The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-01-12
DETERMINATION CHARGED.
cushman Says Seventeen States Get Most Of
River and Harder Appropriations.
fBy the Associated Pre-


CBy the Associated Press.)
Washington Jan. l0.--The general de-
bate ON the River and Harbor Bill con-
tinued in the House today until four
O'Clock when the death of Representa-
tive Clarke, of New Hampshire was an
nounced and he House adjourned out of
respect to his memory. Vigorous attacks
on the bill were made by MIR Cushman
(Washn), ard Mr. Hepburn uowa).
BY unanimous consent the bill to re-
wise and codify the postal laws of the
United States was made a special order
after the disposal of the River and Har-
Dor Bill. Saturday. February 9TH at
o'clock was set aside for paying tribute
to the late Representative Wise. of Vir-
ginia.
MIR. Hepburn complained of the enor-
nous sums appropriated for purely local
and State improvements. He said some
members were objecting to the exploita
tion of their proportion of the bill and
asked them if they were complaining of
the notoriety of the act or the act it
self.
Mr.. Hepburn and Mr.. w A. Smith
(Mich), had a sharp exchange in which
personalities were banded back and
forth.
Mr.. Hepburn assailed the policy OF
the River and Harbor Committee in deep
enng the harbor to meet the draught of
some ships which some freak ship build
er saw fit to build. He declared that
although $40, goo 600 had been spent on the
Mississippi River, no substantial increase
in its navigation had resulted. He warned
members of the subtle danger in the
continuing contract system" by which
the real amount of the appropriations for
rivers and harbors was concealed and
of another danger now looming up in
the West of government entry into land
reclamations, suggested for inclusion in
this act
Mr.. Cushman (Washn.), followed Mr..
Hepburn with another assault upon the
bill. He illustrated his remarks with an
enormous chart. Members crowded about
to examine the exhibit it made. In big
letters it showed a list of II States which
had members on the River and Harbor
Committee giving the sums appropriated
and authorized therefor in the bill. The
direct appropriations amounted to $l4,-
233, $50 and authorized appropriations to
$24, 457 ,S96. He said this total for the II
States together with the items not
349, So in appropriations and authorize
tions for the remaining % States and
Territories, 10 of which got no appro-
priations whatever A River and Harbor
Bill Mr.. Cushman said should be for the
benefit of the whole country, not for the
benefit Of members of the committee He
was one who had been victimized by the
bill He said his city with a tonnage of
$4,000, 600 had got the measly sum of $780,
600. Mr.. Cushmans criticisms aroused
some exceedingly spicy exchanges.
Imperial Caesar Mr.. Cushman said, had
divided all Gaul into three parts. Had
Caesar lived to the dawn of the TWEEN
tieth century, said he he would have
divided "Galr' into enough fragments to
give one to each member of the River
and Harbor Committee of the House
(Laughter).
Mr.. Cushman paid respects to the mem
bers of the committee, one by one, pro-.
duciro individual maps showing the APP
preparation each member had secured
He declared that the Florida member of
the committee had secured an appropEa-
tion in the bill for a harhor that could
not be found in the latest and largest
map. He concluded with an eloquent
plea for Justice for his State
Mr. Alexander IN. ". a member Of
the River and Harbor Committee made
a general defense and pointed out how
natural it was that the River and HaS-
Dor Committee should be made UP of
members whose sections were most in
terested in river and harbor improve
ments.
The customary resolutions of regret %
he death Of Representative Clarke IN.
H.). were adopted and a committee, in
Guiding Mr.. Griggs (Ga.), appointed to
attend the funeral The House then adj
journed.