Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-18
RIVER AND HARBOR BILL
Congressman Burton Makes Extended
Speech Explaining Measure.
SEEKS TO CORRECT FALSE IMPRESSION
Ohio Cohgressman Says Purport OF
Measure f. Misunderstood and
He Corrects
Impressions.

WASHINGTON. March 1.-THE house to-
day began consideration OF the river ana
harbor bill. Mr.. Burton Of Ohio made an
extended speech in explanation of the meas
ure, in the course of which he presented
many interesting facts relative to It. Sew
eral other members spoke briefly to the
measure, among them MIR. Bellamy of North
Carolina, who protested against the treat
ment his state received.
Mr.. Foster Of Illinois and Mr.. Cochran Of
Missouri discussed the Boer war, critics.
ing the majority severely for failure to al
low congress to express the sympathy Of
the American people with the struggling
republics.
At the conclusion OF the proceedings to-
day Mr.. wachter of Maryland denied a
newspaper story to the effect that Speaker
Henderson had attempted to influence his
course on the question Of Cuban reciprocity.
Burton Corrects False Ideas.
Immediately after the approval Of the
journal the house went into committee Of
the whole and commenced the considera-
ton Of the river and harbor bill. Mr..
Burton. who is in charge Of the
measure, in his opening statement said he
would not discuss the benefits to commerce
and trade from the appropriations con-
tanned in the bill, but would con1ne HIM
self at some length to discussing some
popular misapprehensions with reference to
It. In the first place, he said, the i'm
preston existed that the bill carried some
thing over $50, 900, 900 for the ensuing fiscal
year, whereas 1t carried but $24,O 10 1000 of
actual appropriations the remainder of $780,,
000, 900 being simply authorized to be APP
propriated under the contract system.
| Thara uvau oIaa he gatd q ntataEan fdaa
that the pending measure carried larger
appropriations than any previous bill.
In 1890, he said, the actual appropriations
in the bill exceeded s25. 200, 600. For the
current year the appropriations contained
In the sundry civil bill, to provide for con-
tinuing contracts authorized In river and
harbor bills, he said, were $37, 000, 900
against Sal, 900, 900 for the two previous
years. Mr.. Burton said that the appropria'
tions for river and harbor work instead Of
increasing with other governmental ex'
penditures, as was popularity supposed, were
in reality decreasing.
Mr.. Burton also denounced the popular
idea that unworthy projects for the i'm
provement Of bays and creeks absorbed 8
proportion OF the appropriation in the bill
The appropriations we're not divided up &C
cordlng to states and localities. The great
projects In which the whole country was In
terested absorbed $50, 900, 900 out Of the $50,
0oO, 900 carried and authorized by the bill.
Defends the Beers.
Mr.. Foster OF Illinois discussed the Boel
war, denouncing the majority for failing
to allow congress to consider a resolution
expressing the sympathy Of the American
people with the struggling Beers. HI
said that the administration with thu
Philippine war on its hands dared not oper
it's mouth on the subject Of the Soutl
African war. England and America, h
said, were tarred with the same stick
both we're seeking to crush the life out o
peoples fighting for independence.
While. Mr.. Cochran was criticising tn,
majority for it's attitude toward the BoerJ
an elderly lady in the gallery with pro
British tendencies frequently shook her ifs
at the gentleman from Missouri and at on,
time became so violent in her demonstra
ton Of ~disapproval that one of the door
keepers was obliged to admonish her 4
keep quiet.
Mr.. wachter of Maryland, rising to
question Of personal privilege, had read
newspaper article charging that the speak
er had attempted to coerce his action OF
the question Of Cuban reciprocity b!
threatening to defeat an item In the rive
and harbor bill in which he was represent
ed as interested. Mr.. Wachter denounced
the story as an unqualified falsehood.
at is high time some steps were takel
to prevent 4 repetition Of this sort o
thing" said Mr.. Wachter. "Who can tel
who will be the next to be ambuscadet
by the press? Must we remain powerles
while a member of the house is used as
club to villify the speaker"
The house than at 8 D. m. adjourned.