The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-01-11
CONGRESSMAN HEPBURN
Fought The Rivers and Harbors ApprOprla-
iiol Bill.
CHARGED MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
with Having Planned for Their own
states to the Practical Exclusion
of All others.

Washington January 10.-The features
hartois bill in the house today were the
speeches OF Mr.. Cushman (Wash.) and
Mr.. Hepburn Qowa). The La ter has
teen persistent opponent OF rivers and
harbors bills for years and he attacked
the bill all along the line in his usually
was unique in many particulars. He
was In favor of the rivers and haroors
appropriations and his complaint was due
10 the fact that the members Of the COM
mittee, according to his IDEAS, had locat-
ed the bulk OF the appropriations in their
own States and had given scant consider
ation TO the needs of other States, partic-
ulaily Seattle, In his own State. Mr..
Cushman illustrated his remarks with a
series OF carefully prepared charts. lie
characterized several of the members OF
the committee in breezy style and be-
came engaged in a half dozen very spir-
Tied encounters before he concluded
Members crowded abou, the area IN
front Of the speakers desk, where he
stood explaining the figures upon the
CHARTS. and every one seemed to enjoy
The picturesque performance immensely
Wnen he wound UP with a glowing APP
peal for justice to the Seattle project, he
soi stirring round of applause
The desk OF Rep sentative Clark IN
HI, who died last night at his home
was shrouded in black and covered with
howers when the house met today.
by unanimous consent the bill to re-
wise and codlfy the postal laws OF the
United States was made a special order
after the disposal OF the rivers and har-
bors bill.
The house then went into committee OF
the whole and resumed the consideration
OF the rivers and harbors bill.
Mr.. Shackelford (Mo) protested
against the action OF the committee in
sbolishing the Missouri river commits
sion.
Mr.. Hepburn Glowa) then took the floor
for an hours speech in which he vigor-
ously assailed various features OF the
bill.
He was in favor OF promoting inter-
state commerce by every sort OF legiti-
ed OF were the enormous sums appro-
priated for purely local and State i'm.
provements.
Il understand" said Mr.. Hepburn,
that some gentlemen here are getting
their backs up because gentleman is
proposing TO exploit the manner in which
the States OF members CT the committee
are taken care OF in this bin What are
you complaining Of? he asked, addressing
the members of the committee The
notorlety OF the act or the act itself?'
Mr.. Hepburn and Mr.. W. A. Smith
(Mtch.) had a sharp exchange in which
personali les were landed back and
forth. Many of Mr.. Hepburn's criti-
cisms were aimed at the undue amounts
which the State of Michigan received and
this fact aroused the resentment Of the
Michigan member.
Mr. Cushman (Wash.) followed Mr..
Hepburn W. h another assault upon the
bill He Illustrated his remarks with
an enormous chart which he had brought
into the hall Members crowded about
to examine the exhibit.
On table on one side, the figures suf-
fciently large 10 be read from the re-
hottest limits cf the hall. was a list OF
seventeen States which had members on
the rivers and hlrhors committee, Civ
ing the sums appropriated ana authorized
In the bill The direct appropriG tlons
amount OF $1423S, 300
The authoii2ed appropriations am ount
TO S24, 457 1886 He said the seventeen
States with members on the committee
got all the appropriations with the eX-
ception of S,349 ,557 in appropriations an
twenty eight States aud Territories. ten
OF which I'D. no appropriations what
over. Mr. Cushman said he was in favor
Of river and harbor Improvement. But
bill for that purpose should be for
the benefit CT The whole country and
not for the benHt OF members of the
committee. He spoke, he said, as one
who has been victimlzed by the bill. he
sgid the committee had overlooked" his
sf nod ihoa st<y'1
a faro game. He represented city that
had tonnage of 100000 and II got the
"measly" sum of $50, 900. "If you think
my vote can be bought at that price
said ne, addressing members OF fife COM
mittee, "you are off your base
MIR. CGshmanis criticsms aroused the
members Of the committee and they kept
up continual fire OF questions while he
was Speaking. As n result there were
some exceedingly spicy exchanges.
Imperial Caesar, Mr.. Cushman said, had
divided all Gaul into three parts. Caesa,
was an ancient and a provincial. Hal
he lived TO the dawn OF the Twentieth
century, said Mr.. CushEnan, he would
have divided gall" into enough frag-
ments to give one to each member OF the
river and harbor committee OF the house
| (LauGhter.l
Mr.. Cushman had brought into the hall
another chart showing the proportion Of
appropriations to the Recommendations Ia
the chief Of engineers. The s ates rep,
resented by the river and harbor COM
mtttee. he said, got &C per cent OF the APP
| rrcpri;aicns Iecomn ended, while the 9th
er States got less than 40 per cent
Il invite the members of the commit
tee" said he, Ito go up against the
| frozen facts Of that chart" daughter.
| In conclusion Mr.. Clshman disclosed
the reason for his attack. Il was be-
cause the committee had not provided foi
the Seattle ship canal. He made an
| eloquent plea for justice for his State.
| Mr.. Alexander. IN. W, "A member q,
| 1T