Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1906-09-03
EDITOR ABERDEEN HERALD,
ABERDEEN, WASH.

ABERDEEN, WASH
DEAR SIR Over twenty years exneri
ence in the third house ofcongress under
the great dome at our national capitol
makes one wise in many ways; at any
rate IN getting appropriations for the i'm.
provement OF our waterways. 1t requires
much tact and diplomacy, and novice
had better leave such matters alone be.
tore he unMittingly makes it impossible
to get an appropriation through con-
mlttee OF congress by giving away facts
which just at this time it would be bette,
to leave unwritten history. The tine
has not come when the history of oul
waterways should be written. If it was
fully written by one who has been ir
position to know all the facts in the
premises, one who has been the prime
mover in high places in suggesting most
Improvements and in getting them
through congressional committees, il
would make more interesting chapter
than yet written.
TO begin with, feel constrained to
say in connection with our waterway, let
Us ask for what we CAN and NOT for what
we CAST get. This is common sense and
practical. When we ask for an appro.
prlation to finish the south jettv, make
no mention of anything else THAT is
what we want for the time being and
not something else which, if even dis
cussed, might and probably would pre-
vent the appropriation being made we
asked for. When such an appropriation
is gotten, and we want money to dredge
a portion of the inner channel OF the
harbor, let us ask for that alone in not
too large amounts, and SO on in detail,
until it is all dredged, when we can then
with excellent reason if necessary ask
for north jetty; but leave it for the
last thing to be called for, and then stick
to it till gotten. Perhaps it may not be
required if the south jetty is finished. Is
the water over shoal as far as it has been
built? Who is wise enough to say that
it won't do the work expected by Colonel
Symons If the jetty is completed? He is
an eminent engineer, one OF the best we
have, so eminent that the government
has given him leave of absence to build
the great canal from the Great Lakes to
the Hudson river. | for one have faith
in his great ability and judgment.
1t may be diplomatic to say, let our
watchword be for north and south ietty
with 2i feet of water and an inside chan
mel 200 feet wide and Is feet deep, but
will it not be apt to prejudice those in
high authority by announcing it annual
ly, or whenever an appropriation is called
for, and that it will take some several
millions OF dollars to finish improving
the harbor? Will such a method show
alertness, farsightedness, tact, judgment
and sagacity? Will it be sensible? Our
experiences OF how to get appropriations
since 1900 should demonstrate this to all
concerned. How many appropriations
have we gotten since that OF 100000, in
1900, to improve Cow Point, which was
diverted from its intended use? Wasn't
about four years lost in getting appro-
priations to dredge the inside channel by
that unwise move? l happen to be in a
position to know better than anyone
else about it whatever others may say.
Wasn't about four-fifths Of the $50, 900
VIRTUALLY wasted so far as immediate i'm.
provement OF the waterway was and is
concerned by not using the money for
improving the present waterway? What
practical man who knows how difficult
1t was and is to get appropriations
through the committees OF congress for
this harbor would interfere or dawdle in
such matter? What man who was in.
strumental in getting that appropriation
through committees of congress would
try to get another, fearing is he did il
would be used otherwise than as asked
| am told, too, that such measure dis
pleased the engineers. How many ap
propriations have we gotten since the
practice of bringing member from the
river and harbor committee here from
! the house commenced? Who has beer
instrumental in doing it? Is it don,
through obtuseness or are there othe
motives in it? Such as are concerned