Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-04-28
MIR. Cleveland and Rivers and Harbors.
WASHINGTON, April q, 1892.

WASHINGTON April 81. 1892.
10 the Editor fthe alexandria Gazette:
AZ some question IL raised In respect to
Mr.. Oleveland's position on the river AID
harbor bill In which the South Ia go deeply
interested, 1t may be we'll to review hls re.
cord on the SUITE
During the CANVAS Of 1884 whenMr. Oleve-
land was candidate for the Presidency he
doesnot appear to have made any objection to
the river and harbor bills 10 his public ad.
dresses. The people OF the South and West
interested In these improvements had no
resoon to dread any opposition from him.
When the river and harhor bill OF 1886
vas presented to Mr.. Cleveland for his sig
, nature 1t was soon reported that he meant
| to veto it, This report created copsterDa-
lion anopg the southern democrats and
great pressure was brought to bear on MIR.
Cleveland to induce him to sign the bill.
| Numbers of prominent democrats went to
the White House, including members OF the
House enc Senate committees. Mr.. Back, OF
Kentucky, Mr.. Carlisle and many others.
The cabinet also joined In the appeal and
Mr.. Cleveland, finally, after great reluct-
snoe, signed the bill on August 5:h. 1886
| The bill prepared at the next seesion OF
Congress went into conference committee
az usual. Il was agreed to by the House of
Rspress ntstl7ea on the % b February, 1887,
| BY q vote of 178 to SO, Representatives John
W. Daniel, John g. Barbour. Geo. D. Wise
and John Randolph Tocker voting for The
bill. The Senate sgreed to the report next
day without division.
This bill appropriated about ten millions
of dollars. L was very important to the
whole South. Il appropriated Tor Virginia
as follows:
Improving Norfolk hsrbor and rs ap'
proaches, 800 900; Appomatox river, SIG 0OO;
James river, 500 600; Mat.aponi, So OOO;
New river, S.. 600; Rsppahaunock river.
81 SEQ; Srnunton river, s. 600; York river.
! $l2 500; Nansepcnd river, $1,000; Nomini
bay and creek, IS 600.
| This bill Mr.. Cleveland killed by what is
called "pookes 7eto," that Is, refusing his
signature, snd as In three days after tae bill
4 had psssed the Senate the session expired,
the bill failed to become law. Mr. C!ese-
/: land assigned reason5 for his ect and
asolded giving Congress eu opportunity to
i pass the bill over his veto. Ills opposition
Was cunning and effective, but there Wss
] nc tatug OF TIE I" lon" about 1t,
4 The third river and hssbor bill passed
during Mr.. CleveleuG's administration wer
to toe President July 81, 1888. MIR. Oeve.
! lend did not venture to veto 1t, as Presi-
Dental election WIS depending and he knew
@ veto would endanger his euccess; but he
showed his hostility to the measure by de-
ollning to sign 1t. Congress sat for months
sfterward and when the ten days elapsed
the bill became law.
At the session OF 18SS-'S9 there was no
river end hsrbor bill passed. At short
\ session there ls no chance to pass suoh bill
against hostile Executive.
The local sentiment OF the New York
commercial class and bankers Is unfriendy
to the river and hatbor bill. This ie due TO
the pregs OF that city, and they In turn ep.
pear to be inspired by the great trunk lines
Of railroad which have their principal Of
foes in that city. They do not like the COM
petition OF water transportation and desire
to llcait 1t as much as possible. Mr.. Cieye-
land liyes, moves aud has his being in this
provincial. selish atmosphere.
General Catchipes, o, Mississippi, prom.
| inent member of the river and her-
Dor committee of the House OF Represents.
tiyes 10 published letter says Of Mr.. Cievs-
land: "Mr. Cleveland killed one river and
hgrbor bill by pocSetln2 Il. end refused to
eipn another, allowing 1t to become law By
Limitation. Iu speech lately made lin But
falo, thlns) In sssallDg the republican
Congress for extravaganza, he went out OF
bis way to condemn the last river and bar
| Dor bill. BE said that few yesfs ago q
bill of $l1 900 900 was deemed sufficient.
but that now extravaganza had taken sucn
deep root that bill of over S22 600 600 mad
been passed By the 51:t Congress Undoubt-
ed!y, bad he been President. that
| bill would have failed to become q
| law. That wss not al e1travsgant bill.
u WAS too small, rather than too la'ee.
| This government should expend $50, 900 600
year for at least tsn years on the rivers
and hsrbors OF this country. No greater
service could be rendered the people, and
especially the IA; mers, than by relieving
them of the heavy tax now laid on them In
the shape Of transportation chergef; and the
present way to do this is to give Them the
| fu! use OF our rivers and harbors. II 1t Is
desired that The MisssslppI river, the Mis-
souri,, the Ohio, the Arksneas, the Red end
ether useful rivers and the great lakes and
our ocean hsrbors shall be improved, Mr..
| Cleveland is not wanted.
| II Mr.. Cleveland shall be renomlnsted,
| this would be an endorsstion of his known
policy on this subj act and the people CT the
North could not complain If the appropri
etions for rivers and hsrbors be cut down
to one half or one-four.h OF Whist they have
been, while one hundred and fifty miiions
OF dollars per annum ere wrung from the
blood epd sweet OF the neople. including
the farmers of the South, t, paw northern
PENSIONS L. @. W.
Big Fire in Philadelphia.
| Fire broke out on the stage of the Central