generous and patriotic treatment of
tine bill.
4 Mr.. Wheeler of Alabama described the
Improvement of the Tennessee river, and
urged that congress appropriate $500,000
for completing the Muscle Shoals i'm
provement and removing the bar
to navigation at Colbert shoals. He said
that the vast development of that country
made an immediate improvement in naviga
tion an absolute necessity to the cities of
iron furnaces, which were springing up as
by magic.
KERR ATTACKS THE BILL.
Mr.. Kerr of Iowa attacked the bill, which
was defended by Mr.. Grosvenor of Ohio.
Mr.. Boatner Of Louisiana spoke in favor
of an amendment which he said he would
offer if an opportunity we're presented. to
strike out the clause providing that none
of the appropriation for the Mississippi
river shall be expended to repair or build
levees for the purpose of reclaiming lands
or preventing injury to lands or private
property by overfiows.
The committee then rose and tie House
adjourned.