The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1892-05-07

propriates less than half this amount. It
system is to be applied. The amount of
the liability to be ssessed by the govern
ment on account of them Is $50, 262, ,32l. Of
this amount Sc, $780, 600 are at present ap-
proprIated. The balance will be forthcom.
| ing whenever it suits the political convent
ence OF the party in power TO appropriate
1t. Contracts may be made to the amount
| of over S33, 000, 900, but congress makes no
provision that any stated amount will be.
come available after the first year. A con.
scientIous contractor, after providing his
| plant and making his arrangements for car
ryIng out his part of the obligation on an
extended scale, may find himself suddenly
confronted with this fact, that his work can
get no further appropriations, Or at most,
very meager ones, unless he can ''stand in"
politically with the senators and representa-
tives, through whose influence alone these
may be obtained. He and his bondsmen,
their heirs and executors for several gener-
ations to- come, may find themselves bonded
to the government, and dancing attendance
to the whim of party caprice, 1t may nat
urally be asked, what advantage has this
system Of carrying on public works over the
present one, or what prospect is there that
these works will be any more expeditiously,
honestly or economically prosecuted?
In the first place, it is believed that
if public works were let to contractors,
greater diligence would be used to
complete them than by the present
system, and greater economy exercised
in the expenditure of money. This is
apparent to anyone, for the selfish in
terests of him or them to whom the
contract was given would impel rapid
work and the most advantageous dis
bursements of funds. The officers of
the war departm snt have no personal
interests in public works, and while
we do not charge them with any dis
honest or questionable practices re-
garding the locks at the Cascades, yet
we believe by the contract system the
work would have been completed be-
fore this time. The wearisome delay.
caused by change of plans by different
boards of engineers, has caused our
people TO be almost unanimous in
favor of change to different method,
and no other argument need be
used than the unfinished canal itself,
after sixteen years work and the ex-
penditure of over 81, 100000
The government would be party
to the contract, and the conscientious
contractor" could not be injured by
any laches on its part without available
means of redress. Of course, he would
be under bonds for the faithful per-
formance of his part, and the United
States would also be obligated to the
fulfllment of its portion of the con-
tract. For this reason we can see no |
reason why the conscientious con-
tractor" would be forced to dance |
to the whim of party |
caprice. Public works, under con-
tract, would not be subservient to
either political organization; but all
parties would be interested in furnish
ing the contractor every means for
their early completion. If his plant
were damaged by delay in appropria-
tions, an action would lie, and it might
cost the government very dearly.
The Sault Ste Marie canal, in Mich
igan, through which passed last year
more commerce than via the Suez canal,
and perhaps double as much this year,
was built under the contract system,
and the work was done quickly and at
comparatively small outlay. If the
war department had charge of this
great Improvement perhaps it might
nave been another generation before
he work would have been completed.
Great bodies move slowly, and gov
'rnment works have rarely progressed
beyond snail's pace. There is too
much s'red tape" about governmental
management of improvements in riv-
RS, and the time wasted in hearing
rom Washington City and adopting
eports of boards of engineers cause
'exatious delays and unnecessary ex-
'enditure of public money. These
would not happen if public works were
ct by contract. and the government
nd the individual would be equally
ound to faithful and expeditions
york. Political flibustering with the
river and Harbor bill would then
e expensive to the government and
nsure the defeat of either party. By
ractical experience the producers of [
he Inland E~pire have seensdemon-
trated the inability of the war de-
artment to complete improvements
xpeditiously, and are firmly persuaded 1
he only manner to open the Columbia c
iver quickly is by personal interest of c
ldividual contractors in effective work +
nd economical disbursements.