The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-26
TAFT DISAPPROVES
OF WATERWAYS BILL
Measure Is Signed But ObJec-
lions Are Given
SOME PROJECTS ARE BAD
President Shows That Some of the
Work on Rivers and Harbors Is
Useless or Carried Beyond
Reasonable Time Limit
SOME PROJECTS ARE BAD

sent message to Congress before ad-
journment was taken tonight, saying that
he would sign the rivers and harbors
| bill, but that he will never again ap'
prove measure along the same line .
After announcing that he had approved
| the bill the President said:
while I have signed the bill I ven
ture to submit a memorandum of explain
alton and comment"
The text of the message then follows
as follows:
1.-The bill is an important one and con-
tains many excellent features. 1t pro-
vides for the canalization of the Ohio
river to be prosecuted at a rate wnlcn
will insure its completion within II years;
the improvement of the Mississippi river
between Cairo and the Gulf of Mex
leo to be completed within 20 years of
the Mississippi river between the mouth
| of the Missouri and the mouth of the
| Ohio river to be completed within il
years. of the Mississippi between Mime
| apolis and the mouth of the Missouri
| to be completed within u years; of the
| Hudson river for the purpose OF faclll-
| tating the use of the barge canal IN
| vannah river from Augusta to the sea-
with a view to its completion within four
years of a 35-foot channel In the Della
ware river from Philadelphia to the sea;
| of a 35-foot channel to Norfolk, Va. OF
a 27-foot channel to Mobile, Ala. of
3o-foot channel to Jacksonville, Fla, and
of 30-foot channel to Oakland, Cal.
Harbor Facilities
at also provides for, greatly enlarged
harbor facilities at certain important lake
ports, including Ashtabula, O., and Lo-
raine O., and the enlargement of facil-
tiles for the important commerce or the
Detroit river Indeed, it may be said
that a great majority of the projects
named in the bill are meritorlous and
that money expended in their comple
ton will not be wasted.
"The chief defect in the bill Is the
large number of projects appropriated
for and the uneconomical method OF
carrying on these projects by the ap-
preparation of sums, small in compar-
ison to the amounts required to eff
feet completion.
THE figures convincingly establish
the fact that this bill makes made
quate provision for too many projects.
The total of the bill, $52,Gc0,0 900, lis
not unduly large, but the policy of
small appropriations with a great
many different enterprises without pro-
vision for their completion is unwise.
1t lessons the sense of responsibility OF
those who are to adopt the project and
who do not therefore give to their
decision the care that they would give
II the appropriation or contract in
voIved the full amount needed for
completion. Moreover the arpropria-
ton of comparatively small sum for
doubtful enterprise is thereafter used
49, f,,rt
vision for 1t from Congress on the
ground that the investment made Is
conclusive recognition of the wis
dom of the project and its continuance
becomes necessity to save the morey
already spent. This has been called a
piecemeaP policy.
Reasonable Time Limit
IF enterprises are to be useful as
encouraging means Of transportation,
hey ought to be finished within a
reasonable time.
THE delays in completing them post
pone cir usefulness and increase their
cost. The proper policy, 1t seems to
me, is to determine from The many
projects proposed and recommend what
are the most important and then to
proceed to complete them with due dis
patch; and then to take up others and
do the same thing with them.
There has been frequent discussion of
late to the proper course to be pursued In
the development of our international
waterways. and I think the general senti-
pent has been that we should have a
comprehensive system agreed upon by
some competent body Of experts who
should pass upon relative merits Of the
various projects and recommend the order
In which they are to be begun and COM
pleted.
Congress should refer the old projects
to boards of army engineers for further
consideration and recommendation.
This would enable us to know what
Of the old works ought to be abandoned.
General Marshall's plain intimation in re-
ports to me is that number of old prof.
ects call for action of this kind.
Objections Are Serious
II have given to the consideration of
this bill the full ten days since its SUBJ
mission to me and some time before that
The objections are to the system, for 1t
may be conceded that the trainers OF the
bill have made as good a bill as they
could under the "piece-meal" policy. l
once reached the conclusion that 1t was
my duty to interpose veto in order, II
possible, to secure a change In tho meth
cd of framing these bills. Subsequent
consideration has altered my view as to
my duty.
The projects under way are in urgent
need of further appropriation for MAIN
tenance and continuance, and there is
great and justified pressure for many OF
the new projects provided for by the bill.
1t has been made clear to me that the
fault of the bill this late In the session
would seriously embarrass the construct
ing engineers. do not think, therefore
the defects of the bill which / have point
ed out will Justify the postponement of
all this important work. But I do think
that in the preparation OF the proposed
future yearly bills Congress should adopt
the reforms above suggested and that a
failure to do so would Justify Withholding
executive approval even though a rivers
and harbors bill fail.
WILLIAM H. TAFT"