The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-03-07


Damaged if Not Continued mt
once--NIay BE River and Harbor
Plank in Next Democratic Plat
form.
BY R. NJ. Larner.
Washington, March 6.-A baby
river and harbor bill carrying about
$500, 900, is about to be born in the
House River and Harbor Committee.
The preliminaries for the event have
been arranged and Chairman Burton
has assurances from Speaker Cannon
that such a measure may receive fav-
orable action during the present ses-
sion.
Representative Lester. of Georgia,
and the other members of the COM
mittee have been urging more liberal
appropriations for rivers and harbors
throughout the present session, but
the policy of the administration is OPP
posed to a general river, and harbor
bill at this time. The proposed bill
is simply to provide for the preserva-
ton of certain work. which would
otherwise be seriously if not totally
injured if allowed to go uncared for
until next season. All propositions for
new surveys have been rejected, and
the friends of new projects are told
that they will have ample opportunity
to obtain relief in the general bill to
be brought forward during the early
hours of next session of Congress.
River and HarbOr Plank in Platform
Representative Sparkman of Florida,
one of the ablest members of the River
and Harbor Committee, after CONSUL
tation with leading Democrats both in
the Senate and the House, has started
a movement to insert a river and har-
Dor plank in the next Democratic plat
form. Mr.. Sparkmans long and eff
ficient services on the River and Har-
Dor Committee, in addition to his high
standing and wide influence in the
House, gives more than ordinary
weight. He says be has discussed the
subject with many of his Democratic
associates and there appears to be a
universal demand that such a plank
be put in the party platform. The
Republicans have during the present
session shown little regard or interest
in internal improvements.
Mr.. Sparkman is of the opinion that
the Democratic party can well afford
to take an advance step by an en-
phatic declaration in behalf of liberal
appropriations for rivers and harbors,
in view of the fact that so much of
the money is being expended in our
insular possessions.
The great bulk of gold now being
spent in the Philippines, Porto Rico
and Cuba never comes back to the
United States, says Mr.. Sparkman
He is therefore in favor of making this
proposition plain and direct in the
platform.
Lester Looking Out for the South
Atlantic.
The South Atlantic coast is extreme
~ fortunate in having on the River
and Harbor Committee two such able
and experienced members as Col Les
ter of Savannah and Mr.. Sparkman
of Tampa. Col Lester is the ranking
member of the minority on the COM
mittee and Mr.. Sparkman stands next
to him in term of service. Should
Democratic hopes and expectations be
realized in the coming campaign, the
political complexion of the House may
undergo a change. With a Democratic
majority in that body Col. Lester
would naturally become chairman of
that great committee and Mr. Spark
man WOulQ SIdnQ second TO the chdlr-
man or be placed at the head of an
equally important committee of the
House.
Georgia's and Florida's interests are
sure to be taken care of in any event.
while Col. Lester and Mr.. Sparkman
retains membership on the River and
Harbor Committee. Both of these
gentlemen are old and experienced leg
islators and have a wide acquaintance
ON both sides of the House and are ia
miliar with all the details which are
30 necessary to success in a legisla-
tive body like the House of Represen-
tatives.
Much Sought Committee.
The Committee on Rivers and Har-
bors. next to the Committee on Ap-
preparations, is regarded as the most
important committee in the House.
Membership on that committee is Gag
erly sought for, and competition for
assignment is probably more spirited
than that of any other committee.
Georgia and Florida owe their pres
ent desirable committee assignments to
the fact that those two delegations are
made up largely of men who have
served continuously in the House for
long term of years.
Experience has fully demonstrated
that the longer a man remains in the
House the more valuable he becomes
to his constituents. New men require
at least two or three Congresses to
work their way I'D to desirable COM