The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-23
ARMY BILL GOES BACK ID SENATE House Takes Up Rivers and
 Harbors BURTON DEFENDS MEASURE
Wants Pennsylvania to Assist In the Work of Improving the Delaware River-Miles Question
 Up Again.

ton blll All Senate amendments were disagreed to with the single exception of one appropriating $95,O00 for continuing the cable from Valdes to Seward. Alaska
 There was renewed discussion of the provision regarding retired officers on duty with the militia of the several states, the name of General Nelson A Miles. once more, figuring in the debate
 The rest of the day was devoted to consideration of the river and harbor ap- propriation bill
 Various amendments made by the Sen- ate were considered. Mir Ames. of Mas sachusetts, insisted on an agreement to the Senate amendment regarding retired officers serving with militia regiments amended so as to make 1t effective Janu- ary l. 1906. While supporting the amend ment he referred to the appointment or Lieut.. Gen. Nelson A. Miles as inspector general of Massachusetts, and said 1t was a political one. Had Governor Douglass had the best interests of the militia or Massachusetts at heart the appointment would not have been made, but a younger man would have been seieeteds The amendment, he said, was favorable to General Milea who had accepted the ap- pointment in good faith and the pellel that he would receive his full pay. Unfair to General Miiess
 Mir Hull declared the attempt to put the whole fight on General Miles as un- fair to the House and to the General him self. He would rather have the blll iaii than yield to the clamor raised by re- tired officers ia their attacks on the tfeas- ury.
 MT. Grosvenor of Ohio opposed the Sem ate amendment. He said there never had been so foul sn attempt to influence legislation "It is graft, pure and simple to bring forward the name of dis tinguished man and cry out persecution against him. He did not know that Gen eral Miles was involved fin tals graft if the Senate amendment was adopted, he maintained, 1t would put millions Into the pockets of gentlemen "already num- iAcently provided for and for doing noth- ing"
 Mir Hay of Virginia also opposed the amendment.
 The Senate amendment was amended by Etr Ames then was disagreed to and the report was sent back to conference.
 Rivers and Harbors Bill
 The House t. en in committee of the whole took up the river and harbor ap- propriation bill. MT. Burton of Ohio hay ing it in charge advocated careful leg Islation on the bill. Ee said. however. that the demand for legislation was be- coming so pressing that one of three alternatives must be adopted. To pro- ceed on a larger scale, select some few irnI rovementS to prosecute to completion or devise some plan by which part of the expense should be borne by the com n.unities or localities effected.
 Messrs Adams, Bingham and Me- Creary, of Philadelphia, called attention to the sums spent by Pennsylvania on the Delaware river channel below Phila- l .1, xI.s. F~f.t ernment appropriations, which they claimed had not been given.
 Mir Burton took exception to the criti- cism and said that more money had been spent at Philadelphia since 1902 than for the New York channel since 1898. plea for the construction of a waterway to avoid the dangerous shoals of Hatteras was made by Mr. Small, of North Caro- line.
 Tho committee was taken to task by Mr. Gaines, of Tennessee, for charging up to Tennessee $S00.0O0 whereas he claimed but 5000 had been allowed for river improvements in that state, the revenue going to points in other states bordering on the Cumberland and Ten nessee rivers.
 Reverting to the remarks of MT. Bur ton regarding the Delaware river im- provements, Mir. Morrell, of Pennsyl- vania, declared that he did not think that Pennsylvania should be required to give anything to secure what would go to her voluntarily as her just due and he gave notice that he would later offer an amendment relieving that state from the requirement. of an appropriation equal to that of the government before the im- provements are made.
 Would Not Force Pennsylvania. In a brief reply to MT Morrell, MT. Bur gess of Texas, a member of the commit tee, explained that it was not the desire to force from Pennsylvania contribution for a great improvement.
 Unconditional appropriations in the past had been allowed that state. but it was necessary, he said, now, if the Delaware river improvements were to go on, for Pennsylvania to tax herself and help in the enterprise.
 Availing himself of the license of gen. eral debate, MT. Grosvenor of Ohio pleaded for an efficient merchant marine. He spoke of the naval victories of Japan over Russia, and said they were account ed for by the fact that the Japanese had paid attention to that subject. Mir Sulzer of New York, in reply, criticised MT. Grosvenor and his committee for not bringing in a bill. He provoked laughter by asking whether the bill should be passed and be sent over to the Senate, that tomb of all good measures" The rivers and harbors bill then was read for amendment
 The reading of the bill was interrupted by MT Maddox of Georgia, who inquired of MT Burton if Esopus creek, mentioned in the bill. could not be changed to Salt River This reference to Esopus, the home of Judge Parker. caused consider able merremnt.
 Burton Would Strike 1t Out.
 In view of the inferential charge that the committee was trying 10 force Penn sylvania to appropriate s500.0 GOO to get a similar amount from the government for the Delaware river Mir. Burton of fered an amendment striking out the provision. Instantly Messrs. Brown,
 Adams and Butler of Pennsylvania.
 were on their feet and each in turn pleaded for the appropriati ton without the requirement. of a contribution from their state.
 On the plea that the Delaware river was the highway to an important navy yard and should not be neglected. Mr. Grosvenor urged liberal appropriations for it's improvenen
 Mir. Burton withdrew his amendm ent but declared that the commerce of the country could mot be brushed aside for the benit of rfhvy ya-ds.
 Several bills were passed and the House adjOu1f fed until tomorrow.