The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-12-20
| NEW LANDS IN THE SENATE
Advocates Appointment of PeTma'
neat Commission
Expects tie Government to LNpcnd
S5u. u.UUD.vUo Annually for Period oi
rive lcar--.S agitation In the Matter
inCrea-.ng-Que>tion OF Prohibition
;;rou.ht up BY senator 1llman.

\. ast...l-..u. lytCluJ.T Ii.-SeuatU.
Ne" .aEus ul .>es au.., tOGa! auuI eSStH
lie senate on nIs Ulii tor the appoint
nleA- - a permanent inland waterway
com mission He stated that the agi-
tatil \ in relation 10 the deep wate.-
ways from ST. Louis TO the gulf anu
| from the lakes to the gulf had reached
| such proportions rs TO bring aoou;
| movement for the Improvement OF al!
! the naVigable streams OF the countr"
and a demand upon the part OF every
section that a broad and comprehen-
sive plan should be inaugurated which
/ would embrace. fairly and proportion
| ately, every part OF the country. The
president in response to the general
| demand, had appointed an inland
waterway commission for the purpose
Of looking into the matter and max
! ing a report and recommendation,
! which if acceptable 10 him. h. would
present to congress for its action. The
commission had been at work for
! some months; had through the action
! OF either all or a part OF its men,
| bers taken up the study Of the PROB
| lens OF every section OF the country
and was now engaged in preparing
| their report to the president
Senator Newlands declared that he
| expects the government to expend at
| least $50, 200 900 annually during the
next five years on the inland water
| ways and was interrupted by Senator
Beveridge, who said:
'The senator does not mean thai,
[ hope"
Senator Newlands: Yes; that is my
| individual view. In the next ten
years the United States should spend
at least $500, 100000 in the improve
| ment of inland waters. I think the
government should enter into this
work in every section Of the country,
on the Pacific coast. Atlantic coast,
| Gulf coast, along the Mississippi river
and it's tributaries. | wish to Ea"
that this is the sentiment of the peO-
pie Of the United States
/ Senator Teller interrupted TO dsA
| in respect to one Of the sections OF
| Mr. Newlands' bill, whether he intend
| ed to maintain the right of the gem
! eral government to control the waters
| of the Mississippi river.
MIR. Newlands replied that under the
| Interstate commerce clause OF the
constitution the nation has control
| over those rivers for the purpose OF
navigation and the states themselves
| can do nothing to these rivers that
! interferes with navigation without the
! consent of the nation.
! Mr.. Teller replied that the supreme
! court of the United States has passed
; upon these questions thirty times in
! the last sixty years and it had main.
! tanned that the nations rights over
! the rivers relates solely to navigation
| and it cannot utilize the waters for
establishing water power, and electric
light plants. He hoped that the sena-
| tor from Nevada would not involve
| this question with matters that would
! jeopardize his bill as he was earnestly
desirous of seeing legislation on this
| subject.
The senate adopted the resolution of
Senator Dick Of Ohio, extending the
time allowed the militia of the several
states, territories and the District Of
Columbia to conform to the Drovis-
ions Of the act of June 21, 1903 which
was necessary in order that the militia
of several states might take advantage
of appropriations that have been made
The subject of prohibition was rails
ed by Senator Tillman. who introduc-
ed a resolution instructing the COM
! mittee on finance to consider and re-
port whether it is practicable for the
| national government to discontinue
| the issuance of permits to retail liquor
| dealers, in states, counties or munich
pa1ities where local option prevails
prohibiting the sale Of liquors"
Senator Allison suggested that the
government merely collected tax on
liquor and does not control its sale
Mr. Tillman replied that the govern
| ment in collecting the tax, permits
| the sale Of liquor and issues a permit
| for that purpose the resolution was
| adopted
Four general bills, the legislative,
the district of Columbia, the pen
sions and the Notifications, were plac-
ed in the hands of the sub-committees
today and will be worked on by them
during the holiday recess. The SEN
ate adjourned at 2:53 o'clock.