The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-06-10

A0ULHSG CHC OGt1 O'teV -~JNCe"' wv
Wisdom and Honesty of the House,
and Recommends the Passage Of the
Bill Over the Veto.
WASHINGTON. June 2.-Io the House
to-day Mr.. Henderson reported from
the committee on rules an order making
the hour Of meeting for the remainder
of the sessions at IL O'Clock A. N. It
was agreed to.
The report of the committee on
rivers and harbors, recommending the
passage of the river and harbor bill.
..,he objections of the President to the
contrary notwithstanding" was pres
ented by Mr.. Hooker. Republican, of
New York. chairman, aud read. The
report states that of the All items Of
appropriations contained in the bill ell
except twenty-seveo are FOR projects
contained ir bills which have hereto
fore become laws. apd which have been
for years 10 process of, construction BY
the Government. No new projects
were added to the bill Of 1894. It
will thus be seen. the reports states.
that the principal work of the commit
tee has been the investigation and ex-
animation of improvements to which
Congress has repeatedly committed IT.
self. The river aud barbor bill Of
1890 appropriated S25, 100000 and
placed certain works under the contract
system, which Involved the additional
expenditure of SIS, 600 1t ap-
pears, therefore. that by far the greater
number of projects appropriated for 10
the Bill Of 1890 and which are not yet
completed.
The report explains that the bill was
referred TO Gen. Casey. then chief Of
the United States engineers, who re-
ported to President Harrison that only
eight of the items seemed to be of lin
tied or local beue6t. The gross amount
appropriated for these items vas S72,-
600. From this it will be seen. the re-
port continues. that the larger part Of
tae projects contained in the present
bill passed the scrutiny and received
tn approval of Gen. Casey and have
gone uncballenged until oow. The
bills of 1890 aad 1892 were approved
by Presidents Harrison ana the bill Of
1894 was permitted By the present Exc
cu:ive to become law By Limitation.
The committee impeached the Presi-
dents declaration that many OF the ob-
iects for which the money is appropri-
a,ed sre not related to the public well
fare. They assert that the bill was
carefully prepared after exhaustive
bearings, aud that they rupulously
avoided making appropriations not liz
the interest CT commerce.
Referring to the Presidents criti-
cism, that not a few of the improve
meuts have been SO impro7idently plan
ned and prosecuted that after an unwise
expenditure Of millions Of dollars new
experiments for their accomplishment
have been entered upon, the committee
say that it has often occurred. after pro-
iecs has been adopted in accordance
with certain defined plans submitted by
the engineers. that the interests Of
commerce required that a greater and
more effective Improvement than that
first contem plated should be made. Iu
such cases it had long been the custom
of Congress to order from time to tiue
new estimates to be made With view
to enlarging the scope Of these projects
In making appropria,ius for these ed
|a7ged projects tae bill often directed
,oas the money appropriated should DC
expended 10 accordance with the modl-
6ca,ions Of the engineers. The con-
uittee believe. therefore, that the Presi
aeot may have iaferred from the lac
suaee SO used that the original plans
had been lmpsovideps and ill-advised
aud the money wasted. when the money
expended upoa the original plaus vas
judiciousiy expended and would have
been expended evea If the modified
plans hac been originally adopted.
tAn Instance Of these notifications is
found 10 the case OF the harbors at
Baltimore, Portland. New York, VIII
ming,on, Delaware. Savannah and
other places.
A carefa! re examination of the bill
warrants The committee 10 asserting
tina, there is no foundation for the
Presidents statement that the bill
carries appropriations for work which
private parties have actually agreed
With the Government to do in consider