The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1892-10-15

DoiPu speecn tt lVere1 In thlS CITY Ihurs-
day, Oct 9th, in relation to his WORK in the
United States senate in reference to the
ship railway above this city and the i'm
provement at the Locks:
RIVERS AND HARBORS.
The resolution of the platform of the Democratic
party concerning river and hlrbor improvements is
to say the least. very peculiar one The Mssss
lppl river Is deemed worthy OF special mention al
is the only one so mentioned. The ther navigable
waters referred to under the head OF ther great
waterways of the country 1t is in effect declar
at on against general stem of waterway improve
ments and a general river and harbor bill Under
the wording OF this resolution all the improvements
along our coast would be excluded, and if " e may
Judge from the action OF the present Democratic
house the Columbia river not in the estimation of
the party, one OF the great waterways of the
try.
The increase secured by me in the senate commit
tee on commerce for The mouth OF the Columbia and
lower Columbia and willamette, as well as for the
Slusaw and Yaquina were bitterly fought by the
house coHferees, and after prolonged and bitter
contest the provision placed by the Republican SEN
ate in the River and Harbor bill of last session for
opening the Columbia at The Dalles rapids was de-
feIled
The resolution of the Chicago convention should
be read in the light of the pocket veto of President
Cleveland OF the River and Harbor bill of 1887, by
which the appropriations for the Oregon works were
defeated and the works delayed.
lHSre Is NOT state IN the union, thanks to Re-
publican administrations that h S received greater
consideration from congress larger appropriations
for rivers an harbors during my service in the
ate than Oregon. Our people complain at the prog
ress being made with the work upon Oregon i'm
provements; but if they would examine 4 river and
harbor appropriation bill they oud find that there
are usually 4oO or more worAs appropriated for,
many OF them quite as important ours, and many
OF which have eeen longer lnder way. The Oregon
Improvements which have been so far undertaken
are as compared with similar improvements else
ment at Coos Y has already begun to show bene-
fcal results, and the liberal appropriation lust made
for it will enable the work to be prosecuted with
new vlgor. commencement of the work at Siuslaw
aud Klamath bay has been provided n. One more
comparatively small appropriation will complete the
existing project for the improvement of Yaquna
bay. The work at the mouth of the Columbia river
will be substantially completed with the present ap-
preparation, and if any further appropriation is re
quired it will be insignificant This Improvement
for which l secured the first appropriation after
entered the senate, has cost less than hall the
estimate and has already proved great success. A
safe entrance and harbor of refuge has been secured
with nearly 80 feet of water at low tide Thanks to
the iberality and enterprise of the people of Port
land, who are eXpendng $500 600 to seCure 25 feet
of water from Portland to the sea, one more ordi-
nary appropriation will probably complete the work
OF improving the lover Columbia and Willamette,
and that Improvement will be out of the way of
others.
The construction of the canal and locks at the Cas-
cades to completion has been secured by the adop-
tion for the work of the contract system There has
teen a great deal of misunderstanding and misrep-
resentation about his system. 1t WIS adopted by
the senate committee on commerce two years ago
for the new lccSs upon the Sault Ste Marie canal,
Galveston harhor, aud Philadelphia and Baltimore
improvements lt was then considered to some ex-
tent experimental, and the committee did not dare
to increase the contract works for fear of defeating
the bill. was then promised by the leading mem
befs OF tn, senate committee on commerce that i'll
the next River and Harbor bill ons of the Oregon
works should be placed under the contract system.
said to the people of The Dalles in pub c speech
year ago last July that would ia the next River
and H2r0or appropriation bill secure such provis
ion for the Cascade locks, and hoped to induce the
senate committee TO treat the Cascade canal and The
Dalles i'm! rovem Mt as one, snd 10 secure similar
provision for the boat railway. / should have sue
ceeded in this, and both works would have been now
provided for and the speedy opening of the Colum
ba assured, had it not been for obstructions and
difficulties emanating from my own state.
The contract system resulted in securing contract
for the construction of new lock upon the Sault
S e. Marie and the Improvement of lay lake chan
mel for more tian million dollars less than the
innate, and in great saving in the Philadelphia
and Baltimore Improvements. Under such a provi5
ion contracts are let for the whole work, the con-
tractor receiving in due time as payment upon the
work the appropriation already made, and receiving
his future payments as appropriations made by
congress The secretary of Is authorized to in
cur Indebtedness to the amount of the contract
price, and the appropriations thereafter made
not in the River and Harbor bill, but in the Sundry
Civil Apportionment bill appropr. .ations are made
for all iquidated claims against the government and
will be made annually.
have observed that it is supposed by some that
there will be difficulty in securing contract for the
completion OF the canal and locks; but have no
doubt that there will be bids every quarter Of
the union, and contract will be secured for price
much below the estimate. To hep secure
sponsible bidder for price within the estimate Of
the cost, the limit OF the expenditure, received in
the east the names of all the bidders successful and
unsuccessful for the work at Galveston harbor, the
locks on the sault Ste. Marie canal the Baltimore
ana Philadelphia Improvement, and brought them
to Major Handbury and had copies of notices of the
letting of the work upon the Cascade canal mailed
to them.
have not proceeded with the work with the appro-
priations made in the last River and Harbor bill.
do not think the secretary of had authority te
expend the money for work crrried on under the
government engineers As have said the appro
priation is made to apply as the first payment on
the contract price of the wotk. 1t necessarily takes
time to effect the change of the wo from the old
system to the contract system. Official communi
cation between the department and the local engi-
neers was necessary in order that the department
could be fully informed as to the condition of the
work, and the local engineer could be fully advised
as to the effect Of the provisions concerning it.
Careful working PlaLs and specifications for every
part OF the work were required before the work was
advertised. Extensive advertisement of the letting
OF the contract required that contractors in all
parts OF the country might have opportunity to
bid and reasonable bid secured. But when these
necessary prelimiuaries have been attended to and
the contract let, the work will proceed without de-
lay until completed.
Much that mas been recently sad In the press
cerning this work has been based upon insufficient
information concerning present conditions There
has been most unaccountable effort from certain
sources to place obstacles r the WY Of the delega
ton in congress, and especially to weaken my nfiu
ence in eldeavoring to secure open river. l am
not in the habit of noticing al attacks espec
ially attacks OF which my official recorI is sufficient
refutatiou; but l think will embrace this opp1r-
tunitY to say this place and this time once for ALL
that il any show single act, vote or speech
of mine which calculated to retaId the opening
- -
terms-if any one will show where there has been
an opportunity to promote the opening of the Co.
lumba river and to secure appropriations for that
purpose which have not improved with all the
zeal ability and perseverance possess will at once
resign from the United States senate.
will say in this connection that in all that has
been accomplished ana all that has been attempted
to open river and for river and harbor i'm
provements in Oregon, Mr.. Mitchell, since he en-
tered the senate has earnestly cooperated with me-
and all the Oregon delegation have been energetic
and diligent; and if one has accomplished more in
this respect than another it has been because his
opportunite being member Of committee hav-
ing jurisdiction of rivers and harbors-were better
will go further; If any one can show that in any
controversy between the people and corporations /
have not exerted all my influence and my votes
for every constitutional measure in the interest Of
the people, and for every measure calculated to
benefit the laboriug man, will retire to private
life.
The senate committee on commerce, through my
efforts after entered the senate was enlarged to
give me a place upon it. The first speech / ever
made in the senate in favor of the improvement
of the Columbia river. l have, from the time en-
tered the senate improved every opportunity to Sc
cure large appropriations for the work at the Cas-
cades. Being new member and failing in the COM
mittee to secure incrt of the appropriation
for the canal and locks in the River and Harbor bill
of 1884, made, Notwithstanding was a member of
the committee and tacitly committed to support the
report of the committee, motion to the senate to
increase the appropriation for the canal and locks
$50 900, and supported it with speech 1t failed
lacking few votes Of majority You will recol-
lecJ that Senator Frye spoke against it, saying that
OREGON already iberally provided for and that
was the greatest beggar for my state on the commit
tee.
/ believe have secured in every subsequent River
and Harbor BILL except the last liberal increases for
heir work. at the 5lst congress introduced and
reported from the senate committee on commerce,
aud passed through The senate bill appropriating
the whole amount required for the completion Of |
The Cascade canal and locks. During the SD con-
ress introduced, reported and secured the passage
through the senate of similar bill appropr .atng
The whole amount required for this work / now |
'ecall no other where this has been done. ex-
,ept for the improvement at the mouth of the Miss
ssippi. Does this look much like disposition on
ny part to retard the work prevent the opening
If the Columbia? If so let some Of my Democratic
rends indicate what else could have done.
haye recently discussed the matter Of the i'm
lrovement at the dalles of the Colum ia, and need
lot enlarge upon it here. My strenuous exertions
% secure the commencement and speedy construc- |
ion of this work haze brOupht down II. non m