Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-01-21
HON. TRUMAN H. ALDR|CH
FavorS a Canal for This Dis
triCt.
IT is ABSOLUTELY NEEDED
And Must Be Secured in One or Another Direc-
ton-TaIks About the New Tariff
=.
Bill and Other Matters.
T IS ABSOLUTELY NEEDED

Hon. T. H. Aldrich, congressman from
this district, arrived home Monday at
noon on a business trip. He was seen by
a State Herald reporter at the Morris last
night
Mr. Aldrich in answer to the query as
TO congressional matters, said:
- 1.-THE ways and means committee has
been at work some time taking testimony
for the purpose of framing a new tariir
bill. which will probably be presented to
the next congress in special session. Inc
present house is engaged in passing the
regular appropriation bills. 1t is hardly
probable that any decided action will be
taken on Cuban affairs this season, al
though there is a strong feeling among
southern members, irrespective OF party,
that congress ought to at least grant
belligerent rights to the insurgents, but
Sayoid anything that would plunge TINS
country into war The fact is, the condi-
tion of the country is such that the great
majority of representatives feel that THIS
country needs peace to promote business
prosperity. :.
'oThe opinion around Washington is
that the house of representatives is
more conservative body than the senate,
which position is rather unusual
"Of Course no one knows what the
it will not be as strong and radical
measure as the public has been led to eX-
pect. The probabilities are there will be
an increased tax on sugar and no bounty
paid as in the old Mckinley tariff.
Hard times are quite as apparent IN
Washington as in Birmingham. There Is
not a block but what you can see an
empty house for rent or for sale.
what about the VanHoose canal pro-
ject?"
.sThe WAYS and means committee prom
Used Mr.. VanHoose and his friends that
thew should have at least $4,000 for the
purpose of making a survey to determ-
Inc the practicability of a canal to the
Warrior river; but when the bill was
passed, SO many surveys were tackled on
to the appropriation that there was MOTH
ing left for US. Representative clark mas
introduced another bill calling for $i5,-
900 to make detailed survey, and have
strong hopes of the same passing at this
session. Everyone of our Ala ama rep
resentatives will give their aid to this
measure If this district cannot get
cheap outlet to the sea down the war
rior and Tombigbee rivers to Mobile,
then we will have to find an outlet in
some other direction-either to the Mis-
sissippi river or to the Atlantic seaboard
in which event Mobile will be left out
in the cold. This district is got to have
a cheap outlet to the sea, because in the
49,
pig iron, without any question, will &c
to foreign markets. England has seen
her best days for cheap pig iron; 1t will
be more expensive there every year. Oul
coal business cannot expand very much
now without a cheap outlet to the sea
And If it is possible to get this cheaI
outlet by a canal, let us find it out ant
utilize the hundreds of thousands o.
dollars that have already been expended
on the rivers named and Mobile harbor.
.How do you like politics?" put In the
reporter as Mr.. Aldrich concluded his re-
marks, and said he knew nothing more
that the public and his constituents
might be interested in.
st think 1 would like 1t very much II
/ could stay there three or four terms
and learn all the ropes, and draw the
salary on the fourth of every month. II
takes a congressman one term to get ac-
quainted and when he has to contest II
takes two. I feel very much like the ole
Scotch woman who was about to die, anc
the dominic told her that as al
her her friends had preceded hel
she ought to be willing to go. Her reply
was, This may be true, but / had hear
ruther stay with the folks I prefer t
remain in the Ninth district"
Mr.. Aldrich will return to Washington
tonight