New-York tribune., 1901-01-29
RIVER AND HARBOR FIGHT.
HOUSE BILL EXPECTED TO MEET
STRONG OPPOSITION IN THE SENATE
RUMORS THAT SOME MEMBERS WILL USE 1T
AS CLUB TO FORCE THROUGH
PET MEASURES.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. ]

BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEI
Washington, Jan. 2S-While it is considered
scarcely probable that the measure will be de-
feated, still the talk of a determined fight on
the River and Harbor bill in the Senate is in
creasing Very few Senators express OF position
to the bill per Sc though quite number of them
indicate a fixed purpose to employ it as a club
with which to force through pet measures of
their own. This is particularly true of small
group of Western Senators who for years have
been endeavoring TO induce the Government TO
engage extensively in the business of irrigating
arid lands in their region. Mr. Warren, or
Wyoming, is the leader Of this movement, and II
will be recalled that two years ago he came
defeating the general River and Harbor
bill of the LVth Congress by fibusterng against
it in the closing days of the session, because
OF the refusal of the friends of the measure to
accept as rider to it a bill carrying S1OO.oto
for the construction of reservoirs at the head
waters Of the Missouri River for irrigation pur-
poses. Senator Warren has not been in Wash
ington for nearly a week, and it is therefore
impossible to state positively his attitude
toward the present River and HarbOr bill, but
his friends say that he intends to filibuster
against it this time as he did two years ago,
with another irrigation rider.
The bill passed the House with only thirteen
votes against it, and is now before the Senate
Committee on Commerce, of which Senator Frye
is chairman What progress il has made since
1t reached Senator Fryes committee is not
known, though if there is opposition to 1t in
the committee it should now be about ready TO
he reported. 1t is an interesting and possibly
significant fact that there is a good deal of
talk about the friends of the Ship Subsidy bill
holding up the River and Harbor bill until
positive assurance is secured Of the passage OF
the Shipping bill at this session. No member of
he Of tba i'm
mediate passage of the Shipping bill than is Mr.
Frye. At the same time it is not believed that
the Maine Senator would use his great power as
chairman of the Committee on Commerce to
defeat measure simply because another
measure that bears his and concerns him
deeply may be in danger. Still, it is considered
probable that other members of the Commerce
Committee who also nsistent upon the pas
sage of the Ship Subsidy bill at this session,
may be ''jockeying' with the River and Har
Dor bill in the manner indicated by the gossips
This is especially charged against Mr.. Hanna
and Mr.. Depew.
A POWERFUL LOBBY FOR THE BILL.
At any rate, the opposition to the River and
Harbor bill is sufficiently assertive at present to
cause uneasiness to some of the especial cham
pions of that measure in the House. AS a
sequence there is now gathered at Washington
one of the largest and best organized Hobbies in
behalf OF the bill that has been seen here for
many years This is easily accounted for when
it is known that the bill carries the enormous
amount of S6O.OO0OOO and that It's benefits are
distributed widely over the Union. In fact
nearly every State. irrespective Of its dominant
political sentiment, has secured promise of
more money for river and harbOr improvement
than ever before. The State of Texas for ex-
ample. fairly typifies this condition. Though
Texas is as overwhelmingly Democratic az Penn
sylvania IS Republican. the bill carries total ap-
propriations for Texas alone OF S3,5eO,OO0. Near
ly one-third OF this vast Ia for the benefit
or Galveston Harbor, where the Government ai-
ready had spent about S9.OOO.OOD before that city,
together with nearly all OF its shipping facilities
was nearly destroyed by the West Indian hurri-
cane last fall II is estimated that II Galveston
Harbor is brought up to the condition II
in before the storm swept II the Govern
ment will be compelled again 10 spend almost as
much money has been spent there in the
last twenty years. or course. the appropriation
Of $1,0OOOOO carried in the present bill is
therefore. only a start.
But other Texas items in the bill are causing
even more adverse comment than the Galveston
appropriation. For instance the bill provides
for the expenditure in a lump sum Of 800 600
for the Improvement Of Trinity River. a stream
so lnconsequentlaI that very few geOgraphers
have dignifed it with notice in the maps The
river. or, perhaps more properly spea king the
creek, never has been considered navigable and
In point of fact has never been looked upon as
a factor in the transportation system OF Texas
Trinity River flows through Dallas which is the
northern metropolis Of Texas, and empties into
the Gulf of Mexico at a point where some shrewd
Southwestern capitalists hope TO build up an
other Southern metropolis for Texas. In view
of the special benefits promised to Texas in the
bill various localities in that State have raised
funds and sent TO Washington a delegation OF
experienced lobbyists, headed by Colonel Dilling-
ham, of Houston, who is a brother of the new
Senator from Vermont.
What is true Of Texas in this particular is
true Of a dozen more other States the result
being the presence in Washington of one of the
largest and most powerful lobLies seen for many
years. If the bill is defeated IL is predicted
that its failure will be due quite much TO this
fact as to the natural opposition that may be
arrayed against it,