St. Paul daily globe., 1892-05-06
Collector" Holman and the
Eloquent Breckenridge
Register Kicks.
Investigation of High Off
eialS Asked on Serious
Allegations.
EX-Papk Manager Waters Is
Not Standing Well as a
Witness.

WASHINGTON, May Sin the house
today, upon the river and harbor bill,
Mr.. Holman was sharp and bitter, but
his remarks did not create such senSa-
ton as did those of Mr.. Breckenridge.
of Kentucky, when he applied to a
Democratic house 10 deal frankly and
fairly with the people and not try to
create the impression that the bill in-
volYed an appropriation of but S2l ,OOO,-
600 when it really carried an eXpendl-
ture of 81, 100000.
He QHolman) attacked the bill as being
an eXtravagant one. 1t not only appTo-
priated more than 100000, but
it authorized contracts to be
made which would make the govern
ment liable for S26,OOO.0O0 mere.
In connection with the bill he sent to
the clerks desk and had read letter
from w. Z. Leonard, of Port Huron,
Mich, to Representatives Whiting,
thanking him for his opposition to the
proposal to make a twenty-One-foot
channel across Lake St. Clair, dis
tance of thirty miles. This channel
NOu1O ldNG " OO WIN PlN4o VI
wood or stone on both sides. 1t would
cost at least $T2, 600, 600, and if the piers
were of stone it would cost $500, 600, 600.
Again, at Beer Point, in Lake Erie,
there would be ten miles of piers and
five feet of dredging. and at the 800"
river fifty miles of piers. At the foot
of Lake Huron there would have to be
about three miles of piers. These
ninety-three miles of wooden piers, with
necessary dredgings, would cost
S2,5OO,OOO Mile,
which amounted to the enormous sum of
S2S2, 500, 600; and in five years the work
would not be worth the button on SOL
dier's coat for the navigation Of twenty
One-foOt vessels.
Mr.. Whiting. of Michigan, thought
that the proposition to secure a twenty
one-foOt channel from Duluth to Buffalo
was premature and ill-adViSed.
Mr.. Breckenridge, of Kentucky, had
too short time accorded to him 10 at
tack the bill in detail, but he said that
if Democratic house wished to pass
the bill it should act frankly with the
people and tell them that the measure
involved an appropriation of S47, ,000,OO0,
and not one OF 81, ,OO0,O00. Ii the S47,-
0OO,OCO was fair and just, let the Demo
cratic party go before the country and
say so. and not declare that this was an
economical congress and had appropri-
ated only S2l, 100000.
Mr.. Lockwood made an eloquent
speech in favor of the deep waterway
channel. lie believed in the general
policy of economy, but he was opposed
to that economy which depriveS the
people of their just rights in the matter
of transportation.
Mr.. Catchings, of Mississippi, in de-
Tending the bill. paid his respects to
Mr.. Holman. The gentleman from In
diana. he said, opposed the measure. as
he did every other measure which was
a step towards the advancement of the
country.
The general debate having concluded,
the bill was considered under the five
minute rule. On motion OF Mr.. Blan-
chard, the appropriation for the i'm
prOvement of the harbOr at Manitowoc,
Wis, was increased from $4,000 to
S28.OOO. Without disposing Of the bill,
the committee rose and the house
adjourned.