New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-14


ArPEAL FOR RECOGNITION or THE
GNsuHGENrs-THE MKINLEY
LAW ATTACKED AND
DEFENDED.
Washington. Feb i3-GeneraI debate on the sun
dry civil Appropriation bill to-day gave an oppcr-
tunity for several speeches on radically different
topics. ranging from the policy OF river and haroor
Improvements to Cuban independence. The House
plunged al once into consideration OF the measure
IL having been taken up tor d short time Oh Friday
afternoon The largest single item In the bin j. the
appropriation for works in continuation Of the I'M
provement OF rivers and harbors amounting TO
aDou; 100000 and the river and haroor system
naturally in for A large share of discussion
After general speeches on tho bill by Mr.. cannon
rep IlJ chairman OF the Committee on Appro-
priations and by Mr. Sayers Dem. Tex. the leader
81 the minority on the committee. Messrs Dockery
Dem Mo- and Hepburn Gtep., Iowa) spoke
against the contract system Tor making the I'M
provements and against the policy itselt; ana Nj
Catchings Dem. Miss defended both.
Messrs. McMillin Dem. Tenn and De Almond
Dem Mo- criticised the Supreme Court Of the
United states for rs decision on the ncome-taX
feature OF the Wilson Tariff law. The latter also
made fiery speech In favor OF Cuban indepen-
dence and expressed deep regret az the failure or
the present Administration TO respond 10 the senu-
ment OF the country upon that subject
Nessrs Hopkins rep. Ili) and Grosvenor (Rep.'
Ohio defended the Mckinley law against the charge
By Messrs Dockery and McMillin that IL was
dehct-produc.ng measure. And finally Mr fllhe|
rep. y JJ charged the responsibility for largely
increased appropriations in late wears 70 The policy
Of the House which divided the work and responsi-
billy Of the Appropriations Committee among sew
erai committees. Mr. Cannon gave notice that ne
would try 10 pass the bill on Monday under suspen-
sion Of the rules.
THE DEBATE IN DETAIL
Mr. Cannon asked unanimous consent that the bill
might he considered read Answering an Inquiry
ba gave the status O, the several remaining appro-
priation bills and intimated that II the bill were
considered In the usual way the greater part or
week would he required TO dispose OF H. MT heP
burn objected 10 the unanimous consent asked %.
Mr. Cannon, but. after the reading or the Dill ma"
proceeded 2 short time NJ. Dockery renewed the
request that the first reading Of the bill ne dispensed
with and this time y was granted. General DEBATE
was then begun the measure. under an arrange
ment which contemplated the Use OF the afternoon
therefor Mr. Cannon was the first speaker eA-
planning IN some detail the features OF the Dill. In
the course Of his statement Mr.. Cannon explained
why the committee had recommended no appropria-
tons for certain works authorized by the River ana
Harbor bill These We're: Wilmington. Dell S-ooV"'
oakland Cal. $4,000. Kentucky River $+"''
Dams ms . and 3 Ohio River $4,000; Yakima Bay
California. $4,000.
T. aonea-ed he said from inquiry at the War De-
nartren. that these works. with one exception.
could not he completed within the amounts named
in the River and Harbor BILL to which the eXpend.-
ture was strictly limited. and therefore contracts
could not be made for their construction OF any
money expended The exception was Yakima pay
California for which the engineers Rad reported no
project whatever
Nessrs Berry Dem Ky and McCreary Dem.
XVI protested against the action OF the committee
regarding the Kentucky River Improvement IN
first Il member o, the Committee on Rivers ahu
fGarbors said that the latest information furnishei
to that committee by the Engineer Office was ina
IN. Kentucky River project could be completed foF
:, $50 80 and on that estimate that commit'ee
acted Subsequently the engineers increased Una.
estimate bv 81 s0 900 and on that estimate the COM
rnittee on Appropriations had acted
Mr. McCreary called attention 10 the fact thal
q 700 o5o had already been expended In improvin3
the Kentucky River and said ii poor polio,
which withheld appropriations TO make that eN-
pendlture and even jeopardized the existence OF I'M
work already done.
Mr. sayers Dem. Tex said he was not surprised
az the vast sum carried in The bll-over 100000
The River and Harhor bill passed last year carried
direct appropriations amounting 70 about s5cD.-
90 and authorized contracts for 100000 more
Every man who voted for that bill. he said whether
Democrat or Republican, responsible in n
measure for the great appropriation made nece'-
sary in this bi. He said tho only relief for the
country from present financial evils return
expenditur. Of the Government to its needs when
honestly and economically administered
Mr. Mken rep. Me- asked II the last Demo
cratic Congress had not appropriated as much or
more money than It's Republican predecessor.
Mr. Savers tearnestly)-No sir: no. sir. The APP
preparations by the LIIId Congress were $4,000
less than those OF tho List Congress
Mr.. S4yers called members 10 consider vel
the vast and rapidly increasing appropriations made
by Congress. To impress the necessity for this. be-
contrasted in detail the appropriations made for tho
wears 1877 and 1897. IN the former year the totai
was sGs7S0g7l: for 1876 s5l8si5.le4 an Increase OF
SI3L5l4Z22 in ten years The Increase OF mlscellane
Gus appropriations was really larger than the sum
named. for the permanent annual appropriations
Interest sinking fund etc. In lso7 tl23 is,3JS
while In 1897 they were sll9G54.l@
THE CONTRACT SYSTEM ATTACKED.
MI Dockery Dem. Mo- attacked the contrac;
system in connection with river and harbor i'm
provements on the ground that. while II decrease .
the Of an individual work. II vastly increasrd
/ the total expenditures. they being now more tina
double annually what they before the con
tract system adopted He denounced the re-
cent trip Of the River and Harbor Committee t.
the Gulf Coast termins Il 4 "junket," and init
mating that the expense Of the Trip would be- born
/ by those interested In securing the proposed az
Mr. Cooper rep. WIS., denied this saying tha-
the committee intended 10 ask the House for the
money TO pay Tor the Trip. ......-. H..
sire 20 withdraw what | have said aoout the trip
Bur / want the committee 10 get the money frOr
+ ths House 50 that there will be no outstandin-
/ social obligations.
/ Mi Catchings Dem. Miss made general Do
fence Of the contract system. Illustrating y ht
numerous Instances Of the benefit resulting there
from.
MI Hepburn Rep. Iowa. antagOniZed the polio
OF including purely local river and haroor improve
uents In the bill. charging that Il was sourc
OF ruthless and reckless extravaGance ~ appro-
i,riatione He raised q 'augh al the expense Or NJ
,'atchings by reading from "a report OF ne ing
neer Department mat the work on the Nicks6ur
harho- In The last year mad been chiefly "grubbing
3 out the stream Getting rid OF the stumps and
cottonwood roots" he said so 20 make possible
/ mat excavation which shall result IN q broad e1-
panse OF water. with quays and wharves and 0the.
/ Wilderness OF a harbor" The Appropriation FOR tn
Yazoo River also met Mr. Hepburns opposition
] 4 he NOR rat TO