The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-05-11
AN BXTRAVAGAET MEASURE.


The river and harbor bill has come to
be regarded as an index of the political
morals of Congress. OsteDsibly bill to
provide for necessary improvements of
q national character in our ocean har-
bors and inland lakes and rivers, it has.
by process of vicious evolution, be-
come largely lOg-rOlling measure. COW
ering up large number of extravagant
appropriations for worthless purposes.
the aggregate effect of which is big
job. 1t has become the fashion to so
place these appropriations, distributing
them among various districts, as to Sc
cure enough votes to insure tho passage
of the bill. Every member who gets
"slice of pork" votes for the measure,
the passage of which is thus secured by
a process of "you tickle me and I'll
tickle you"
The amount of appropriations carried
by the river and harbor bill has been
steadily increasing for years past. Per-
haps there is some justification for an
increase, but there is reason to believe
that the increase has been much greater
than the circumstances justify. 1t has
not been many years since a river and
harbor bill that appropriated $8.0OO.O00
wasregardeda as excessive. In 1885 the ap-
preparations were $14, GAS, 800, in 1889 they
were S22, 1891, GIG, and in 1891 they were
S2S, ,495. That was high water mark
up to that time. and should have been
the turning-point. There is every rea-
son to believe that if the Republicans
had continued in control of Congress it
would have been the turning point. but
such is not the case. The Democratic
House has passed a river and har Dor bill
which practically apprOpriates SAL
300, 000-S21, 300, 900 outright and S26, 0OO,-
600 for future contracts. In so far as
this amount is devoted to making the
Mississippi safely navigable from st.
Paul to the ocean. and to make n canal
through the lakes that will float the
largest grain carrying ships from Duluth
to Buffalo, no intelligent man can oh
ject. provided the money is expended
upon business principles. But in view
of the present condition of the Treas
ury, the appropriation as a whole is ex-
travagant. 1t is no defense of it to say
that many of the items are just and mer-
itorious. That is true of all river and
harbor bills.
This measure has been passed by
Democratic House which came in with
great promises of retrenchment and re-
form. Quite a number of Democrats
opposed it and some of the leading Dem
ocratic papers of the country have pro-
tested against its passage. Representa-
tive Bynum says in an interview:
The river and harbor bill, which has Just
passed the House. in my opinion, is an I'M
warranted and extrayagant measure.
River and harbor bills. as said by President
Arthur In his veto message. grow In popu-
larity AS their extravagant provisions are
more readily they pass. To-day we could
not even get the yeas and nays until 1t be-
came apparent that we would not allow @
vote To be taken unless the privilege of 60
ing on record against the measure was
granted us.
A bill carrying $40, 600. OoO was considered
an extravagant bill when l first came to
Congress- Then the bill was increased to
of such measures always prevented legisla-
ton at the short session of Congress. Now,
we came into power In the House last cleo
ton upon the promise that there should be
reduction of expenditures. that extrava-
CANT and improper appropriations should
be checked. and yet the river and harbor
bill just passed carries over 81 ,000OO of
appropriations and authorizes the Secre-
tary of War TO contract for improvements
to he extent of over ST, 0O0, 600 more for
which no apprOpriatiOns are made: in short
the present bill carries appropriations and
contracts to the amount or over Sf7, O0O, 600.
The Journal is not concerned abOut
the bad record which the Democrats are
making. They cannot make their rec
ord too bad to suit us, and we believe
they have already done enough in that
direction to insure the election of Re-
publican House. But something is due
to the national treasury and to the peo-
ple who have to foot the bills. 1t is
most unfortunate that the President
cannot approve some features of
the bill and veto others, thus dis
eliminating in favor of the meritOrious
| appropriations. The bill is so ex-
travagant that he would almost be justi-
| fed in vetoing it altogether. He is ut
| likely to do that. but he ought to find
some means of placing himself on record
against it's wasteful appropriations and
of emphasizing the fact that Congress
pledged To economy and reform has
passed the most extravagant river and
| harbor bill ever enacted.