The evening times., 1898-12-10
GREAT SCHEMES FOR
PERSONAL BENEFITS
POWER OF WEALTH AND POLITICS
Hanna. EII.ins and the RG ckefeIIers
Interested i'm Securing Superior
Water Front Advantages.

There are signs of a master stroke un-
der consideration by Senators Mark Han
ma and Stephen 3. Elliins In conjunction
with the RockefelIers, who feel the neces-
sty of swelling their Golfers to the extent
of a few more millions.
The prime object to this contemplated
coup is to secure an appropriation from
Congress of enormous amounts OF money
to be expended in the Improvement of the
harbor and water front in and around
Cleveland with the idea making that city
the leading shipping and railroad terminus
OF the great lakes. This is a blow at all
the other towns located on the lake bor-
ders and particularly affects Chicago.
which would materially suffer under such
an infiictiou.
Precedent to the plan Is the selection
already accomplished, of Representative
Theodore +. Burton, OF Cleveland as
chairman of the Rivers and Harbors
Committee of the House.
The appointment of new Chairman of
the Rivers and Harbors Committee was
made necessary oy the resignation of
Chairman Hooker. of New York, who re-
tired from Congress at the beginning of
the session to take seat on the New
York State bench.
Representative Cooper. of Wisconsin,
was the ranking Republican member OF
the committee and in the course Of or
dinary procedure the appointment 10 the
Craftsmanship should have gone 10 him,
but Senators Hanna and Elkins were
eager for the appointment Of Burton, who
stood next to Cooper. and they immedi-
ately importuned Speaker Reed to select
the Cleveland Representative.
Mr.. Reed demanded an explanation for
this extraordinary request After ne had
listened he was unable or unwilling 20 de-
eide between the angry factions from op-
posite ends of the Great Lakes system
I and referred the matter 20 the committee
I itself. Hanna and E!kins worked upon
+ Republican members Of the committee and
/ succeeded in securing promises from
enough Of them 10 guarantee Burton {
| election. At the committee caucus or
! Tuesday Burton was elected nOtwith-
standing the face that Cooper was entitled
/ 10 the place under the Unwritten law OF
| the House.
1t is expected that a river and harbOl
appropriation bill viii be reported 10 th'
! House this session, no bill having beer
I framed by the committee during the las
session. In the forthcoming bin it Is sai'
that there viii be q large appropriat tiol
TO be expended in the improvement OF IN
Z Cleveland Harbor- II viii provide 70
more docks, the Improvement OF the chan
neIs off the city and more breakwater con
7 struCtiUu and improvements
The proposition IS to make Cleve!an
the center and distributing point for a
The iron and steel lumber and coal trad
of the Great Lakes section ana thus al
vert to it the business now divide'
among cleveland. Chicago. Detroit. Buf
falo. Duluth and other lake cities TIL
raw material will he brought from thi
region to The manufacturing centers o
the Middle West over the lake tran=por
tation lines owned by Hanna Elkins ant
the RockefeIIers. and, after being manu-
factured by plants under their control
will be transported To the various point
Of consumption over railroads owned o
controlled by these men.
II is said that practically the entir
Ohio and Pennsylvania delegations i
Congress are in sympathy with the prop
osition to expend "a vast sum Of none
on the Cleveland harbor and that the
will be able to secure its passage throus
the House and Senate.
Senator Mason Of Illinois, said las
night. "If such q scheme is really in con
temptation W. VIII give those behind il
big run for their money when the rive
/ and harbpr bill comes before the Senate