The advocate., 1896-12-23
WHY SENATOR PETER VOTED TO PASS
THE RIVER AND HARBOR BILL OVER
THE PRESIDENTS VETO.

From 3 leCGer WRITTEN 10 senator
PETER by q member elect of the Kan
sas House of Representatives, the fol-
lowing paragraph Is copied:
would be pleased II you could give me
your reasons for voting for the river and hsr-
Dor appropriation bill after Cleveland had
vetoed It, It seems to be the one official act Of
your course in the Senate that the people do
not understand.
It will be observed that the CORE
spondent does not ask any explanation
of the Senator's vote for the bill In the
first place. 1t is better, however, that
something be said about the first vote,
for, If that was wrong, no explanation
of the second woulu be admissible;
while the first vote might be right, or
excusable, and the second justly CEN
sUrsble.
In the first place, then, let us begin
with the relations Of Kansas Senators
to the bill as originally passed.
The Missouri river being treacher.
Gus stream, thousands and millions Of
dollars worth Of property along it's
banks on either side have been lost by
reason of the shifting of the channel
and the erosion or washing away Of
the banks; and In order to protect the
people az far as practicable from these
sources of danger, some years ago
Congress authorized the appointment
Of commission to keep watch of the
action of the waters, keep them In the
proper channels, and protect the banks
where they give way. To supply
I m cans to carry on this necessary work,
ACongress has been a long time sppro-
pristing money every two years to be
expended under direction of the Mis-
souri, River Commission.
That river flows about a hundred
miles along the northeast boundary of
Kansas, and many Of our farmers and
townspeOple, like those farther up and
down the stream, have been every
year subjected to more or less injury,
sometimes to irrepsrsble losses, and
are always In danger, This year, as
usual, the Kansas Senators asked that
part Of the Missouri river sppropris-
tlOn be expended when needed along
the Kansas border. They got what
they asked for, ss the following para
graph of the bill shows:
OF the money hereby appropriated and
hereby authorized to be contracted for, there
may be expended In the discretion Of said
commission, for the purpose Of improving the
channel by preventing erosion Of the banks,
not exceeding seventy thousand dollars at
Omaha and Council Bluffs, or so much thereof
As may be necessary at Rocheport not ex-
cesding hfty thousand dollars, or so much
thereof as may be necessary at Glasgow and for
protecting the shore line above Glasgow from
the foot Of Bowling Green bend to the head oi
Harrison's island not exceeding eighty thou
sand dollars,or so much thereof as may be nee
essary at Miami not exceeding sixty. five thou
sand dollars, or 80 much thereof as may be nee
essary; AtSt. Charles not exceeding hity thou
sand dollars, or so much thereof Is may bC
necessary; ct and near the mouth Of the Little
Blue in Jackson county, Missouri, not exceed
ing twenty thousand dollars, or so much
thereof as may be necessary; on the banks o.
the river opposite Leavenworth and AtchisoT
not exceeding fifteen thousand dollars OF each
Of said localities, or 80 much thereof as may
be necessary at Nebraska City not exceeding
twenty-five thousand dollars, or so much
thereof as may be necessary: PrOrided, Tha
the commission may also expend suct
amounts rs may be absolutely necessary a
any time In the improvement OF the channe
by preventing erosion Of the banks at othel