Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-07-29
NO DOODLE IN RIVERS
. and HARBORs BILLS
Congressman Burton Tells How
/ At appropriations Are Made
Il. for This Work.
FAv0RIlsH IS NOT CONSIDERED
Not Like Public Buildings Ae.
Where Bach Representative Works
for Selfish Motive Instead of
the Real Good of all the People
of the United States.

WASHINGTON. July 2s.- Chair
man Theodore e. Burton of the Riv-
ers and Harbors Committee has come
to the defense of Congress and partie-
nlarly of his committee against the
charge that river and harbor appro-
Priations are in the nature OF pork
barrels"
In statement on the eve of his
departure for Europe, which was
made public here today, Mr.. Burton
says that appropriations for this pur-
pose are guarded more carefully than
any others made by Congress and
that they should be much larger than
they have been In the past, and he en-
dorses the work of the National Riv-
ers and Harbors Congress which is
striving for annual Congressional APP
preparations of s5O,OO0.OOO for river
and arbor Improvement
"One of the least gratifying fea-
lures in having to do with river and
harbor legislation" said Mr.. Burton.
aapprehensions firmly seated in the
popular mind and which 1t seems are
almost impossible to dislodge. One
is that n division of spoils is made
among the members.
5Hs No "Jobbing" Tolerated.
TN brief, the bill Is known as a
pork barrel. On the contrary. no APP
preparation bill is quite so carefully
scrutinized and the merits of the diff
Ierent projects or objects of appro-
priations quite SO carefully scanned.
For instance, public building bill is
introduced containing appropriations
for numerous public buildings.
"These buildings, most OF which are
no doubt very necessary, are provided
for with or without requests for in
formation from the executive depart
ments of the government and with
out any prior demand from Congress
for an examination of the magnitude
of the interest to be subserved or the
desirability Of the building.
"On the contrary, before an appIo-
priation is made for river or harDor
Improvement there must be prelim-
mary examination and a survey of the
locality, and that, too, in pursuance of
an express Act of Congress. AS a
result, there is delay usually
amounting to not less than two years
after the project is presented to Con
gTess for its consideration before an
appropriation can be made
Engineers Make Reports.
SIN the meantime, an engineer
makes preliminary examination, go.
ing over the locality, and reports in
general way whether or not it is
worthy Of Improvement. If his report
is in the affirmative that it is worthy
'of:improyement-it goes to review.
Ing board of five engineers
selected under the Act of 1902. This
board, If 1t approves the favorable
finding of the engineer in the prelim
inHrv examination, reports It's find
ing to the Chief of Engineers who
passes upon the subject The latter
then, orders q detailed survey with a
view of determining the cost of the
projected Improvement. The engineer
who makes this detailed survey also
reports. after having information OF
the cost. whether the benefits to be
derived from the Improvement are
commensurate with the cost. His re
port again goes to the Board of Re
view. and not until they approve or
fisapprove the project is 1t in a posi-
ton to be considered by Congress-.
Army Well Depended Upon.
ut will be noticed that the Engi.
lneers I'm the United States Army con.
stitute a permanent body of men, de.
pendent upon the government for
sst the salaries and with the esprit de
e9rp which belongs to such body,
they are less influenced by or depend.
ent upon local favor than civil off.
GERS. Hence, 1t is probable, by the
time such report is presented TO
Congress. that unwofthy projects Will
be eliminated. D
"One chief defect of the system In
the past has been the unlimited null
4 tiplication OF surveys Before the
Board OF Review was created in 1902.