Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-03-01
GET ALMOST 40 MUCH 40 THEY
DEMANDED At HANDS OF
CONGRESS.
LEGISLATION FOR RIVERS
sEcuREs LARGEST SHARE
Provision Made For Improvement Of
Mississippi From St. Paul to Mouth
- Tims Limit For Completion
Changed From Forty to Twelve
Ysars-othsr Great Projects Added.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
Washington. March 1.-Representa-
rive Joseph E Ransdell, OF Louisiana,
member of the rivers and harbors com
mit,ee of the house and president OF
national rivers and harbors congress. Is
enthusiastic over the passage OF the
river and harbor appropriation bill
which it is believed will be speedily
signed by the president.
In speaking of the merits OF the bill
and the careful. painstaking prepara-
ion given TO the measure by both the
house ard senate committees dealing
nith ,erways, Mr.. RansdeN said:
The passage of the bill now in the
,,ards of the president makes three
bills in three successive years Inc
emergency bill as 1t was called. o!
1909 carried about s10.oo0,o00. The bill
Il 1910 carried some S53.000.000. while
he present hill provides for something
YER sss coo 600 so that there has been
LEGISLATION affecting our great high
WAYS and our harbors for three con-
sacut;ye wears. This certainly estap-
fishes the precedent for an annual Dill
hereafter. This feature of the bill Is
most generally praised and l have no
doub. /. will be followed by successive
congresses as a well-settled policy.
Almost Reaches Demands.
Another feature which is gratifying
"a tho Yriands of a liberal waterway
nol;cy. is. that the present bill, togetn-
or with tat of 1910. which carrying
a,n~oximatelv rinety millions. II ex-
nended promptly would give an aver
,re Of fortv-fve millions years
close approach 70 the fifty millions per
a,nun which was adopted as the
slogan o. the national rivers and mar
Dor. congress several years ago.
.The annual feature and the IN
o-eased amount have been urged WIKI
great perei.tency and the accom-
rl;shment OF one and the near ap
oroach 20 the other are deeply grati-
fy,nR 70 all friends OF improved water
ways.
Esssntia,Iy River Bills.
"ff were asked 20 name the oietln-
gushing Characteristic OF the two bills
passed by the S!xty-hrst congress.
should say that they are essentiaily
river bills. a. contra -distingu'sheh from
The harbor bills which have been en-
acted into law so frequently IN the
past. Indeed such liberal provision was
made for most OF the harbors on the
Great Lakes, the Pacific. the Gulf and
Atlantic. by former congresses. thai
their demands were small and the pres
emf congress could well afford to be
liberal IN its treatment OF rivers.
II wish II clearly understood that
there IL not the slightest antagonism
20 harbor improvement for every har-
Dor is a railroad terminal. The greater
the facilities thereat Tor handling freight
in large vessels, the cheaper the rates
thereon, a subject in which all freight
movers are intensely interested. But
while we have cheapened freights by
deepening harbors, We have done prac-
tically nothing to establish forceful
competition on rivers and everyone
comedies that a great east and west
water course. such for example as the
combined Ohio and Missouri rivers, and
a north and south route, as the Missts-
sippi from ST Paul to the gulf would. II
properly improved and utilized, be won
dertully beneficial in solving the prob
lem OF freight charges. I use these
streams as an illustration merely and
there are many others in practically
every part Of the union which would,
in proportion TO costs OF improvement,
be equally helpful.
River Legislation.
Another and most important idea.
consistently followed by this congress,
in its river legislation. IL the adoption
Of a definite plan on great projects and
fixing a specific period In which to
complete them. To illustrate: The
river and harbor act Of 1907. adopted a
plan to improve the Mississippi from
St. Paul to the mouth Of the Missouri
at cost OF s2o.ooo.ooo: 1t provided
100000 in cash and authorized con-
tracts for 31.5oo.oo0 additional with the
proviso that not exceeding 100000
should be spent in any one year. This
would mean forty years in which to
complete the project.
Fixes Time Limit.
1.-The act Of 1910 made suitable pro-
vision for prosecuting the project
e1,nve spoken Of and specifically stated
that It was with q view or compiet;n5
said improvements within q period Of
twelve years thereby fixing . definite.
reasonable time for completion. Similar
periods were also fixed for several
other great projects that have been
under way for 10, these many years,
without any prospect OF complexion
within the lifetime Of any member Of
the present congress.
I'm view Of tho increased appropria-
ton. and in order to expedite future
works, the bill gikes an increase Of six.
ty members to the engineer corps Of
the army and provides for the admis-
sion Of . certain number OF civilians
for duty on river and i1arbor Improve
ments. The II Q very decided advance
and very beneficial results are ex-
pected from It.
lee free from objection - any Of the
great appropriation bills I have ever
Glonal iifo."
= MEMORIAL FOR chase.