The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-03-18
HEPBURN SAYS
IT is USELESS.
Has Fought River and HarbOr
Bills For Years.
Always Unsuccessfully but He
Tries 1t Once More.
SHOULD BE A LIMIT.
Depth of Water Demanded in
HarbOrs Ever Growing.
Two VetOes Laid Before Senate
When 1t Assembled.

Washington, March 18.-When the
house met today Frank B. Lyon of
Cuba, N. Y, was elected doorkeeper to
succeed the late w. ]. Glenn. The oath
was Immediately administered to Mr..
Lyon by the speaker.
The house then went into committee
of the whole and resumed the consider
alton of the river and harbor bill. When
Mr.. Hepburn, Oa.) who has fought river
and harbor bills ever since he came to
congress, arose to speak there was an
Outburst of applause on both sides OF
the house. 81 arise to make my annual
contribution to river and harbor litera-
ture with miscellaneous assortment of
notions, he began. Il recognize, he
continued, 1.-The utter futility of saying
anything against this bill recognized
that fact years ago when the pork in
the barrel was only IS, 900 900. How man.
ifeStly impossible it is to make headway
against it now that the appropriations
1 find in connection with the presenta-
ton of the pending bill some things to
commend-a rare thing in my expert
ence. We have at the head of the river
and harbor committee ideal chair
man for the purposes in yiew-one who
1 believe is striving to secure public,
rather than private benefits; one look
ing for the welfare of this great nation
and the promotion of it's commerce, not
the elevation of A. B, or G, to seats
upon the f1oor.'' (Applause)- Mr.. Hep
burn commended the committee for TAX
ing the back track" upon waSteful
expenditures in certain directions,
pointing out the abandonment of fur
ther Improvements of the Missouri river
as final fulfillment of predictions
made Is years ago.
He said that congress should set a
definite limit upon the depth of water
sought to be obtained in seaport har-
bors-30 feet for inStance-and place a
limit upon naval architecture. Otherwise
he declared, there would be no end to
the depth of water which would be de-
manded.
Speaking of the Hennepin canal Mr..
Hepburn admitted that he had voted
for it, but considering the mental
penance I have undergone since. said
he "and my infancy and ignorance
hard with me as with a hard headed old
sinner like my friend from Illinois (Mr
Reeves) if he should attempt to indulge
in another such freak of legislation
(I1aughter.)
The canal was projected to get the
produce of the farmers of Iowa to the
great lakes suggested Mr.. Reeves.
quite true" retorted Mr.. Hepburn,
'but the farmers of that day are all
dead while the incompleted canal con-
tinues to draw it's annual appropria-
tions from the treasury" (Renewed
laughter.)
While acquitting the chairman of the
committee of looking to anything but
the public welfare, Mr.. Hepburn said
there were gentlemen upon the COM
mittee who did not hesitate to log
rolf to secure appropriations for their
own schemes. Without desiring to re-
fleet upon the courage of the present
speaker, he expressed the hope that the
time would come when there would be
a speaker with wonderful courage"
who would see to it that the commit
tee was composed of men who had no
special interests to be conserved.
Mr.. Lawrence (MaSS.), a member of
the committee, defended the bill in an
extended speech. He declared that if
Boston was to obtain the share of the
country's commerce to which it was en-
titled it was absolutely necessary that
the harbor should have the 35 foot chan
mel provided for in the pending bill He
called attention to the fact that this
bill was not to be rammed through the
house but that ample opportunity was
to be allowed for debate and amend
ment.
Mr. White (Kentuclxy) spoke in favor
of the river and harbor improvement
as proper method of expending money
IN THE SENATE
Washington, March 1S.-When the
senate convened today two veto mes
sages of the president were laid before
the body and ordered printed. The
first was a veto of act to grant an
honorable discharge from the military
service to Charles H. Hawley and the
other was a veto of an act for the re-
lief of James w. Howell.
Mr. Rawlins CUtah) offered some cor
respondence with respect to the organiz-
alton and purposes of the federal party
in the Philippines which he asked to
have printed as a document
The request gave rise to some debate.
Mr.. Burrows tMich.) moved that the
correspondence be referred to the COM
mittee on Philippines.
Mr. HOar (MaSS.) antagoniZed the
motion, holding that the senate always
acceded to such requests and in this
instance it involved, "a matter which
some people believe to be vital to the
prosperity of this country" He init
mated that thesintent of the motion was
to suppress the information contained
in the correspondence.
Mr.. Allison Oowa) said the correspon-
dence seemed to be a contradiction of
the testimony of Governor Taft and he
could see no more reason for printing
it as a separate document than there
was for printing Governor Taft's testi-
mony as a separate document
Mr. Rawlins finally on Mr.. Al1ison'S
objection withdrew his request, indicat-
dence and thus secure its publication in
the congressional record.
resolution offered yesterday by Mr..
Gallinger directing the civil service
commission to send information to the
senate was passed.
TAX REPEAL BILL CHANGED
The senate committee on finance to-
day concluded the consideration of the
bill repeating the war revenue act and
authorized favorable report .on it. The
bill is greatly changed in phraseology
and it is announced that it will probably
not be in shape to be reported before to-
morrow
The bill as it will be reported removes