The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-10-20
ADDRESS BY CONGRESS
-usopoRE {. BURTON.
~. Of the Best Delivered at
w '. J Recent Congress Held at
v Baltimore, Md.

one OF the BEST OenVeIeu al
I'd Con W s.oent Congress Held at
Baltimore, Md.
-. 80, rivers and harbors congress
. IU. w. one Of the most able ad-
~ 1000 was that By CONGRESSMAN
4 o ~ Rprton of Ohio, chairman of
ss6' nmlttee. who will shortly visit
y the purpose OF inspecting the
- ..,r, Of the state.
- h ~ .ihnaniid he exerted for liberal APP
sbg sny gnr rivers and harbors, but
afiu' ,honld always be coupled win
~ ssu!, tSS Appropriations should not
~ islnss b1rause large amounts are re.
tfN onye the pest and promptest
- hi ,bsre should be equal care to
SIS V Vs OF the adoption OF unworthy
rsaticabe projects. ,,..t...,. d.
KS, D nssr,, appropriated in river and har-
- VA the pressing need for deeper
Tl1n ssd improved facilities along es
ellC sHss ilnts III traffic II Is better to ap
aN wy sas localities where traffic Is III
lprn tsils. Wished than whore It's develop
Wv, ~ \ aseertaln or problematical. 1t is
" s,ssss ike to finish one and obtain
In from Il man W hh'Ne P'e'O'''"i az
s,tous upon all.
If In Great Britain.
e,,, Rrltain the central government
:, :, improve channels or harbors, ex-
TONED \, ,he purpose Of national defense,
I,.,,insItles and private corporations
.seended for these purposes greater
A.. .s,5 tAhn In any other country. Not
sizes In yeSrs ago the lyne az ana Delow
m l,iijs vas improved at an expense OF
Dqf = tA60lG0; the Mersey and Clyde at
w ,yster expense the Manchester canal,
ss3t, ries In length, was punt az U cost
Nv ErS0lO0 or more, aud SloOWO.UUN
IN hsn extended for canals In the in
LOU =. the country. Theoretically the
~ imposed are commensurate with
.ssi u the improvement, but in prac-
Maas rarely 50.
In Uruguay.
.s. b rtem under which the central gov
., ,srt Improves harbors and channels and
.,s charges In the form Of tolls, extra
all H. port or wharfage dues, the income
rlIA ia In greater or less proportion to
,0ats F. cIvepse is well illustrated by the ac
49,, H. 4 the Republic OF Uruguay, which
aeN IN december contracted for the improve
~ Ia Of the harbor of Muntevideo at the
no pss 0. S99l6,336, and made provisions
ntnent by the imposition for an extra
Nus 3sj q per cent on dutlahle Imports aud
a;es III VI cent % duitable exports
,vr he port OF Antwerp has been improved |
'pu' u eIpense Of S3O.OOO,OO0 Approximate. |
IN IA Anehfths Of the expense has been paid |
,JU "a he Belgian government and two-hfths |
DE city Of Antwerp.
'su In the United States.
a third system is that under which the
\ Erl government improves channels and
" lHafE aud imposes no charge upon com
be HtEa With view TO obtaining compensa-
ilor IL fof the improvements. This method /
d vogue In the United States, both as
IN r .rIs rivers and harbors In France IL !
iii p followed IN the navigation of rivers and |
" ias all tolls upon which were abolished |
r.
- Tie policy pursued In the United States |
~ lot been altogether consistent or uni. /
MTT The very first act on the subject rec. !
iriM policy similar to that described /
ae frst system detailed above. namely, /
MAKING Of improvements and impoSi- |
- n q charges by private corporation or
~ August, 1900 and gave consent 10
" h States Of Rhode Island, Maryiandi and I
n tGss authorizing. the levying Of duty |
y ne tonnage OF ships by the River .
ishlne company in the town Of ProvI. |
" i@ by the wardens of the port Of Bal 1. |
8 as ana the collection of such a duty for
purpose Of Improving the River Savan.
M similar statutes were passed at a
M oale consuming to the operation Of
~ passed oy the states of Massachusetts,
' Sasylyanla and Virginia
Wy oe regarded that under the gen.
IN. WEEare clause Of the constitution and
mns.,avl'ty vested in congress to regulate
1 ,ss. between the States, the right
/ In A. eV pIvao OF and TO make appropria
> lEsl ,etted, though these appropriations
! -lv zee, esn made trreguarly and Mt times
% limited number of Objects
E Appropriated to Date.
IN - burton then gave an exhaustive his
~ u Tue legislation affecting harbors and
H ~, s .bs sppf59prations up to the present time.
IN ths osns,dIiI at the amount appropriated
iEEsrt ~ eIaI government for the improve
Il irsral%n. MYERS iseers and harbors down to and
I&Et%Sus iSS5 was S1S4,5l3 339. 20: to and
III N '. sn,as !e52 1895 $50, 432 O6. aud the to-
lEfRN appropriated to date s414. $780,
OBJECTION to Expenditures
N. burton continued: at will be profit
notice several familiar obiertIons
expenditures for rivers and harbors
w Prevalent misrepresentation that
'sg large share or these apnronria+Ions
l~ Insignificant streams. There Is n
'au' succession of newspaper oditorisls
paragraphs in regard TO amounts ov.
80 upon shallow creeks and ponds. An
.allnation of the facts will prove those
3aop e ny TO be utterly without founda.
Iripa- IN, tne average amount apnlIed for
Esrba,ss 'tteS SimS In recent biennial rivers aud
3Usl0O6oo N" iiS mas been from S5Oo.OO 10
Brpriations ne NE policy of making these ap.
I'M, , We diGicult to find arguments aeainst
ID all ~ ovftinents which would not apply
"WbnsI. and harbor improvements.
.rery So. ~ Is unnecessary to state that NOT
Itnprorssd5 IA tch OF n1yigabe water should be
Ia hese ~, ny me Federal government, some
.tteal nsbplopH9tions are of the most ben
lto ths ~ numerous streams empty
Esheraha ss OF larger rivers. to which con
say areas OF territory having no rail.
5tars tba tes 6re tributary For many
ben eon e freight and passenger traffic has
f. sntks snS scled upon these streams The
suptyins streams near no Philadelphia
tASs AZ no the Delaware are OF this
peake bsv 'hose emptying into the Chesa-
,c5 rS 4 report filed last winter. If was
h AsSe SUI ~ mat the traffic on some of
er FLYER Jus, though small appropriations
eoe q IN lnem, exceed the traffic on
4 / some cas, largest rivers OF the country
% IL lnssslng OF garden produce and fruit
ey AZ ,.siger cities; In Others FOR fine deliv.
E tats Of ~ ~ lumber and heavy material at
III 'Tbe considerable size ,
nd barb. amount included in the rivers ,
t1esms ~ Dill Of last winter for the
n Id he Az. New England, Including rivers
d Atnneben Stass, such as the Penobscot
= yAers H., Merrimac, Connecticut and
n kslch Ar une Mystic and Providence.
va FOR IN. merely inlets from the sea and :
f eA wi the oor and anchorage, was S120,- :
tteoa th4ss .t sotal amount Of freight carried !
Vp tons. SVeams was not less than 1000, /
II So. Another Mistake.
ns.S Aer misapprehenslon which has !
ls5rs considerable credence is that an
,oys,,- suafe of the appropriations OF the 7
Il II +ament are deyoted 70 r,vor ara bar. v