The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-02-24
Chairman Of the Rivers and Harbors
Committee of the House Can
Congratulate Himself
on His Work.
HE HAS A LONG RECORD
Nearly 100000, 1000 Have Been Apro-
priated During His Chair.
manship Of Rivers and
Harbors Committee.
[Gate City Special License

[Gate City Special Licensed
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb, 24.-Re-
representative Theodore E. Burton.
Chairman of the Rivers and Harbors
Committee of the House, who has re-
ported the last river and harbors ap-
preparation bill of the 60th Congress
and the last waterways bill with
which he will be associated as Chair
man, can look back over his years as
head of this great remarkable record,
not only as a legislator but as prac-
ticable far-seeing builder of the Ma
ttion's water highways.
Mr. Burton had the unusual honor
accorded him of an unanimous cleo
/! ton as Chairman of The Rivers and
Harbors Committee by the members
thereof, Speaker Reed at the time
holding that such procedure was per-
missable on the resignation of the
prior Chairman. Mr. Burton at the
time of his election was not the rank
ling member of the Committee. This
action was taken at the beginning OF
the third session of the 55th Congress
| in the fall of 1898 since which date
Mr.. Burton, who retires on the 4th
of March from the House of Represen-
| tatives. has continued at the head OF
the Committee.
The soon-to-be Senator from Ohio,
succeeding Mr.. Foraker, first went on
/ the Rivers and Harbors Committee in
1885 and since that time as member
and chairman, Mr.. Buxton has the
rare distinction of having assisted in
making approximately half of the To-
tai provisions for rivers and harbors
since the foundation Of the govern
ment
Nearly three hundred million dol
lars have been Appropriated between
the years 1895 and 1909 for our rivers,
harbors and canals and Improvements
upon quite five thousand miles of
waterways have been initiated or con-
ltinued during his term as chairman
Nearly all the harbors Of the coun-
try have been materially deepened or
enlarged since Mr. Burton became
Chairman. especially the grea. har-
plia, Galveston and Mobile.
Among other important improve
ments the present chairman of the
Rivers and Harbors Committee has
seen accomplished are: The provis-
ion for 35 foot channel at the mouth
of the Mississippi; widening and
deepening the Detroit River and other
connecting waterways of the Great
Lakes including all of the prominent
Iharbors thereon.
Mr.. Burton can lay claim to never
having had an amendment put on a
river and harbor bill against his oppo-
sition although several hundred
amendments have been offered on the
floor during his craftsmanship.
Theodore F. Burton has always
stood for liberality and discrimination
toward our waterways making these
words in his platform, having shown
the greatest fairness to all localities
in the makeup of the bills with which
his name has been associated.
What is needed is a liberal and at
/ the same time comprehensive pol
Iicy for the Improvement of our water
/ ways" said Mr.. Burton.
4 .tWaste should be avoided and UNI
worthy projects rejected But at the
same time there should be no fear or
hesitancy in spending a sufficient
amount of money to bring the navig-
able channels of the country to high
grade of efficiency
River and harbor bills should have
to do with navigation primarily and
extraneous improvements, such as
flood prevention drainage and bank
protection, should not be included. I'M
less in the interest of navigation and
coupled with fair apportionment of
the burden of the expense between the
Federal government and the local
tiles Immediately interested.
ultimately under a general plan of
conservation and development all the
objects mentioned. and Others such
as Qualification of waters, irrigation
and forest preservation will be made
part of comprehensive scheme. But
in the meantime immediate provision
for navigation must by no means be
neglected.
In time we shall more intelligently
appreciate that the waterways OF
America as we'll as the land are rich
possession of inestimable value. Like
other forces of nature when uncon-
trolled they are source Of injury and
danger but when properly restrained
the benefits to be derived from them
cannot be over-estimated.