Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-20
THE CANAL WILL GO.
Congressman W. A. Stone Says an
Appropriation Will Be Made
TO SURVEY THE SHIP CHANNEL
Between the Deep Water of the Lakes and
the Ohio River.
RECTIFYING A SERIOUS MISTAKE

harbor bill by the lawmakers at Washing
ton, Congressman w. A Stone, champion
of the measure, is confident that the imme-
diate future is roseate with promise for the
projectors of the canal and that their hopes
will soon be realized.
Yesterday afternoon the genial represen-
tative of the Twenty-third Congress-
ional district devoted an even
hour in outlining the future plans
of the friends of the canal project. When
he had exhausted the subject of canals in
general and the Ohio River and Lake Erie
Ship Canal in particular, Mr. Stone talked
national politics for time and then wound
up an interesting interview with a terse
but caustic criticism of the recent work of
the learned weather man.
'To begin at the beginning" said the
Congressman, as he ignited very black
and very fragrant perfecto, "you can quote
me as saying that the Erie ship canal bill is
not dead. In point of fact it is very much
alive, and, barring accidents, will become
law in a comparatively brief period. Yes,
I know that the Conference Committee of
the, House has struck out the item for the
$4,000 for the preliminary surveys from
the river and harbor bill, but in the end
this apparent setback will not affect the re-
suit.
Got Into the Wrong Measurn.
"In the first place we made sad mistake
in tacking the aforesaid item to the river
and harbor bill. It had no business
there. 1 will tell you why Every
schoolboy knows that the river and har-
Dor bill is designed for the Improvement
Of the navigation of rivers and harbors, and
not for the construction OF canals. or course
we realized this fact when the bill was in
troduced in the Senate. but in our eagerness
to push the canal project we decided to in
s sers tne % len M lor surveys, thinklng tnat
that the bill would pass both Houses. Sena-
tor Quay piloted the bill through the Senate
in safety. but when it reached the Confer
ence Committee 1t struck a serious snag.
My Democratic friends were responsible
They gravely affirmed that this was a year
of economy for Congress und that it would
be a woful waste of the nations money to
boom any of the numerous canal schemes in
the bill. They had the best of the argument
1nasmuch as they were in the majority as
regards votes, and so the item, together
with number of others OF u similar charac-
ter, was stricken out.
"They made the point in the committee
room that all appropriations for canals and
ship roads must, in the proper course of
Canals. The friends of the Erie canal have
now decided to introduce their project in
the House as separate act, which will in
clude all the money necessary Tor the sur
veys and preliminary work. Senator Quay
will have no difficulty in pushing tho meas
ure through the Senate, and Mr.. DalzelI,
who is an enthusiastic supporter of the
canal, will look after the bill in tile House.
Waiting Until the Campaign Is Over.
"I anticipate little or no trouble in secur-
So to
until the second session of Congress. Then
the campaign will be over, and as our Dem
ocratic friends will have recovered from
their spasm of so-called economy, there will
be little opposition. You may say right
here that had it not been for the economical
(?) Democratic House the bill would have
already been passed. If the canal scheme
proves practicable, and firmly believe that
worry over its ultimate fan Sooner or
later ft will be built"
Having thus disposed of the momentous
canal problem, MIR. Stone selected fresh
cigar and proceeded to talk national poll
tics.
ITO my mind," he said. "the Chicago Con-
vention will nominate Grover Cleveland. 1
can't for the life of me see how they can do
otherwise.
"Do think that he will be electedY Ger
tainy not. Notwithstanding the warm work
can party are now united for Mr.. Harrison,
and, furthermore, they Will elect him. He has
been tried, and not found wanting. The
business men OF this country want a safe,
President and Harrison has
given them satisfaction. AL this talk about
the country not prospsring is rot-pure and
simple rot.
The Republican Party Well Disciplined.
"It has grown rapidly during the last four
years despite the chatter about Mckinley
ism, tin plate, etc. The Republican party is
a splendidly disciplined organization. The
leaders do all their pickering and wrangling
at and previous to the convention. When
the candidates are once named they bury
their differences and jump in and work as a
unit for the success OF the ticket.
"It is different with our friends, the |
enemy. The disappointed leaders never |
bow to the will of the majority. but sit in |
their tents and brood over their fancied |
wrongs. Tammany has no love for Cleve- |
and, and from what can hear Tammany is |
m institution not to be ignored. Knowing |
all these things, feel safe in predicting Mr.. |
Harrison's election"