Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-02-11
MISSISSIPPI AID
A PARTY PLEDGE
Representative Ben G.. Hum
phreys Answers Critics of
Rivers and Harbors Bill.

Washington, Feb. lit is expected
the river and harbor appropriation
bill, which passesd the house Jan. %,
after a somewhat tempestuous voy-
age, due to attacks made upon GER
tain of it's provisions by Mr.. Moore of
Pennsylvania, Mr.. Mondell of Wyo-
ming and Mr.. Galloway Of Texas, will
be reported to the senate by the COM
merce committee of that body within
few days, consideration of the meas
ure by the committee having been be-
gun last Wednesday.
1t is doubtful if any of the big sup
ply bills of the government have to
endure more bear-baiting than the riv-
er and harbor appropriation bills. 1t
always has t. run the gauntlet of
knocks and suspicious and yet no kind
of Legislation thai comes before con-
gress is more scrupulously considered
than the river and harbor appropria-
ton bills, the committee looking at it
from all angles, scanning 1t and study
ing it with an impartial eye in order
that it may conform, as near as pos
sible, 10 the judgment of the most dis
interest people in the service of the
government-the officers of the United
States army.
Sometimes the committee members
let the little storm of criticism blow
and blow over But sometimes-rare-
ly though-a member, indignant at
the injustice of charges, will answer
and go on record with his resentment
of unjust imputations and that is what
veteran member of the rivers and
harbors committee, Representative
/ Ben G. Humphreys of Mississippi
did the other day in a notable contri-
button to the literature on the subject
of waterways.
/ Speaking in the defense OF the com
mittee, Mr. Humphreys said:
''In the three days the bill has been
under discussion the rivers and har-
bors committee has been held up to
the country as a band of conspirators
inspired by no better purpose than a
desire TO steal the money out of the
treasury to spend it in our localities
and, as the gentleman from Texas has
expressed it, for the benefit of bar
keepers. grocerymen and contractors
| would like to go into the matter fully
for those gentlemen who are not han
dicapped by any information on the
subject, if they wanted light, but the
gentleman from Texas has already de-
clared on this floor, in his cavalier
| fashion, wish no information On any
/ item The whole bill is rotten He
then charged that the engineer corps
was equally rotten; that they advo-
! Gated big appropriations for rivers
| and harbors in order TO keep at work
and save their jobs, and cites in sup
port of that unique contention two in
stances, one in the Philippines and
one in Arizona When informed that
neither recommendation was that of
an army engineer, he declared, All
engineers look alike TO me-.
IF you tear from the pages Of our
history the record of the engineer
corps of the army you will strike from
it some of the brightest pages there
There is no higher profession than
/ Lldl u me SuklLHcI. NOT even VI
a pork-barrel politician or a sand-dune
statesman. George Washington was
an engineer and engaged as such in
the improvement of the rivers OF this
country. Robert z. Lee was an engi
Ineer Of the United States army, and
Colonel Goethals Is one as we'll.
call attention to those names as an
answer to the reckless charge that
these engineers favor river and harbor
improvement in order TO hold their
Jobs. Who is so ignorant that he Sc
believes? These men are West Point
graduates. They are in the army, and
hold their places for life, but instead
OF keeping them idle with their com
mands we wisely put them in times OF
peace at work on these public works
that will promote the best interests
and commercial development Of the
country"
Continuing Mr. Humphreys said:
The Mississippi river appropria-
ton has been criticised challenge
any man who speaks on that subject
TO quote the platform OF his party.