The age-herald., 1900-12-16
AN IMMENSE SUM
 FOR IMPROVEMENTS Rivers and HarborS Committee Will Want $35,OOO,0OO THE LARGEST EVER ASKED Most Careful Scrutiny of the Proposed Improvements Has Been Made By Expert Engineers-other News
 From Washington.
THE LARGEST EVER ASKED

Washington, December D.-(Special.) )--lf the rivers and harbors appropriation bill provides, as is the present probability, for appropriations aggregating $200O0,00O for improvements of rivers and harbors and au- thorizes the expenditure ultimately of $35,- 100000 more, it will be an unusually large appropriation for this purpose. The bill passed in the short session of the Congress just preceding the present one carried ap- propration amounting to $13,O3O,OOO, and that was regarded as quite generous. The fact is that the tendency of Congress is to appropriate more and more liberally for public improvements and the day has passed when criticism is general of so- called congressional "logrollng." Natural ly some unimportant waterways are inn proved now and then through the hard work of some Congressman, but as a mat ter of fact almost every appropriation made for the improvement of the rivers and har- bors of the country is public benefit. Some of them aid the commerce of a com paratively few only, but each waterway made more navigable and each harbor deepened and made more accessible through the removal of Instructions results in inn proving the countrys carrying facilities ana lHe eApeHuIluTS Ol IuOH6y TUT d per manent improvement gives employment to labor.
 Every improvement that is authori16 is under the direct charge of a responsible engineer officer and no improvement Is au- thoriZed unless it has been recommended by competent engineer officer. Of course the tendency of Congress to increase its ap- propriations for public improvements is met with the charge that there is a growth of extravaganza but too often account is not taken of the growth of the nation and of its increasing needs.
 A Most Careful Scrutiny.
 And in this connection 1t can be said that seldom has there been more careful scru- tiny of proposed improvements than is the case at present in the House rivers and harbors committee under the leadership of Chairman Burton. The members of that committee are, for the most part, far sighted men who, while of ten moved by desire to see that their own sections are not overlooked, and this is commendable rather than condemnible-are fully aware of the importance of making rivers navgable that shipping facilities may be improved or that sections of country that abound in natural resources may be opened up and their pro- ducts shipped at profit where often rail- road rates or-the lack of railroad facilities makes their development unprohtable. As a matter of fact, il can be said that the great majority of improvements authorized or appropriated for by the rivers and har- bors committee are desirable.
 The Yerkes Appointment. The commissionership of internal reve- fue to which John W. Yerkes of Ken he RpDuhlipan candidate Cow ernor of that State, has been appointed is one of the most important offices under the government It is actually more important than the secretaryship of agriculture, de- spite the fact that that department has grown in usefulness and importance. The internal revenue commissioner supervises the collection of at least half of the gov ernments revenue. He is in effect judge of the meaning of the internal revenue laws, and as rule his decisions are not carried to higher courts He has the ap- pointment of all the special internal reve- nue agents, and is in direct touch with business interests in which millions of capi- tai are invested and which employ thou sands of men. An incompetent commission CT can jeopardize the great distilling in- terests, the tobacco industry, the brewers and several other activities. It is for this reason that presidents, as rule, take great care in the selection of commission
 
 commissioners have been very competent. The office pays $6000 year. and the salary is $1500 more than that paid the assistant secretaries of the treasury, of which de- partment the internal revenue bureau is part, and it pays within 5000 of as muc.. as is paid cabinet officers. MT. Yerkes was appointed to this position because of his legal training and his experience as collec- tor of internal revenue for one of the inn portant Kentucky districts. Of course, pol itics had part to play in this selection the President desiring to distinguish man who had made a splendid fight to carry Kentucky under adverse conditions. MT Yerkes should make very efficient com missioner, but he has a very high standard set for him by his predecessor, the late George W. Wilson of Ohio, who grew up in the internal revenue bureau and knew it as no man before him.
 The Booz Case.
 The investigation of the alleged hazing or