The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-04-12
Small Urges Necessity OF
Inland Waterway.
Mr.. SIM MONS SPEAKS
Replies to Recent Speech Of Spooner
Showing How Postoffice InvestI-
cation Was Discouraged---
What Kind of President
Do We Want?
(By the Associated Press.)


Washington, April 1.-THE House to-
day passed the bill reported by the Com
mttee on Rivers and Harbors appropria-
ting s3,00O,O0O for the restoration or main
harbor improvements. Mr.. Burton, chair
man of the committee explained its pro-
visions and urged the adoption of settled
principles with regard to river and harbor
work with the view to considering each
project according to it's merits.
Mr.. Burton said the amounts expended
for rivers and harbors when the vast ex-
tent of our waterways was considered was
very small. He favored the adoption of a
policy of pushing matters to completion
as rapidly as possible, and declared that
Congress should not undertake anything
which could not be completed within a
reasonably short time. The system pur-
sued in the United States, he thought
contrasted most unfavorably with systems
of foreign countries. The one great de-
feet in our system was the insufficiency of
the engineering corps of the army.
Mr.. Burton favored the policy OF re-
quiring communities interested in river or
harbor Improvements to participate IN the
expense and said that preference should
be given to channels and harbors bene-
fitting n great area.
Discussing the question of inland water
ways, Mr.. Burton called attention to the
vast sums, amounting to many millions
of dollars, which would be required to
construct them, and declared that the
adoption of any one of them would fur
nish precedent for the adoption of all.
In fayorng broad and liberal treat
ment of rivers and harbors, Mr.. Rams
dell CLa.), a member of the committee,
said he would support bill carrying
S100,0 900 because the people now are
ready for it and would aop.au1 is pas
sage He regretted the present measure
simply was an emergency one. The Amer
lean peole, he said, are not afraid OF
large sums, but rather like them. He
charged that the Republicans had been
lavish and even reckless of EXPENSE in all
matters except river and harbor improve
ment and called attention to the hun.
dreds of millions which he said, had been
spent in connection with the war with
Spain and on criminal aggression and
passive warfare.
Mr.. Humphries CMiss.), also member
of the committee spoke of the fallacy OF
the levee system in improving the Mis-
sissippi river, and said it was not posi-
BILE for a levee OR a system OF leveees to
withstand ood such as occurred in 1885,
and 1903.
General debate was closed bv Mr.
Small IN. c., who spoke Of the necessity
for an inland waterway between Chcsa
pealle Bay and Beaufort Inlet. n. c.
Mr.. Clark {Mo.), called attention to
the fact that the River and Harbor Com
mittee was made up entirely of members
living on the gulf coast, the Great Lakes
or the ocean. Seven great States through
which the Missouri river ows or passes
are without a single representative.
He alluded to the acquisition by thl
United States of the Sondwich Islands
the Philippines, Guam and Porto Rice
ION the pretext that homes are wanted
for our children" and yet, he said there
is more farming land out OF which &c
make such homes that is overowed and
destroyed and made barrne by the oods
of the Missouri river than could be found
in all these islands Instead" he vigor
ously declared, amid applause, "of sauan
dering money TO hold the F'ilipinos in sub
lection to educate the Hawaiians. and tC
carry the rlail az an exorbitant price to
the canninals OF the FLY islands you bet
ter be taking care of this land you have
got at home After passing number
OF minor bills the House adjourned