Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-05-21
IN THE SENATE.
River and Harbor Bill Passed Conference
Asked With the House.

sumed the consideration of the river and
harbor bill. Pugh moved to take S5o, 900
from the appropriation of S2i2 800 for
Mobile harbor and appropriate that sum 10
the improvement of Warrior river. Hale
opposed the amendment and pointed out the
effect of the continuing contract" items in
the bill. Whereas these Items he said,
only carried appropriations 0f S6,26G.
$50, they bound the gotcrnmcnt
hard and fast To an additional
outlay of $50 ,si5.357. Yet, he said Dem
ocratic senators, particularly referring to
German, Vest, Cockrcll and Villas, was not
seen to rise and protest against those pro-
visions put in the bill by the Democratic
House of Representatives. He discovered
in that fact something of the masquerading
which had been referred to the other day
by the senator from Mary land That senator,
Hale said, had the sagacity to see that his
party would be confronted at the end of
this session, with the fact that ii is not able
to reduce the appropriations; he also had
seen that the cry about the "billion
dollar Congress" would be- ovcrw helmcd i'll
extinguishable laughter of the American
people when they learned that, in its very
first session the Democratic House of Rep
resentatives had increased the aprropria-
tons. That the cry of lersion would over
whclm the cry of the "billiou Congress
and nothing could be answered to
it. The senator from Maryland asserted
House bound by statutes passed BY Re
publican Congress and appropriation could
not be reduced until the Democratic party
gained possession of every branch of the
government Hale now called Gorman's
attention to the fact that the enormous ap-
preparations in the river and harbor bill
such as the improvement of Mobile harbor,
had not their basis on any act of the Re
publican Congress or Republican admins
,ration. They are simply the result of in
hueuce which. where II could pare and
cheese pare in small matters, dill
so. going before the country, claiming
reputation for economy but where there
was an opportunity to pass a log rolling ap
preparation bill every particle of economy
disappeared. Neither the senator from Mary
land nor the senator from Wisconsin nor the
senator from Missouri rose to say word
against such bin.
Hale drew a comparison between the
course of the Democratic senator on the
naval appropriation bill and on the river
and harbor bill, and asked the clerk to read
a letter from distinguished Democrat as
to the importance OF providing defcnces for
sea coast cities. Turpie--Who is the
writer?
IIale-Samucl i. Tilden. II is letter
written from Greystone in 1883 to the
Speaker of the House. The writer was, at
one time, considered an authority in the
Democratic party. want the Senate to
hear what the distinguished leader, lumina-
ry, iigh, guide. philosopher. and friend of
the Democratic party said in 1855.
After some interruptions by Turpic, the
letter was read. Hale added that he had
done all he desired to do in calling the al
tention of the Senate to the seemingly in
consistent attitude of Democratic senators
on two appropriation bills. One was for
the general protection of our seaport cities,
the other was made up of items for particu-
lar localities. Hale repeated that the state
ment of expenditures involved in the river
and harbor bill were not made necessary by
any statutes of a Republican Congress, but
had their origin in a Dcwocratic House.
NcPherSon expressed surprise at finding
Tilden quoted by the senator from Maine,
who had been one of the visiting states
men" by whom rildens election to the
Presidency had been defeated; said that
Tilden always favored reform and economy.
Hale recalled the fact. as patent answer
to McPherson's remarks that when the
Democrat party four years after Tilden's
defeat had an opportunity To yindicate him
by a rcnomination, it had not done 50.
Vest said 'fil1en had sent letter to the
National Cnnventian declaring that he Conld
not and would not be candidate for the
Presidency. The feature of the bill 10
which the senator from Maine especial
~ addressed himself (''continuous con,ract"
systeml was the mos, defensible feature
of it. He denied the right of the senator
from Maine to charge him with inconsistency
in supporting the river and harbor bill after
opposing the naval appropriation bill. Every
dollar voted for the improvement of the
waterways of the country removed =
burden from the people of the whole
land every dollar voted for a ship of war
was not needed. and would only induce the
country TO get into naval war, and was
absolutely thrown away. If Iii1en were
alive he would protest against those cruis-
ers which the senator from Maine wanteI
to infliet upon the people.
Hale said it was legitimate to ask queR-
ton which had been asked the other day.
where the money for this river AMI harbor
bill was coming from. Vest--The money
can be easily raised for this and all other
general appropriation bills.
Hale-By taxation? Nest--The money
he raised under the present system of taxa
ton. The senator from Maine propoged in
that naval appropriation bill To 90 beyond
The House and have large AMI spectacular
navy.
Haie-The senator does not believe. v ith
the senator from Texas Mills, that the
country is on tlie verge of bankruptcy ?
Vest--I believe that We are in the face Of
deficit; and quote Sherman az author
ity.
Hale-TheD might We not get along
without ouch large river and harbor appro-
priations? Vest--We are making smaller
appropriations for the present year than
made heretofore. The revenue will meet
the expenses.
At the close of the discussion Purh's :
amendment was agreed TO. Some other
amendments we're acted on, and the bill re-
ported back to the Senate, All amend
fHents agreed to in committee were con
cured in. in gross and the bill passed
without division.
conference being asked, FRYE, Dolph
and Ransom we're appointed eonferees
The last bill in which Frye was interested
was then taken up and passed, entitled a
bill ito amend sections 2sG7 and 28SI
of the revised statutes" Its priBti-
pal purpose is to add dye
woods and wool 10 the paragrapl,
allowing vessels laden exclusively with .u-
gar, coal, salt, etc, to remain l., ,Iays at
the port of call for orders. The Senate
then went into executive session. and at
$40 adjourned until Monday.