Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-04-15
.PAVES THE WAY FOR
MOST HEATED CONTEST
Ohio Member Of the Commerce Com
mittee offers Sweeping Opposition
to the Pending Proposition and
Shows What He FaVoTs Instead
May Mean Fight for Veto.

WASHINGTON. ID. C., April II
Disregarding the pleas OF many oil his
associates. Senator Burton, OF ONO.
chairman OF the national waterways
commission. who was chairman OF the
river and harbOrs committee when he
served in the house and who IS now
member of the senate committee
on commerce, today presented
minority report on the pending bill
which would appropriate about So
! goo 900 for the Improvement OF rivers
and harbors.
The character of his opposition,
which is a sweeping arrangement Oh
piece-mcal appropriations, as well as
condemnation OF many named pro
jects. make it certain that the CON
/ lest to be waged over the bill would
be one of the most heated in the his
tory of the senate. MIR. Burton has
| indicated that he will attack speclhc
| items. and his objections cover such
a wide range that the entire senate
may be involved in the discussion. 1t
is said that if his opposition TO
ma jOrity OF these great projects
| should be unsuccessful. there Will be
launcend a movement looking to the
veto of the bill by the President. In
summarizing his report, Mr.. Burton
says:
His Reforms Suggested.
Il am prompted to file this minority
report because, in my Judgment, sub
stanfial reforms should be accom-
plished in our river and harbor legis-
lation. This is impossible without
correcting many aOuses which are
manifest in the pending bill.
The following are the most import
ant rules which should govern:
Provision for the completion of an
Improvement. when adopted, save in
exceptional cases.
"A greater degree of discrimination
in the making of appropriations for
river and harbOrs Improvements; by
emitting projects condemned by the
| experts who make the surveys and
recommendations; by a care ii re
view of pending projects. with es-
peCial reference to avoidance O!
| lock and dam construction. or when
| the protection OF private property is
| the main object and navigation sub
ordinate; the exclusion from the bill
of proposed improvements which do
rot have TO do with navigation.
A general policy OF improving the
main stream before attention is given
to branch streams. and TIE adjust
ment of depths anG dimension with a
view to a uniform and comprehensive
plan for the development of water
ways.
AN adjustment of relations be
tween the railways and waterways,
with view to securing greater CO
| operation
Would be Wasteful.
Condemning the 'uTIvO.--.g policy
OF making partial appropriations
without provision for completion. Mr.
Burton said. such plan OF proce-
dure would be considered altogether
wssteful and injudicious in private
enterprise"
As an illustration OF the policy
of making partial appropriations
! FIR. Burton cited Sandy Ray harboI
of Refuge. Mass. the estimated cost
for the completion OF which is more
/. than 1000 zoo.
Work upon this harbOT has been in
| Progress for twenty-five years and il
is shown that il will require hfty-onc
| Gears 20 complete it. or. in all
sevcnty-six years. Another iliUs;ra
ton given is the James River. Va
u is commended that projects which
have been examined and rejected by
the corps of engineers a unworthy oi
/ adoption. and those in which tho
methods recommended for prescott
inc the work have been cisrcgardcd
should not be tho objects Of appropri
siioas. Embraced in this list are.
Objectionable List
/ Norfolk Beaufort waterway; 10
bile harbor. Alabama; channel frOu
Orange and Beaumont. on Sabin
| and Ncchos rivers. In TayloTs Bayou
Texas. and Green river. Ky. Evcr
the lakcs-to-;hc-Eulf waterways is IN
u Guided In this category. NJ. Burio
SAYS this item. of one million dollar
with sso.0eo for further surveys bcin
IN direct vocation of an unfayorabi
report. is especially Objectionable.
] The mos; severe condemnation
directed againsf The Improvement q
I rivers which ucccssiiaic The huiidin
end maintenance u costly locks aus
dams. IN this category Mr. Buricf
i cites The Cumberland river. in Ten
ncsscc. the Kentucky and Greer
rivers. On kentucky.
Mr. ffftffou aava the rsroraffiu1 i'm