The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-04-06
THREATS OF A VETO.

There is danger that the river and
harbor bill will not be passed, or, If
passed, viii be vetoed. 1t was rumored
at the capital on Friday that the Presi-
dent was against it, taking the ground
that he did not want a river and har-
Dor bill this year. No reason why the
President was against it was stated
in connection with the rumor. If he
is against it other Republican leaders
no doubt are against it. Perhaps those
opposed to it are afraid some of their
schemes for spending the public money
will be interfered with If appropriations
for rivers and harbors are made.
In this connection it has been whis-
pered around the capital that the Re-
publican Senators interested in the ship
subsidy bill have said that unless the
House passed that bill the river and
harbor bill should not pass the Sem
ate. Their purpose is, it seems, to bull
doze the House into passing the ship.
subsidy bill, whether that body thinks
it a wise measure or not. 1t is be-
lieved that the House is against it.
1t is known that it is going to be diff
cult to get a favorable report upon
it from the Committee on the Merchant
Marine and Fisheries which has it in
charge. There is no good reason for
thinking that the sentiment of the
country is opposed to it. 1t is certain
that in many parts of the West the
people are outspoken in their hos
tility to it. Nevertheless, it seems that
the Republican leaders who are behind
it are so bent in having their way
in regard to it-so determined to give
certain rich corporations what they
want--that they are threatening to de-
feat the river and harbor bill, in which
the whole country is interested, in or
der to force the House to pass it, and
it is probable that they will try to
make their threat effective unless the
House yields.
Some of the members of the House
have expressed themselves in very
strong terms in regard to the matter.
They declare that the river and har-
Dor bill has friends enough in the
House to prevent Congress from ad-
journing until the Senate passes that
bill, and that there will be no adjourn
ment unless it is passed. There has
been no general river and harbor bill
for three years, and there is no good
reason why there should not be one
this year. In the last Congress the
river and harbor bill was talked to
death by Senator Carter of Montana.
Mr.. Carter is no longer member of
the Senate, and it is doubtful ii there
is another Senator who would be will
ing to play a similar role. The bill,
of course, can be defeated in other
ways, and it would not be surprising
If the Republicans should attempt to
defeat it. They prefer to give money
to shipbuilding trusts and to wealthy
ship. owners rather than for the inn
provement of rivers and harbors. They
can depend upon ship owners and ship
building trusts for campaign funds.
Savannah is vitality interested in the
river and harbor bill. 1t carries an
appropriation for giving Savannah
harbor having a channel of the depth
of twenty eight feet from the city to
the sea. Such a channel is greatly
needed. 1t would give new impetus
to our rapidly growing commerce. The
river and harbor bill would be of vast
benefit to the whole country. 1t is
doubtful if the ship subsidy bill would
benefit anybody except those to whom
the subsidies would go. The latter bill
has passed the Senate and is pending
in the House and the river and harbor
bill has passed the House and is pend
ing in the Senate.