Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-06-20
HAMPERING HENNEPIN.
All That Has Come of Gests Visit
to Washington.
He Foi to See the Secretary of War
and ~ Instructed TO state His
Sasc In Writ.ng-COming
Back Agaiu.

The Chicago Inter Ocean of yesterday
contained the following further details of
Congressman Gest's recent mission to
Washington for the purpose Of hindering
the Hennepin canal operations, which have
already advanced further than at any
time before in the history of the great
project;
Congres smau Gest, of the r, ok Island
district called at the war department to-.
day In accordance with an appointment
and was prepared TO address the secre-
tary of war in the matter of the location
of the Henuepin canal and of the change
of route which he claimed had been made
without authority by Captain Marshall,
the engineer officer in charge. But the
secretary of war had been called away
from the city and was about to leave.
Consequently MIR. Gest was referred TO
Assistant Secretary Grant, who, for that
matter under the present organization of
the war department. has charge of all
| matters relating TO river and harcors, and
engineer work of that class. To General
Grant Mr.. Gest made the argument which
Aac dAlCdGN DCSA cU-lAuGu III lICSe us
patches. General Grant heard the argu-
ment and requested Mr.. Geet to reduce it
to writing aud to send it to the depart.
| ment. Mr.. Gest left for home tonight,
| and wi il prepare his argument and for
ward it here in due time.
The war department much prefers to
have written arguments This is espec-
tally true OF anything which relates TO
rivers and harhors. The advantage of
this TO the department is that the engi-
neer officers, wh, Sc judgment is often
called in question, are sometimes con.
frouted with the formal argument against
them AMI requested to answer. 1t is not
known whether that will be the case in
this instance. General Grant did not in
dictate whether or not the claim OF Con-
gresham Gest that Captain Marshall has
usurped authority in selecting, a new
route instead of the one which Mr.. Gest
claims was prescribed by the act Ct 1880
would or would not be accepted bg the
department. An immediate decision is
of course not to be expected.
The point raised BY Mr.. Gest that the
law of 1880 definitely fixed the route is &
new one. Il is claim, for that matter
"AtAA III. ~ ct iAtAASSlA NAk4 LON ulahC IL
the argument which he fled month ago
with the department on this same subject.
This new construction of the act of 1880
IS the result Of a more careful, study OF
that set since Mr.. Costs brief wss fled.
The Interpretation which Mr.. Gest
would give to the law ST 1880 is eviIent>
IL not that which has been accepted by
the WAY department. OF course if the
construction by Mr Gest of the
act OF lSS is correct, Captain Marshall
has no right to make s new survey aud
has no discretion except TO proceed with
the construction Of the canal under the
appropriation OF the act of 1891 on the
route fixed by the act of 1880.
So it seems tat after all Gest has not
accomplished anything beyoad The 20
canal, but /, Is TO be hoped he VIII no,
succeed in giving The great uAtio la pro-
ject more serious st back. The above
statement Giscloses the Ct, however.
that the ex-cougreSsmau cannot be held
in the highest regard By the head Of the
war department, who after having N .de
a special engagement 1T with hin 70 60 to
| Washington. d not regard either him
or his mission OF sufficient importance to
remain in Washington to see him. Or
| perchance the secretary of war knows the
situatiou quite SIS veil as TIE ARGUS
| does, and realz-s that purely selfish in
teres,s, the self-same interests which COZ
trolIed Mr. Gest during his term il con.
gress aud compelled him TO sacri
| fee his duty TO the people, is
again directing his movements. THE
| ARGUS has only TO repeat lis heretofore
mad statement, that while it would have
preferred the most northerly Of the two
routes to the mouth OF Rock river, il be-
lieves the engineers knew what they were
about when ey located this part of the
canal, taa' they have made great saw
ing tor the government in so doing and
that 20 change it now would jec p lrize
| he entire measure. Let well enough
alone and let the work OF cor s.Iuction 90
on. The people of ROCK Island are not
so narrow minded as Mr. Ges Won d
have them appear They want the canal,
! not what they can make out of the gov
eminent pers pnal Y or individually, but
as a commercial waterway, distributing
its benefits to the people in common of
! the 4 tire northwest