The times., 1901-03-09
HANNA UNDER SUSPICION.
Death of the River and Harbor Bill
Laid at His Door.


Senator Carters sensational action in
killing the River and Harbor bill contin-
ues to be the chief topic of conversation
in political circles In Washington. 1t is
generally agreed that he was acting as
an agent for some higher power, and not.
in strictness, speaking for himself. But
what interest he represented remains a
subject of conjecture.
The prevalent theory that Mr.. Hanna
did not want the River and HarbOr bill 10
pass and inspired Mr.. Carter to kill 1t, Is
reasonable enough, but hard to prove.
Mr. Hannas reasons would be, for the
most part, obvious. The River and Har-
Dor bill and the Shipping Subsidy bill
were closely related; they would both
have made large drains upon the Treas
ury, and during the debate over the SUD
sidy bill it was commonly remarked that
its failure would greatly increase the
chances of the River and Harbor bill by
leaving so much more money IN the
Treasury for disposal. This argument
against his bill did not please Mr.. Hanna.
He could not help thinking that, converse
ly. the killing of the River and Harbor
bill would greatly add to the prospects Oh
the subsidy at the next session by re-
lieving the Treasury of the call Tor S25'
| UO0. 900, whose expenditure was provided
for by the bill in the coming fiscal year.
II the times continue good, with TINS uh-
| expected saving, there may again De
redundancy of revenue In December. Ihls
| would facilitate the passage OF the snip
ping bill. since there would be no popular
| demand so soon for any further revenue
| reduction. There was thus much 1or M l.
Hanna to gain by the death OF the RIVER
and Harbor bill and little 10 lose, proVlueo
the evidence of his responsibility coulu DC
kept in the background, and this Will give
! him no trouble.
Another and an unconscious lnluehce
with Mr.. Hanna may have been MS oisihe
| Of Mr.. Burton, a fellow-townsnan' WHOSE
relations with him have never been cor
! dial. Burton was an avowed opponent OF
! the Subsidy bill, and, had it reached the
House at this session. might have been
| strong enough TO defeat il; in another ses-
| sion with a Republican majority of forty
he would probably not be able TO do so
! A strong demand for river and harbor leg
| isIation would then be a great weapon In
| bringing TO terms obstructive opponents
| OF subsidy. Since il is customary to pass
! q general River and Harbor bin only once
! in two or three years, 10 have wasted thai
| weapon at this session, after the defeat
| of the Subsidy bill was acknowledged
| would have shown q great lack or STRAIT
! egy. ..
| closest associate in the subsidy hght, mas
| made little secret OF his Willingness 10
| see the River and Harbor bill die. He
gave as his reason that he thought the
| Short session an improper time for the
| passage of a great appropriation measure
| of this kind. His withdrawal from the
| MANAGEMENT OF the bill, first in favor OF
| MIR Mcmillan and later of Mr.. Nelson
| doubtless revealed his own loss of inter
| est in it's success. Even the clerks of his
| committee are said to have so adjusted
| matters as TO do the measure no good
! time that the River and Harbor bill, II
| II became law would have to override
! the quiet opposition of the chief promot-
| ers of the subsidy. That they would ac-
| knowledge this is, of course, not to be
| expected since the commercial interests
| which use New York harbors have been
| handsome contributors to Mr.. Hanna s
! national campaign funds; while Cleveland
| Harbor, which Mr.. Hanna's own ships
enter, and the coast of Maine, for which
| Mr.. Frye has in times past so heartily
! worked. were large beneficiaries OF the
/ River and Harbor bill.
! These are the considerations which
| long made 1t appear unreasonable that
| either of these Senators would in the
| Anal pinch bring about the death of the
| bill. no matter how irritated they had
! been by the defeat of the ship subsidy
| Yet II Is difficult to fix the responsibility
upon any other theory than that they
| had something to do with it, especially
| now that the President has promptly ap-
pointed Mr.. Carter TO q 5000 office as a
! commissioner of the ST Louis Exhibition