The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-11
Much Hinges on Result Of Mr.
Deans Suit.
Will Determine If Kaw Is q
''Navigable' Stream.
A QUESTION OF CASH.
May Be Appropriations for River
improvement.
Government Would Order Re-
mOVaI Of ObstructiOns.

Washington, Jan. 1.-THE question
Of the Kansas river improvement, both
at the mouth, at Kansas City, and fur
ther up stream, is one which very
largely depends upon the result Of the
suit which J. S. Dean, United States
district attorney for Kansas. has been
instructed to bring.
Recently the war department decided
officially that the Kansas river is a
navigable stream. The war department
requested the department Of justice to
instruct Mr.. Dean to bring suit with
a view to the removal of distractions.
This is well under way.
It is possible that the attitude of the
war department does not fully demon
strate the belief of the government or
of that department that the Kansas
river is actually a naviga.ble stream;
but it may be that it means the depart
ment officials desire to see the courts
pass on the matter, in the suit which
Mr.. Dean has brought.
If the result of Mr.. Deans suit be
favorable then the war department
will direct that all Instructions be re-
moved from the river. The department
has long held, and of course everyone
has who has given the subject any
serious attention, that one of the
menaces to the two Kansas Citys is
the great obstruction at the mouth
This adds constantly to the danger Of
high water.
1t is the opinion of Representative
Curtis and Senator Long, who have
closely watched every move so far, that
nothing can be done in the way Of aid
until the settlement of the suit insti-
tuted by Mr.. Dean. Then congressional
action may be possible.
The committee on rivers and harbors
of the house of representatives, or a
portion of it, headed by Mr.. Burton OF
Ohio, chairman, last July visited Kan
sas City and looked at the mouth OF
the Kansas river. The committee close
ly noted all the details, and especially
the obstructions. 1t is the opinion Of
Chairman Burton that the river is not
navigable, and he viii not retreat from
his position, nor agree to have aid
granted through his committee, despite
the attitude Of the war department,
until the settlement Of the suit brought
by Mr.. Dean.
In the interest of economy, which is
now the essential thing in congress,
the leaders will probably permit no
rivers and harbors bill at the present
session. But If they do, and Mr.
Deans suit is by that time decided, it
is the intention of Mr.. Curtis, in the
house, to ask for small appropria-
ton for the aid of the Kansas river.
In this connection, Mr.. Curtis told
The State Journal today that he be-
lieved something would have been
done last session of congress mad q
smaller appropriation been asked for.
He urged this and so did Senator
Long the idea being to make begin
ming, set a precedent, and then, there
after, it would not be SO hard to Sc
cure aid from the government. But
the Kansas City committee insisted on
large appropriation, and nothing
was secured.
In regard to the idea OF invoking
the aid of the "draWb back" provision
in the Dingley tariff law, for the bene-
fit of western millers, Representative
p p. Campbell of the Third district,
who has been watching the matter.
said today:
''There were a few slight errors in
the stories printed the other day in
The State Journal and a Kansas City
paper. 1t is not the Kansas millers,
as 1 understand it, with whom the
idea of invoking the drawback orSg-
mated. 1t was with the st. Paul and
Minneapolis millers, though I have
no doubt the idea readily applied to
the Kansas millers.
1.-The secretary of agriculture is now
investigating the claim that the hard
wheat crop is short, as claimed. 1t is
not definitely certain that it is, but
quite probable. You see, IL is desired.
if there is a scarcity of native hard
wheat, to import the Canadian hard
wheat; mix with native softer wheat;
grind. and then export, drawing back
the duty of 25 cents per bushels which
is imposed under the Dingley law on
Canadian wheat.
1.-THE attorney general IS now en-
gagged in undertaking to say, just how
the proof shall be made to the gov
ernment. which will be conclusive.
that the millers have actually used
the Canadian wheat, in order to draw
back the duty.
my interest in the matter was solely to
that disadvantage came to the
Kansas wheat growers by reason OF the
drawback and the importation of Cana
safeguarded and the drawback idea used
to advantage.
Mr.. Campbell is now happy He has his
italian woman, who was detained in New
York by the immigration bureau, safely
her way to Kansas to join her family.
The Woman's name Is AnaneI Manoum,
and she is the mother of a merchant in
Pittsburg, Mr.. Campbells home town.
There was some conflict with the immi-
grafton officials-some technicalftics to be
complied With-and it kept Mr.. Campbell
for two days to get matters Strengthened
out. But now everything is satisfactory.
Mr.. Campbell will have renewed prestige
in the Italian quarter of Pittsburg, Kan
It is hardly likely that Kansas members
will go to Topeka for the annual meeting
and banquet of the Kansas Day club on
January %. The ingalls, statue installa-
before and there will be rush OF Off
cial business here. together with the in
terest in the statehood fight These COM
bined will likely keep kanSans from go
ing the $500 miles to the Republican love
feast.