The Republican journal., 1914-02-26
Mashlhet6h Whisperlnes

sF; 49, ~.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. q, 1914.
Following now well established custom,
due in large measure to the activities Of
the National Rivers and Harbors Con-
gress, the annual river and Harbor bill,
which has been completed with the ex-
ception of few minor details, will be
reported to the House early this week
by Chairman .Sparkman OF the Rivers
and Harbors Committee.
The bill will carry about $43, OOO, 900,
SIS, 600, 600 less than last years bill.
While the bill is larger than was origin
ally contemplated by the Committee, the
insistent demand of communities urging
appropriations for merltorious projects.
backed by evidence of the commercial
growth of the country, could not be sue
cessfully resisted by the members of the
Committee and they yielded to the ap-
peals of localities to large degree.
Among other things the bill provides for
the immediate purchase of the Chesa-
peake and Delaware Canal, a narrow
strip of water some fourteen miles long
connecting the Delaware river and Chesa-
peake Bay. The canal is to be widened
and deepened and made into sea-level
canal sufficiently large to accommodate
barges, ocean-going tugs, and even tor.
pedo boats. 1t is another link in the
chain of inland waterways from Boston
to Florida.
The Mississippi river will receive ST.
600, 900, to be spent in levee and revet-
ment work as far up as Rock Island, ILL
nois. The Greater New York Harbor
project is another big proposition which
is to cost. when completed, $13, 400, 600,
of which $500, 600 is appropriated for the
purpose of providing a 35-foot channel
up the East River and the removal of the
distractions in the He'll Gate and Coenties
reef sections. Provision is made for
rendering the Hudson river navigable
for ocean, going vessels and, through
State and Federal aid, for bringing the
commerce of the Great Lakes to the
doors of New York without trans-ship-
ment.
The bill is broad and comprehensive
measure, having the endorsement of the
Engineer Corps of the Army and should
be passed with little or no difficulty.
AS far as relates to the choice of it's
members this will be the most interest
ing year in the history of the United
States Senate. Every two years one
third of the Senators are elected, and
this is the first year that third is to be
elected under the new organic law, the
Seventeenth Amendment to the Consti
tuition. The States in which elections
are to be held, with the names of the
Senators to be succeeded, are as follows:
Alabama, vacancy left by the death of
Joseph L. Johnston; Arizona, Marcus A.
Smith; Arkansas, James P. Clarke; Cali
fornia, George c. Perkins; Colorado,
Charles S. Thomas; Connecticut, Frank
B. Brandegee; Georgia, Hoke Smith;
Idaho, James H. Brady; Illinois, Law
renee Y. Sherman; Indiana, Benz. F.
Shively; Iowa, Albert B. Cummins; Kan
sas, Joseph L. Bristow; K entucky, Will
liam o. Bradley; Maryland, John Walter
Smith; Missouri, VIM. J. Stone; Nevada,
Francis G. Newlands; New Hampshire.
Jacob H. Gallinger; New York, Elihu
Root; North Carolina, Lee S. Overman;
North Dakota, AISLE j. Gronna; Ohio,
Theodore E. Burton; Oklahoma, Thomas
P. Gore; Oregon, George E. Chamber
lain; Pennsylvania, Boies Penrose; South
Carolina, Ellison D. Smith; South Dako-
ia, Coe l. Crawford; Utah. Reed Smoot;
Vermont, William P. Dillingham;; Wash
ington, Wesley L. Jones; Wisconsin,
Isaac Stephenson.
Of this cass-whose terms will expire
March 3, 1915, one Senator already has
been elected, and elected under the old
law by the legislature of his State. But
this was prior to the adoption of the con-
stitutional amendment, when Robert F.
now Representative from
Louisiana, was elected in 1912, to sue
coed John R. Thornton, now serving in
the 1915 class.
All but three-Messrs. Gallinger, Root,
and Perkins-are understood to be can
didates for reelection.
The House of Representatives has I'M
der consideration the operation of an
electrical device for recording yea and
nay votes, which it seems likely will be
adopted before the end of the session.
1t is intended to save time, promote ac-
curacy and abolish the abomination of
long and tedious roll calls that have to
be repeated. The flash will show the
name of the voter responsive to his
touch of button at his seat, showing
his ''yea''. his may, or his ''present"
as the case may be. 1t promises to be
almost as realistic as baseball score
board.
Secretary of Labor Wilson and former
United States Forester Pinchot have
been engaged by the Pennsylvania Chau-
tauqua for series of joint debates dur