The Portland daily press., 1899-02-02
ALMOST A VOTE.


Continued From First Pare.
Iowa who has fought every river aud
harbor bill for the last six years. He said
he knew his opposition would avail moth
ing as tho votes for It's passage had been
arranged for by the appropriations In the
bill. He attacked particularly tho
Mississippi river improvement which was
ably defended by Mr. Catchings of Mis-
sissippi.
Practically the only amendment adopted
today was one striking out an appropria-
ton of $3.50, 900 for a channel from Calves
ton Tn Texas city, Texas. which was op-
posed by MIR. Hawley of Teas because
the war department had made no report
upon the feasibility OF the project.
The House went into the COMMITTEES of
the whole and entered upon the o1nsidera-
81 on of the river ana harbor bill. Mr..
Burton, Republican of Ohio. chairman OF
the river and harbor committee, opened
the debate with a general statement of
the necessity Of continuing the river and
harbor work.
This country, he said, was now entering
upon AN era of commercial expansion.
The vast amount of our exports, as well
as their excess over imports, was the
marvel Of the commercial world. The
greatest factor in this expansion was the
improvement OF our rivers and harbors
in order to cheaper the cost of transporta-
ton. We had expended In all s32J. 900, =
UOO in river and harbor work. The esti-
mates upon which this bill was essl
aggregated 500, 000, 600. The committee
recommended little over $50, 900, 900.
The argument advanced for the channel
from the parTows to the sea, New York
~.
and the committee had made provision
for IL.
The bill, he said. was symmetrical as far
as IL went and he begged members not 20
press amendments.
MIR. Perkins, Republican Of Iowa, pro-
tested against the refusal Of the commit
tee to recommend an appropriation for
the improvem snt for the upper Missouri
river, except $780, 600 for snagging.
MIR. Moon, Democrat Of tennessee
made plea for an appropriation for the
tennessee river between Chattanooga and
Riverton.
MIR. Hepburn, Republican Of Iowa, who
h several times vigorously opposed the
river and harbor bills. severely denounced
the development OF river and harbor APP
preparation bills
He called attention to the fact that
Ohio, the state of the chairman of the
committee got -, o0O, 600 in this bill. lie
spoke of some Ohio gentlemen who had
gone down to Texas City, Texas. and
after locating cotton compress there.
had demanded for improvements 500, 900,
an amount several times in excess of the
aggregate assessed value OF the whole
city. He gave some amusing incidents Of
money expended for improving insigniti-
can't places.
He said he knew II was useless for him
to oppose the bill. The votes to pass 1t
had been arranged and the "symmetry
the gentleman from Ohio had spoken Of
was the distribution which brought 30
this measure the support necessary to
make IL success.
Were you left outs" queried Mr.. Shat.
tuck, Republican of Ohio.
There is not a navigable river in my
state, replied MIR. Hepburn.
- but there are rivers In my district,
magnificent in length, breadth and depth
compared with some rivers improved by
this BILL"
MIR. Catchings, Democrat OF Mississippi,
defended the Ievee system of the Missis
sippi river.
MIR. Bali, Demoncrat of Texas, warmly
defended the appropriation for the Bntfa'
10 bay GU ship channel, criticized by Mr..
Hepburn.
The general debate closed and the bill
was read for amendment under the five
minute rule.
Mir. Cummings, Democrat of New York,
spoke in favor of the improvement OF
New York harbor He dwelt on the
necessity of affording the greatest facili-
ties for the commerce OF the Metropolis
and said that as soon as the proposed 81
loot channel was completed, he woul
urge an increase of the depth TO forty
feet.
MIR. Hawley, Republican OF Texas,
offered as a substitute for the paragraph
aypropriating f250,0oo for the chanf el
from Galveston to Texas City, provision
for O survey and estimate of the cost of
the proposed project. He complained that
he had been ignored In the preparation of
the bill In view of Mr.. Hawley's state
ment, MIR. Burton moved to strike out
the whole paragraph, which motion pre-
vailed, and the whole paragraph went out
of the bill.
Mr.. Bingham, Republican of Pennsyl-
vania moved TO increase the appropriation
for the Delaware river from 1890. 700 to
$500, 900 in order that the improvement
might be completed. The appropriation
of $500, 900 In the bill was to complete"
the project.
Mr.. Burton opposed the amendment
because it might commit the government
TO further project for the expenditure of
IS, 900 0O0.
The amendment was lost but the word
complete" WAS changed to "contiuu-
ing"
After completing fifty of the eighty eight
pages OF the bill the committee rose and
at sos p. m, tho House adjourned.