New-York tribune., 1901-01-26

proposed "
Is so broad in its application that the construc-
ton Of irrigation reservoirs and much Of the
present work Of the Coast and Geodetic Survey
will be taken from that department and given
TO the Army.
POWERFUL LOBBY INFLUENCE
The lobby influence Of the Army engineers is
tremendous, as, even under the present law.
they hold the key to the Treasury in the matter
Of appropriations for river and harbor work. If
any member Of the House or Senate has the
tenerity to attack the corps in any way or at
tempts TO curtail its power he is promptly
threatened with adverse reports upon projects
@ TOT tne expenditure OF Federal money IN his dis
ulct. one western Senator remarked a day or
so ago. when il was suggested TO him that an
Army engineer was mistaken in his opinion Of
a certain project. that he would not listen to
engineer attempting to override the Army en-
glneers was simply preposterous. That partiCu-
lar Senator shares with his colleagues the credit
of securing nearly the largest appropriation for
his State Of any the list
The apparent purpose Of the engineers in their
recommendations and reports is to keep them
selves supplied with big jobs regardless of pos
sible waste Of the peoples money. The record
or their work is not ttaWieSS by any means. a
number Of instances like that of the Washing
ton aGueduct. on which many hundreds of thou
sands Of dollars has been spent, and the work
has been abandoned. could be cited. At Calves
ton S9.OOoOOO has been spent in such way
as 10 require an appropriation Of SJoHo year
Charleston. although il is reported that the har-
Dor work is finished, new bar Is forming at the
end of the ietties The extravaganza Of the
so-calleo quarterfnaSterS railroad in Cuba Is an
other instance Of perverted judgment. The Civil
Commission in the Philippines has decided TO
put S1.W0,O00 in the hands Of the Engineering
Department for the Improvement of Manila
Harbor. Porto Rico is also to be the scene Of
similar work. In every direction the Army en-
glneers are reaching out 70 add 10 their enor
NOUS patronage ana power. ana there is ap-
parently no inclination TO put any check on their
rapaclty They hold a club over the head Of
every congressman. which is welded effectively
ar the critical moment. and thus all opposition
Is whipped into line. The scheme of perma
nent Board of Public Works is a bad one
IN view Of the variations of opinion among en-
glneers as 10 the value Of public works and
the best method of carrying them on. Such a
board. however should be made up in the same
manner as was the Isthmian Canal Commission.
on which are represented the Army engineers,
me me naval engineers and engineers from civil
A DANGEROUS EXPERIMENT
To create board of five Army engineers, who
shall have complete control Of all public works
provided for by Congress. is dangerous cen
tralization OF power. which would never be en-
tertained for single moment were It not that
the power is already centralized as effectively
10 Kill outspoken opposition. No accusations are
made against the honesty Of the CORDS though
tEere have been several cases in recent history
which show that even Army engineers are hu-
man and therefore liable to err. The men who
pointed by the Chief Engineer would not neces-
sarily be those best fitted for the duty. The Chief
Engineer becomes such by reason Of seniority,
regardless of his engineering abilities. The Of
hcers selected for the proposed board would be
those who were entitled to recognition on the
plea OF seniority and those who were the per-
sonal favorites OF the Chief Engineer. This
method does not provide any guarantee that the
Board would pos:ess more than mediocre en-
g1neer1ng talent; and yet the work on which t
would pass, the plans which II would be called
upon to make. and the money which IL would
control. would represent the greatest business of
Its kind in the entire operations Of the Govern
ment. Under the control Of this Board would
come the Nicaragua Canal. without regard 20
whether or not its members had given the mat
ter a moments thought.
For reasons which have been explained the
River and Harbor bill fits hnal passage will
probably contain Section 3. creating the Board
or Army Engineers proposed by the Engineer
Corps itself TO prevent all civil competition 10
centralize in its own hands all power as con-
Germs the public works Of the country to in
crease its patronage and TO make its political
position impregna bic when making demands on
Congress for legislation beneficial TO itself its
members