The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-14
SHEKELS FOR THE STREAMS.
THE SENATE PASSES THE RIVER
AND HARBOR BILL.

The senate Would Probably Pass II
over "a Presidential Veto If Mat
ters Came to a Pinch-In His seven
Years service in the Executive
Office the President Has Never
Signed "a River and Hnrbor Hill.
Washington, Nay 1S-The river and har-
Dor bill passed the Senate to-day by such
a decisive vote that il would probably COM
mand the necessary twO-thirds vote II
needed 10 carry the measure over a presi-
Dental veto. The greatest interest CEN
tered around the bin i'm the Senate in view
of the numerous changes made since IL left
the House of Represent stives. Quite a
large delegation of members from the
House came over TO witness the final roll
call. Representative Lester was on hand
10 watch the Savannah item and Represen-
tative Elliott was keeping a bright look
out for the appropriation for Winyaw bay.
For several days past il has been re-
ported by those who are supposed 20 be
close to the President, that he disapproves
of many of the items in the river and
harbor bill, and he is expected to veto It.
The records show that during his seven
years service in the white house he has
never approved a river and harbor bill.
The nearest he ever came to it was when
he allowed a measure to become a law
without his signature. The vote to-day in
dicates that even if he should conclude
to veto the present bill, the friends of the
measure are numerous enough TO pass it
over his veto. One of the principal objec-
tions urged by the opponents OF the bill is
that there is not sufficient money in the
treasury at this time 10 warrant such a
Senator Frye, the chairman of the com
merce committee. defended the bill, and
especially the much complained of con-
tlnuOus contract system. He showed from
the records that at Charleston, Savannah
and at other important harbors the work
had been carried on under the contract
system at an immense saving OF money to
the government.
Washington, May 18-The river and har-
Dor bill was passed in the Senate to-day,
leaving only three of the annual appro-
priation bills to be acted upon. These are
the District of Columbia bill. the fortif-
cation bill. and the deficiency BILL but be-
fore either of them is taken up the Della
ware senatorial election case will have to
be disposed of, and to that case to-mor-
row and Friday have been assigned.
The amendment, which had been offered
to the river and harbor bill yesterday, by
expenditures under the bill to SlO,OOO,OOO a
year, was to-day, after a long discussion,
laid on the table by a vote of 40 to %
An amendment, in the same sense limit
ing the expenditures under contracts, to
70 per cent, was offered by Mr.. Bate, dem,
of Tennessee, and met a like fate, with
Yote Of 81 to Is; and then, after a some
what bitter encounter OF words between
Mr.. Allen, rep, of Nebraska, and the
chairman of the committee on commerce.
Mr. Frye rep OF Name, the closing
sponse to criticisms of IT, was made by
Mr.. Frye, who stated some facts In illus
tration of the immense growth of the
railroad and river and lake commerce of
the United States The railroad freights,
he said, had been cut down within the
last twenty years from 3l2 cents a ton
and yet, the people wanted cheaper
freights. That requirement could only
be met by improving water facilities, and
for that reason the intelligent people or
the United States were everywhere asking
for river and harbOr improvements. The
vote on the passage of the bill was: Yeas,
Yeas-Messrs Aldrich, Allison, Bacon,
Baker, Berry, Blackburn, Burrows, But
G Ter, C9fferyi Cameron, =, Cannon, Garter
bois, Elkins, Faulkner Frye, Gallinger,
Gear, George, Gray, Hansbough, Hawley,
Jones Jones Of Nevada a. hndsfay say, L,G1,dge Nc
Oregon, Mitchell of Wisconsin, Nelson,
Pascoe, PETER, Perkins, Platt, Pugh,
quay, ROach, SEVEN, 5nefmdn, 5nOup,
Squire Stewart, Teller, Thurston, Turpie,
Vest, Walthall, Warren, Wetmore, White
and Wilson.-57.
Nays-Messrs. Allen, Bate, Brown, Chill
ton, Harris, Hill, Kyle, Smith and Villas.
3
On motion of Mr.. Frye the Senate insist
ed upon its amendments and the following
conferees were appointed: Messrs. Frye,
Quay and Vest.
The bill, as 1t passed the House, appro-
priated $40, 594, ,71S and authorized contracts
for thirty-two projects involving an ag-
gregate liability of $51, ,721, 100 As it was
priated was $12,614,550 That sum was in
creased by various items put on in the
Senate, including the provision for the
deep sea harbor in Southern California
The Senate at 6 o'clock adjourned until
tomorrow.