Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1908-02-14
TAWNEYS REMARK
CAUSED TROUBLE
Chairman of Committee on
Appropriations Stirred
the Country to Action
HUNDREDS PROTEST
Senators and congressman Flooded
With kilograms and Letters From
Cou.t;fucnt>-Tawne Points t"
.Wrong Side OF Ledger
HUNDREDS PROTEST
Snecitl to the Graphic.

7
washington, Feb. 12.-Little did
kRepresentative Tawney, chairman OF
%tba committee on appropriations,
3gdream that he was about to preclpi-
+.+a an avalanche OF episto!ary trou-
when he made remark few
SNdays ago in discussing the urgent de-
Nfciencv bill. But he did lei loose trou-
SNble, and plenty Of it. Secretaries to
NJ congressmen have been working over
time answering letters Of protests, but
their cross-fire does not seem ~ have
any effect ON the clouds of letters thai
flutter in from North and Sonth. East
and West.
Mr.. Tawney verbally pried open his
4 pandora box OF woes when he declared
4 that the appropriations called for this
d year would, if all were granted. leave
the government $100,000,000 on the
wrong side Of the ledger. He preach
ed economy and urged congress to
"go slow This was all very well,
Tawney was given much applause.
But he made a tactical mistake
when he got down to specifications.
In the scheme of economy he could
gress was going to pass a rivers and
harbors bill. In the past this espe-
cial measure has been the salvation of
all who sought to burden the appro-
priations bill with other expenditures
It has saved the day in many in
stances through elimination.
But MI Tawney is finding that the
day in question has gone by. His
words scarcely were uttered before
| there began to arrive kilograms and
| special delivery letters addressed to
! various congressman in both ends OF
! the capitol There must be funds APP
/ propriated at The present session for
the improves ent of the waterways
and the seap&'ts of the country.
| This was the burden of The messages
| They are still arriving, and the de
nand is no less insistent nor is their
number falling off.
This instant storm OF popular dis
approval has occasioned surprise in
many quarters, but not among those
who have been watching the edu-
cational work done during the last
few years by the National Rivers and
Harbors Congress. This organization
has brought before the American peo-
pie tn, absolute necessity existing
for the adoption OF 4 broad ana lib
era. national policy in the treatment
of this especial f...tlre OF Internal
improvements. The fruits of this
campaign are to be seen in the instant
protest from all quarters against the
statement made by Mr.. TaWney
AS matter OF fact, the chairman
of the committee on appropriations
could not we'll have chosen a more
the lightning. While he was talking,
the inland Waterways Commission
was putting the finishing touches on
its report to the president, a report
that now is in NJ. Roosevelt's hands.
The appropriation for the Panama
canal had been passed, and much had
been said concerning the need for
improved waterways at home if the
United States were to benefit by its
great engineering feat on the Isthmus.
In the face Of all this, it is not sur
prising that the public reply to the
threat to destroy hopes OF rivers
and harbors bill at the present ses-
sion s.aould have been addressed with
such vigc-. In the appropriations
Tor rivers and narbors in the past the
people have asked for bread and have
mad to content themselves with
stone. Their spirit is aroused, and.
Pill that was needed to fan the spark
commentator into the roaring
lame of enthusiasm was such a re-
mark as Mr.. Tawney made.
MIR. Tawney's statement that the
lVers and harbors bill would have
o be sacrificed brings to mind the
promise practically held out by Rep
sentative Burton, of Ohio. last De-
eshDer. In addressing the conven-
ioh here of the National Rivers and
1afbors Congress he committed him
Gil 10 endorsement Of that organiza-
ons program, which is mot less
soOOO&M a year for waterways I'M
ioser4YEtN. Mr.. Burton is fighter
"a Jealous of his prerosatives.
nefe may ye interesting times ahead
hen these two giants of the House
lash.