The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-05-30
Rivers and Harbors Bill.
Times-Democratl

There appears to be consensus
Of opinion in Washington that, in
spite of the Santa Monica harbor ap.
preparation being cut out of the
rivers and harbors bill, President
Cleveland will veto the measure.
Why there should be this consensus
OF opinion nobody has yet explained,
for the President has "made no
sign" as to what will be his action in
the premises, and even the friends
who are honored with the privilege
of being "close" to him have not
ventured the remark that he threat
ems veto.
No doubt, however, the general
anticipation of a veto arises from
the huge sum appropriated in the
bill. The sum amounts in the ag-
gregate to $4,000, 900; and that,
without any doubt, appears on the
face of it TO be more than should be
appropriated for the rivers and har-
bors Of the country in one year.
But then there are considerations
which detract from the apparent
magnitude of the sum. In the first
place, what with the vastly increased
trade passing along the internal
waterways and centeriDg in the har-
bors of the country, and the i'm
mensely greater attention which the
rivers and harbors are bound to re-
celve on account of that increased
and expanding trade, the appropria-
tons in the bill in question mus,
legitimately and necessarily go on
increasing. A mere So, 900, 900 or
so, 900, 900 per annum which was in
a way sufficient for river and har-
Dor requirements a decade ago
would be altogether inadequate to
the needs of our rivers and harbors
now. 1t would not be unreasonable,
in consideration of the exigencles of
swelling trade. to add on at the least
a good so per cent per decade for
the rivers and harbors of the coun.
try; and if we add on so per cent to
the So, 100000 which was appropri-
ated in this bill IN 1886, we would
arrive at a sum of sl3, 500, 900 for
the coming years Appropriation.
There is big difference, however,
between $l3, 500, 900 and the &c..
900, 600 which the bill under notice
calls for; only the difference is not
quarter as great as it-seems. What
the exact amount of appropriation
for the year is it is not easy to say;
but probably it is not more than
SIS, 200, 900 or SIG, O0O,0o0 About
four-fifths of the $780, 900 goes
to the account of continuing appro-
priations, that is to say, is appro-
priated now in advance for work
that should be conducted continu-
ously during number of years to
come. The idea of continuing ap-
preparations arose, unless we mis-
take greatly, from the fact that once,
in Mr.. Cleveland's previous admin
istration, the rivers and harbors bill
was vetoed; and that work on some
of the rivers which had been par.
TALLY done went all to pieces owing
to the failure of the bill, and had in
many instances to be done afresh
when the money was voted the next
year.
1t was to prevent such breach IN
the continuity of necessary work on
some of our rivers and harbors that
continuing appropriations were in
troduced, and uninterrupted work
upon them was thus insured. And
it is to the account of these continu-
ing appropriations that about four
fifths of the $500 appropriation
is due.
Understood in the light that quite
$50, 900, 900 of the sum will not be
needed and will not be spent during
the coming year, but that so much |
of it only will be used as may be
required to continue important river
and harbor operations already be-
gun, the sum is not an excessively |
large one; and there is nothing sur.
prising in the announcement that
Congress is likely to undertake to
tho LII .~.,nu