The sun., 1894-03-07

prsprissie-s sss Co-tisaons wsrk ror Thsr-.
WARRINGTON. March 0.-one Of the certain
Ties In the LEGISLATION Of the present session IL
that the enormous appropriations OF some past
years for rivers and harborn will not be re-
peated. In the present condition OF the Treas
ury the chief object aimed at should be to pre-
vent actual detriment TO works now In prog
rsss through lack Of imm edats continuance.
and pen in such works the assertion that det-
rimeht will result should not be accepted with
out accompanying proof from unquestioned
authority. When the national finances are in
q better condition than now II will be very
easy to resume ordinary projects Of improve
meat Meanwhile 1t should be kept in mind
that there is q considerable balance Of unex-
pended appropriations These will help to
carry on various projects, and perhaps in some
instances where balances have not been used
for some time. or where for other reasons
transfer would be practicable. they might be
transferred to proiects In the same region. and
representing the same geographical interests
which REQUIRE more i'm m sdiste attention.
Meanwhile Congressman newton O. Blan-
ehard. the Chairman Of the House COMMITTEES
on Rivers and Hsrbors. has set forth in the
pages Of the North American Repieto his ideas
Of what should be the proper method OF max
ing those Improvements. Undoubtedly In the
series OF great lakes and In the Mississippi
River and Its tributaries this country may be
said to have the two greatest practicable In
land waterways on the globe. and they are
supplemented by valuable streams embtylnR
into the two oceans Accordingly the original
sea-coast harbors and salt water tidal streams
was, at length enlarged so as to include inland
caring only for what could properly be consld-
cred as national biRhways was 80 carefully
ture on both harbors and rivers was S29 700
900 In the next ten years. however; all sorts
of project. were gathered under this head, and
sssresSts 10 sGs'oS5.S5 T. f IN II. next dscsds
stlIl greater sums were expended. agErsgat-
1890 more than s35. 5.0oO.OOo has been devoted
to rivers and harbors.
tHre, are outione by those OF some countries
NOUS burdens upon the people for the purpose
OF meeting the vast outlays OF the central
1Ss bS Mr. BSpSs,d
once all the money necessary for the COM
pletion, OF a project. with tho installments so
divided among the annual budgets that the
work is prosecuted in q systematic and con.
tinuous way. With us. on the other hand. not
rsSured % % approprlation may Be 81 made % and q con. on
tracts are necessarily lighted to the expendi-
for going on with the work It may be blocked
by disagreement among the various claimants
N ts
OF the session, or again by the condition ofthe
Treasury. From time to time. also, popular
tion of the waste OF money on exeayatihg
trout brooks or removing oyerhanging
that can in no S sense Se deemed national high
ways. and this may check the passage OF suit
It is nulte possible that in some cases
deterioration results from checking the prog
% wSs and that in Ss o.hs ar.
upon it II is true ths. Occasionally there has
tlon that the work was useless any way. so that
i has been abandoned as the result OF the
long been convinced Of the want OF wisdom In
partial rpptopriations When the full cost OF .
may n be more H reluctant al 70 authoTizS i II.
In the year 800. as Mr.. blanchard notes. q
S
fsiis Cana. Hay LsE. Shsnnel and PhIlsasl:
result was to take these projects out OF the
River and HerbOr bill and carry them to the
The Riysr and HSrbor Bill is now practically
ncs Ss 6: bsss
swollen to a N agnitude so enormous to insure
tss sSsl snnaa sundIy S VT b Is
In 1872 seeordingls successful @ 1n;, break E was
Psss syss% the
doubtodly WORTHY OF the place.. Ihey were the
upper Mississippi, the lower Mississippi. the
Missouri, the Hudson. the Columbia at the Cas-.
cades. the mouth Of the St. Johns. the Great
Kanawha the harbors OF Charleston. Savannah
and Mobile. the Point Judith hArbor OF refuge
and the great lakes ship channel.
One consequence is that there is now
double source oi apptopEiatbS,Gs b,n for river M and and
bill proper only shows part OF the national
expenditures for such purposes. Accordingly.
statements OF reductions on 1t are deceptive
unless accompanied by additional statements
NJ tha amounta eNDAndAd for Ike DrOlactR in
the SundrS Civil bill. Mr. blanchard. however.
insists that great savings have been made By
the new system.
For instance 1t estimated that the ship channel
In the eat lakes would cost S3,5+ooO Under the
been made for the completion OF the project for the
total OF only 81 3o4 asa. IS. much less than
half OF the original estimats.
the work was 81 7f5lih contract has been made to
complete the project for less than hA that SUN. In
AZ Hay lake Channel St NAry's River. contracts
have been made for the completion OF the project at
saving OF 100000 under tue sstimAte.
the Hudson River. on the Columbia River, the
lower Mississippi River, and at Mobile. at Charleston
81 Baltimore. and at other poinu-
Care must be taken not to put in this cate
CORY OF works which will become an annual
eetsi that belong to the River and Harbor bill,
One good feature OF the new arrangement will
be eventually that, II the biennial River and
Harhor bill proper. or improper, happens to
be skipped occasionally, no great harm may
result by the saving OF this OUTLAW. In q bill
introduced into former Congress for q
bureau OF Harbors and Waterways" 1t was
provided that no work at all should be begun
without an appropriation sum Client for Its cOm-
plstion. save In few, exceptional instances,