The Savannah morning news., 1900-12-24
COL. LESTER HAD HARD WORK.
LONG SESSIONS OF RIVERS AND
HARBoRs COMMITTEE.

Needed 10 Much More monrn, hut
They Were Finally Convinced.
says Hanna l. Having Trouble
with isis ship-subsidy Bfll-Nica-
raEuR Canal LeRisIaticn and other
congregational Matters 90 Interest.
Congressman Rufus p Lester reached
She city yesterday morning from Wash
irgtou and viii spend the holidays here
Jie has just nuishcd four weeks Of about
fhe most nrduous congressional work he
haf had since BE- began 20 represent the
First District This was his work upon
she House Committee on Rivers and Har-
bors shrnuFh membership on which he
was able 10 secure for Savannah the APP
preparation which vii secure the deep
water 20 which the harbor 81 entitled.
The sessions Of the River and Harbor
Committce began week before Con
gress met and continued daily unsil last
I-iday night when tho committee finish
81 Sc report The committee was IA scs-
sion every day from 2 O'Clock IN the
morning un'a o'eseek IN ;he afternoon.
and sometimes untl O'Clock and ~ was
che latter hour Friday when 81 finally
adjourned The consequence was that
Congressman Lester like other members
~ the committee had little chance 20 az
tcud sessions o. the House.
The House would adjourn every day"
a. col Lester put a. "and leave us there
a. work. We had 20 cake up and dis
cuss every project from Maine 20 Califor-
MA and from Michigan 70 Texas IL made
no difference whether many 81 these
projects were 20 secure appropriations or
not they had 70 be looked iuso and thor
sagAly considered and IL required an
enormous amount of time and labor"
did you meet with any obstacles IN
securing tho appropriation for savan-
nah harhor?" Col Lester wte asked.
"Oh. yes. I had good deal 20 contend
with. iust AZ DID some % those who f1v-
ored other projects. There has been more
shar s f10opo expended on Savannah har-
bor." Col Lester said. land members or
she committee wanted 90 know what ne
ccssity We had for 60 much more money.
The Carter trouble. too. operated some
what against us. though nothing was aHid
about a. and think the members Of the
committee undertook pretty well the sit-
uation 80 far as thar was concerned But
strong showing with regard 10 the me-
cessity for deeper water a. Savannah was
placed before the committee and as has
been stated IN the Associated Press re-
ports. We got what we asked for The
committee gave the harbor Si0o0o al
sitional and diverted the unexpended bal
auce Of $50 On 20 the new project for
Ds-foof channel"
when asked a. TO whether Savannah
would have anything further to contend
with before the appropriation becomes as
Eurcd. Col Lester said:
Tho hf1n Will - HnTs4rffN q the NHnffan
Immediately after the holidays u will
probably go through the House without
any material change. but there Is no tell
sng what the senate win do. The Senate
mas been 10 The habit u taking the river
and harbor bll a. n does with other
measures. and lacking on amendments
% its own In the case Of rivers and
harbors. where appropriations are rcquir-
ed. IN order for the senate 10 get Ia any
Of the pet projects of So members. a.
will he necessary for n 20 cut out some
~ those passed upon BY the House This
s. what we have 20 fear. though ! am
very hopeful that the Savannah project
VIII 60 through wttnou uunruits. ,sv0t-
ria has considerable prestige IN the Sen
ate and there s. every reason 90 be hope
sul. OF course. whenever Il comes TO the
worst the hardest fight Is before the Con-
ference Committee. but am hopeful that
4 will not he necessary for as % make
n fight there"
Col Lester said that a great deal 81
work had been accomplished IN the short
time that Congress was IN session. bul
considerable OF Il Is party legislation. and
ahe Republicans are bent upon getting
Through all the "devllment" they can. as
Col Lester said. before the Fourth OF
March.
Senator Hanna e. meeting with con
Flderabie opposition on his ship-subsidy
echem~." Col Lester said. and his bill
- In some danger Of not becoming law
The truth OF the matter is. Senator Hams
mas Kot 70 make = party ni~asisT5 90. q
a. OF u cannot pass. The measure +
clearly designed 20 benefit a certain class
al ship owners. and everybody includinf
all she Republicans. knows Il. Il will no
benent the vessels which are TO be bull
as II should. but those already construct
81 II Is simply a proposition 10 go int
ehe treasury and take out money ans
pay 81 40 owners Of vessels who are max
ing money to-day I am confident thu
the senator from Ohio will have 10 whil
the party into line II he gets the measur
through.
The army bill was OF course purely
party measure. and II is sure 10 pass M
Senate practically as Il went through IN
House shortly after the holidays"
Col Lester says the important PROPOSE
aion that now confronts Nicaragua Cana
legislation Is what will England do abou
Hhe treaty. She may refuse to assent &
rhat section. giving the United States th
right to fortify the canal In their discre
sion, or she may give in on account OF IN
fact that she has plenty OF other trouble
OF her own. untn that matter Is settled
however, Col. Lester says the canal legis
1ation cannot be finished.
Speaking OF the war cotton claim
which Il was recently reported were be
Urg pressed by the Southern members
col Lester said there is now a bill be
aore the House with a favorable rcpor
removing the statute OF Limitations from
these claims, 80 that claimants Nigh
bring suit In the court OF claims, and h'
felt satisfied that q would be passed.
Col Lester does not take an optimisti
view with regard 10 the appointment q
federal Offices ia the South. OF negroes
He said he did not believe che Presden
would appoint any more negroes 60 i'm
f,ortant positions in the South. but he dii
not regard Il at all likely that any o
those now in ONCE would be removes
during the next administration.
When asked II he knew any good siorie
about members Of the Georgia delegation
Col Lester said he did not. a. all OF IN
members OF the delegation are hard work
~rv. and outside OF that there is lttl
10 say about them He intimatcd that h.
anight tell a good story on one Of IN
fNsn~fh C3eorrfa members. but he did no