The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-17
PASSED BY THE House
The River and Harbor Bill Goes
Through Without a Division.
Few Amendments Made - Efforts to
Secure n Roll Call FaiI-The Meas
urc Goes to the senate substnn-
TALLY rs II Came From the Com
mittee-Mr. Burton Congratulated.

Inc RIVER ana fiarDOT Appropriation
bill, which has engaged the attention of
the House of Representatives since the
passage of the Reapportionment bill one
week ago. was passed at 4:30 O'Clock
yesterday afternoon without a division.
| Efforts by Mr.. Cushman to secure roll
call on a motion made by him to recon-
init the BILL and by Mr.. Sulzer to secure
one on the final passage, were unavail-
| ing. The disposition by the House of
| this measure was greeted with applause
and Mr.. Burton, Chairman of the Com
mittee on Rivers and Harbors, was con-
| graduated by many members because Of
| his management of the bill, persistent
efforts to amend it having been defeated
and the bill as passed, with the excep-
tion of few insignificant notifications,
! remaining as when reported from the
| committee.
The House, in Committee of the Whole.
resumed consideration of the bill at 1910
O'Clock, taking up the measure at the
paragraph appropriating 100000 for the
| Improvement of the Missouri River be-
low Sioux City.
Mr.. Thomas OF Iowa offered an amend
ment making verbal change, which was
accepted by the Committee of the Whole.
MIR. Dougherty offered an amendment
| that in certain contingencies individuals
| might, under restrictions of the Secretary
OF War, erect structures for the protection
| of the banks of the river, or make contri-
buttons of material to the Government.
MIR. Burton, in charge of the bill, OPP
posed the amendment. He offered a sub
stitute that shore owners and municipali
ties might erect dykes and dams so as
I n NJ IN. sLl zs,,E.x
engineers, to interfere with the naviga-
ton of the river.
Mr.. Hepburn favored Mr.. Dougherty's
amendment. He was favorable to any
reasonable proposition he said, which
would tend to preserve the banks of the
Missouri. There was precedent for this
action, said Mr.. Hepburn, in the appro-
priation of S7,500,00o for the Mississippi
River Commission.
Mr.. Burton had told the House, Mr..
Hepburn said, that the committee with
that appropriation expected to secure a
nine-foot channel from Cairo to New Or
leans, 500 miles. He had made a calcu-
lation and asserted as result thereof,
that the dredging of that channel would
cost only trifie over a million, leaving
more than $4,000, 900 to be applied to the
construction and maintenance of levees
on the banks to protect private property.
At the request of Mr.. Curtis, the
amendment of Mr.. Dougherty and the
substitute of Mr.. Burton were again re-
ported.
Mr.. Clark supported the Dougherty
amendment He said the Missouri and
Mississippi Rivers should be maintained
as navigable streams, even though no
freight was carried because this would be
Of value as a regulator of freight rates.
On the Missouri River when a farmer
sought to protect the banks of his farm
the Federal Government stopped him for
interfering with the navigability OF the
river, and when people asked for an ap-
preparation to improve the navigation of
the river the Federal Government said
the river is not navlgable. 1T is a Gov
ornamental shell game, said Mr.. Clark.
He considered II just as important to pre-
serve the lands of the Mississippi Valley
as TO acquire new lands in the Orient.
Mr.. Clark took occasion to pay tribute
to ex-Speaker Reed who, he said, was the
most brilliant epigrammatist OF the age or
Of any age since the days of Alexander
Pope, and the most sarcastic statesman
since John Randolph shuzied off this NOR
tai COLL
The section in the bill giving rise to
the discussion recites: Improving Mis-
souri, River below Sioux City, continuing
improvement. 100000, which shall be ex-
pended in the Improvement of such por-
lions of said river as the Secretary of
War may designate and such portions of
said appropriation he may deem nee
essary may be expended for the improve
ment OF tributary streams of said river
heretofore under improvement under the
direction of the Missouri River Commits
SION
Mr. Shackleford offered to amend the
bin by increasing the appropriation for the
Missouri River below Sioux City from
70 n0 dYflay NO
rejected on division by ayes 10, noes Al.
Mr.. Barjkoldt moved to strike out that
section of the bill abolishing the Missouri
River Commission, but because OF the de-
feat Of the amendment TO increase the ap-
preparation FOR that river, he withdrew
his motion.
Mr. Shackleford offered an amendment
to appropriate $40, 0O0 for the completion
OF lock and dam No. /, on the Usage River,
in Missouri. Mr.. Burton opposed the
amendment He said ample provision had
been made for this river
Mr. Jones of Washington offered an
amendment appropriating S33. 600 for the
improvement Of Gray's Hsrbor, and the
ChaIalis River, in Washington. Mr.. Jones
said he was Satisfied that the committee
will vote down this amendment" and
withdrew 1t. Mr.. Jones offered an amend
ment. which would authorize the creation
OF a harbor OF refuge In Puget Sound but
It was defeated.
substitute section regarding the con-
troi of the waters of the Great Lakes sub
mi ted by Mr.. Burton was agreed to, as
follows:
That the President be authorized to
invite Great Britain to join In the forma-
ton of an international commission Of
three from each country to report upon
the condition and uses of the waters ad-
jacent to the boundary between the United
States and Canada which flow into the
Atlantic by the St. Lawrence; upon the
maintenance and regulation of suitable
levels; upon the effect on the shores of
these waters and the structures thereon,
and upon the interests of navigation by
reason Of their diversion from natural
flow, and upon the necessary measures to
regulate such diversions and to enter int
such agreements and make such recon-
mendations for improvement shall best