The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-28
MARTIN IN FAVOR
OF A YEARLY BILL
Believes Present Method of Ap
propriating for Rivers and
Harbors Is Obsolete.
Special to The Times Dispatch. ]

lcHeClHl 10 lIle Il11eS-DlSDatCH.I
Washington, D. G., February 27.-The
having under consideration the rivers
and harbors bill recently passed by the
House, has completed the first read
Ing Of the. bill. The clerks to the
lnents presented by Senators. and they
are many in number, preparatory TO
the hearings which will be granted
senators on the distinctive projects in
which they are interested.
1t mas been a custom of the Com
1nerce Committee, OF which Senator
FRYE, Of Maine. Is chairman, not to
r hoid u public hearings on the. verious
as has been the practice in the House
committee, but to hear Senators who
dcslre to explain the merits of their
proposed amendments. This procedure
s ~ De iolloWed as to the present bin
peen Issued inviting their presence be-
fore the committee.
thereafter. there will be an annual
rReps ana h hiarf1 bil said Senator
ing member of the minority on the
Commerce Committee.
The committee realizes that a year
~ blll is Indispensable, and it should
supply bills. The practice of passing
q, river and harbor bill every two or
three years has become obsolete as
the needs of the country have increased.
do not think made a mistake in
expressing the opinion that this view
Is concurred in not only by members
or tho committees of both houses of
Congress, but believe by the country
as we'll.
There is no material opposition to
the systematic Improvement of our
Waterways. They are vital arteries of
commerce. not only valuable in them
selves. but valuable in Influencing
| railroad rates
I'm my opinion the Improvement OF
our rivers and harbors VIII be done
, MID NOR more vigor. more system anf
cause the country has largely become
educated to the needs of these nat,Ira
!n ,.a OF commerce. not only for the
c cn,,, of products between
with foreign countries. 49, ela'io''S
Public sentiment has undergone a
waterways since I first became mem.
Der OF the Commerce Committee ten
years ago. and believe this change is
largely due to the campaign of edr-
catlon carried on by the National Riv-
crs and Harbors Congress and kindred
associations"
While the Senator was not willing To
express an opinion as to the probable
amount the bill will carry. there is no
doubt but that there will be a material
increase over the House bill, the
amendments proposed by Senators run
ming into millions.
Just when the bill will be reported Is
problematical. The committee proposes
to proceed with elaboration in the
consideration of the bill, many new
projects having been suggested which
Will require expert opinion as to their
feasibility and advisability.
Senator Martin became a member of
the Commerce Committee at the first
session of the Fifty-sixth Congress,
taking his place at the foot of the list.
The late Senator George G. Vest was
the ranking Democratic member at
that time, his other associates being
John p, Jones, of Nevada; Berry, of
| Arkansas; Caffery. of louisiana, and
Turner. of Washington Martin, of
! Virginia, and Clay. of Georgia, were
added to the committee when the SEN
| ate passed out of the control of the
! Democrats and into Republican con-
troll. the dominant party increasing
its. membership on the committee cor
respondingly.
What is most remarkable In this
! connection Is that out of a membership
of seventeen, as the present committee
| is constituted, but seven were mem
| bers ten years ago, Senator Martin
| being the only Democrat to hold this
| distinction. II. Z. C. q.