Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-06-27
SIGNS RIVERS AND HARBORS
President Taft Points Out Some
Objections to Measure.
SUGGESTS A POLICY TO FOLLOW
Measure Satisfactory, but Failure 60
Approve wOuId Seriously Embar-
rnss Men I'm Charge OF
work.

WASHINGTON, June 2s.-After announc-
ing that he has approved the bill. President
Taft yesterday in his message said:
while l have signed the bill. venture
20 submit a memorandum of explanation
and comment"
The text OF the message then follows:
The bill is an important one and con-
tains many excellent features. 1t provides
for the canalization OF the Ohio river, TO
be prosecuted at a rate which will insure
It's completion within twelve year; the inn
provenent OF the Mississippi river between
Cairo and the Gulf of Mexico. to be COM
pleted within twenty years; of the Missis-
sippt river between the mouth of the Mis-
souri, and the mouth of the Ohio river. to
be completed within twelve years; of the
Mississippi between Minneapolis and the
mouth OF the Missouri river, to be com
pleted within twelve years; OF the Hudson
river for the purpose of facilitating the
use of the barge canal in the vicinity OF
Troy, N. T.; OF the Savannah river from
Augusta TO the sea, with a view to its
completion within four years; of thirty
five-foot channel in the Delaware river
from Philadelphia to the sea; of thirty
five-foot channel TO Norfolk. Va; of a
twenty-seven-foot channel to Mobile, Ala.
of a fourteenlfoot channel to Jacksonville,
F1aS Of thirty-foot channel TO Oakland,
Cal
Points Out Defect.
THE chief defect in the bill is the large
number OF projects appropriated for and
the uneeonomicaI method of carrying on
these projects by the appropriation of sums
small in comparison to the amounts re-
quired to effect completion.
The figures convincingly establish the
fact that this bill makes inadequate pro-
vision for too many projects.
"The total OF the bill, $4,000 OOO is moi
unduly large. hut the policy of small appro
priation with a great many different enter
prises without provision for their com
pletion, is unwise. 1t tends to waste, be
cause thus constructed the projects are
likely to cost more than II they were lie
TO contractors who were authorized to com
plete the whole work within a REASONABLE!
short time
Moreover, the appropriation of com
paratively small sum for a doubtful en-
terprise lie thereafter used by its advocate
TO force further provision for it from con
gress on the ground that the investmen
made is a conclusive recognition of tn
wisdom of the project, and it's continuanc
becomes a necessity to save the money al
ready spent. This has been called a piece
meaf policy.
Outlines n Plan.
1T is proposed to remedy this defect b
an annual rivers and harbOrs bill, but tina
hardly avoids the objections cited, for sue
yearly appropriations are likely to be al
fected by the state of the treasury and pc
litical exigency.
THE proper policy, 1t seems to me,
to determine from the many projects pre-
posed and recommended what are III
most important and then to proceed
completed them with due dispatch; an
then to take up others and do the SAN
thing with them.
There has been frequent discussion {
late years as to the proper course to
pursued in the development OF our milan
waterways and / think the general sent
ment has been that we should have
comprehensive system agreed on by son
competent body of experts who shou
pass on the relative merits of the warrior
projects and recommend the order in whit
they should be begun and completed.
Under the present system every pr
feet is submitted to army engineers wi
pass on the question whether it ought
be adopted, but who have no power
pass on the relative importance Of Il
many different projects they approve
TO suggest the most economical ana Dus
ness like order for their completion.
Congress should refer the old projeC
to boards of army engineers for furth
consideration and recommendation. Tt
would enable us to know what Of the O
works ought to be abandoned.
objections to system.
II have given to the consideration Of II
bill the full ten days since its submiss
l.. hat -
tectlons are to the system, for it may
conceded that the trainers of the bill ha
made as good a bill as they could und
I, the 'piecemeal policy. 1 once reached I
conclusion that it was my duty to int
pose a veto In order II possible, to secu
a change in the method of framing the
bills. Subsequent consideration has alter
my Wow as TO my duty.
1T Ia now three years since a river a
harbor bill was passed
The projects under way are in urge
need of further appropriation for ma
tenance and continuance and there is gre
and justified pressure for many of the n
projects provided for by the bill.
1T has been made clear to me that I
failure OF the bill thus late in the sess
would seriously embarrass the construct
., engineers. 1 do not think, therefore
defects Of the bill which have pointed
will justify the postponement of all I
important work, but do think that in
preparation OF the proposed future yea
bills. congress should adopt the refor
suggested and that failure to do so wo,
justify Withholding executive approx
even though a rivers and harbors
failed. "WILLIAM IL. TAFT.
SENATOR STONE ON NICARAGl