The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-04-07
system is economlcai-' interrupted Hop

'Tndouptealy." replied Dockery, '-it Is
economical as 10 each Individual contract,
but the result has shown that wherever
the government enters upon the policy OF
giving is note. instead Of paying cash the
expenditures become reckiessly extrava-
CANT. Members in this way get q small
appropriation for some local improvement
to start with. and mortgage the treasury
for completing the work"
After Wheeler. Dem. Ala, had gwen
his indorseren. to the bill. Hepburn. Rep.
Ia, made a sensational speech in opposition
TO the measure There was. he began.
nothing in the tIii in the way OF pork
for his district: but. he aiied. there was
enough in il for other districts TO Insure
its passage. and be felt that nothing ne
would be able 10 say would stop & II its
stately march 10 the statute books. He
read the amou-ss that would go 10 the
various states Loo 90 TO Maine. si.rso.09
TO Massachusetts, coo to Rhode Island.
$4,000 TO Connecticut. 81 5000 to New
York. etc. to show how the pork" was
distributed and then proceeded to make
an attack on the appropriations IN the bill
for the VI zsissipp. commission. The bill
and authorized contracts aggregating
s Us 90
Right here Mr. Speaker" Re said. s'I
want it understood that do not object TO
legitimate appropriations for the great
waterways Of the country. What I de-
sire TO rebake are the methods adopted 10
secure the passage Of this bill. In most
cases in this bill there is a fragrant be-
stowai OF the lsrgesses Of the govern
msnt" Proceeding. he said that in the
last ten years there had been expended
through the Mississippi river commission
81. 600. most of IL being money thrown
away The scheme OF the Mississippi
river commission, he declared, had bean
fraud from its inception. Its real pur-
pose was 10 reclaim swamp lands given
TO the states on condition of their rse-
lamation. Since the scheme had been de-
vised two-thirds OF the appropriations
had been applied to this purpose and but
one-thIrd to the work of deepening the
channel. He cited the reports of the war
department in substanfiation of this
statement The net result of this vast
expenditure of money. he said. had been
an average deepening of the channel Of
oaly eightee, inches. It had cost the sov-
ernmert ssso.tce 10 secure an additional
depth of one inch for forty miles OF the
river For the Hennepin canal, he con-
tinued. great project to connect the Mis-
sissippi river with the northern water
ways. the bill contained the magnificent
appropriation of szs.oco, and the possibility
of contract for its completion extending
over ten years. He favored this great
work but he wanted 10 demonstrate the
vicioasness of the system on which the
bill was framed.
At this point Nj. Hepburn's time ex-
pred and he concluded with a loud pro-
test against the passage of the bill carry
ing s-xty-three millions with so short a
debate and no opportunity to amend a
srgle line of an item of it.
catchings, Dem. Miss. who was chair
man or the river and harbor committee
N the last congress, replied 10 Mr. Hep
burns speech In all frankness and can
dor. he said, II desire to say that the
bill which the committee has presented 10
the house is by all odds the mos; care
fGilN ffaWn. the mast scientific in its CON
struction, and will rebound most to the
oeneft OF the country, of any bill which
has ever been passed since / have been
IN congress"
a minute was given to McIachlan.
Rep, Cal. TO criticise the manner In
which Southern California has been treat
ca IN clark, OF Iowa. and Hermann. Rep.
Or. TO favor the bill in the interest OF
reduced railroad transportation. and TO
cohom. Rep. Ky, to express the opsn-
ION that the bin did not carry enough
mercy.
Dcckery then closed the debate for the
opposition with a humorous appeal to all
members who had not got all they wanted
to vote against The motion to suspend the
rules.
Hooker, chairman OF the committee. in
closing the debate. briefly referred to the
fact that the passage OF the bill under
suspension of the rules was not unpre-
cedented. The Fffty-thiri congress, he
said, had passed a bill Carrying 81. .ot0 900
under suspension Of the rules. He in
dgnantly referred to Hepburn's attack.
While the bill carried authorizations for
contract work in Maine of over 81, ,0Ge. go,
but $4,000 was actually appropriated. and
OF that 81. 1000 referred 10 as appropri-
ated for New York, one item Chat for
Buffalo, exceeded s. 200 30. for which not
a dollar was appropriated. He thought
HepoGrn's 5 criticism had been mani
festly unfair. As TO the Mississ
ippi river commission. that had
been the gentlenan's hobby for years.
As matter OF fact. the language of the
oil relative TO the commission was iden-
teal with former bills. He concluded by
demanding vote.
In response 10 this quick request for
the ayes, the house seemed 10 rise On
masse. Only here and there a member
retained his seat. On the rising vote 20s
voted in the affirmative and but forty In
the negative
Talbert. Dem. s C. called for the ayes
ana nays. Let's put them on record"
he shouted but Only 26 members rose 20
SNtN1d HAS Gt-t-Aii1, anu Nufu lDt speaker
announced. no. a sufficient number" the
great mass OF members cheered. The
speaker then declared the bill passed
The extent Of the vote" called out Hep
burn rising in his place. shows the even
ness with which The pork has been dis
tributed."
The bill 10 validate certain bond issues
IN New Mexico was called up and failed
70 pass by vote of ~ yeas and 50 nays.
The discussion revamped the charge of
fraud made while the bill was in commit
tee Low Of New York. who called up the
bill said in the course OF his remarks that
A territory that was applying for state
hood ought not 10 rspudlate its honest
debts.
Grcsvenor Of Ohio reported the fll~d
cheese bill ard gave notice that he would
call il up Wednesday. Adjourned.