The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-08-31

SECRETARY or WAR WON'T STAND
FOR ENGINEER ESTIMATES.
FOR HARB0R IMPROVEMENTS.
s,ys THRILLING PROJECTS MEAN
CLEAR WASTE OF GOOD MONEY.

r.,imates of Local and Division
Engineers for Work of River
aud Iarbor Improvement slash
sd $4,000, 900 by the Scere-
tnry-This After Chief of Engi-
neers Had Approved the Projects.
secretary and LogroIIing Con-
qressmen Sure TO Clash-Importan mt
Works, Including Those at Savan-
nah. Carried in sundry Civil Bill
md in No Danger.
washington, Aug 30.-Secretary
Root has cut down the estimates of
the army engineers for river and har-
bor improvements during the next fis-
cal year in an amount aggregating
over thirteen million dollars. The Sec
retary of War does not hesitate to say
that he believes a great deal of gov
eminent money is actually thrown
away on some of the projects contain
ed in the general river and harbor bill.
Although he comes from New York,
the great commercial city of the United
States. where millions of dollars are
annually being expended on New York
harbor. and it's tributaries, Secretary
Root has some very decided views on
the subject of river and harbor ap-
propriations. 1t is possible that after
having Investigated the subject, he
has come to the conclusion that all, or
nearly ALL of the important waterways
of the country have been, or are pro-
vded for in the sundry civil appro-
priation bill, under what is known as
the continuing contract system. Or
perhaps, his examination of the Car
Ter case has impressed him with the
idea that large sums of money IN
tended to improve certain rivers ana
harbors, is sometimes diverted from its
proper course by unscrupulous and
dishonest persons.
Notwithstanding Secretary Roots
strong convictions on the subject of
river and harbor appropriations, and
his determination to economize in that
direction, he is apt to encounter stub
born opposition along that line when
Congress meets. Senators and repre-
sentatives who were specially interest
ed in the river and harbor bill which
was ldIhGQ " QGdlll III IliC NlOol4AS
hours of the last Congress by former
Senator Tom Carter of Montana, have
an ole score to settle with the meu
who We're engaged in the conspiracy
to assassinate that bill. Several of the
leading mbers of the Senate Com
merre Committee and the Committee
on Rivers and Harbors of the House,
are aware Of Secretary Roots extraor-
daarily deep cut in the annual esti-
at Of ba nffipprS and IL iS
understood that an effort will be made
to iralae a river and harbor bill in the
carly hours of the new Congress and
force its passage through the House
and Senate, thus avoiding the danger
of having the measure meet a fate SIM
liar to that which defeated it IN the
lasT Congress.
1t is also said that Congress viii. in
some instances at least, probably over
ride the recommendations of the Sec
retarr of War and be guided by the
original estimates submitted by the
engineer officers in charge of tie va
rious projects, which received the
sanction of the chief of engineers.
These figures are now public property,
as this year the rule of the depal t
rent which withheld from publication
the amor nts recommended for the va
rious II ojects was revoked and the
hH1NNldi SldliSllCS CcCll Nc9S NNA' =
published in connection with the an
nual reports of the engineer officers.
For many years past the river and
harbor bill has been the subject of gem
eral attack because of the questionable
provisions which are injected into 1T
through the ''log-rolling" process. Meri-
torous measures have been handicap
ped by bare-faced steals" because GER
tain congressman insisted upon having
their slice of the pork" So fragrant
has been the abuse of legislative power
in various instances that the general
river and harbor bill has become pub
lie scandal to a certain extent. Those
who are in sympathy with Secretary
Roots intention to pare down the next
river and harbor bill to the lowest
notch predict that the time is not far
distant when a general river and har-
Dor bill under the present system will
be entirely eliminated from the statute
books.
The first steps in this direction were
taken when a half dozen or more OF
the great projects for the Improvement
OF such harbors as New York, Phila-
delphia. Charleston, Savannah, New
orleans, and other equally important
waterways We're lifted from the regu-
iar river and harbor bill and trans
lerred to the sundry civil annual ap-
propriation bill.
Year by year. many of the projects
OF unquestioned merit and importance
nave been added to the list of con
uhuing contract appropriations" in the
Suhdry civil bill AS these measures
are no longer dependent upon the gen.
eral river and harbor bill. the latter
measure has unquestionably been de-
IIlVed of a large percentage of its
strength and vote-getting power The
auVocates of a general river and har-
Dor Dill are not dismayed, however. by
ne ne vigorous opposition of Secretary
r'ool' and they declare that a merry
war with rivers and harbors as the
H.e Seue VIII be one of the features of the
lew congress which assemblies Deem