The Washington herald., 1914-03-17
WATERWAYS BILL
ASKS MILLIONS
Chairman Sparkman' S Report
Provides Total Estimate
of'$43, ,289, ,004.
HOUSE PASSAGE ASSURED
Under. Florida Members Guidance,
Appropriation Is Brought Entirely
Within Bounds of Economy.

The Rivers and Harbors committe,
according to the understanding of thost
having the waterway Improvement bill In
charge. Chairman Sparitman's report &C.
rompanyinG the bill shows a cash ap.
preparation OF SIS. 227,50i. with additional
authorizations aggresatinS A061. .50o max.
Ing total appropriation for the year OF
ss3-S9,0G- The additions include S300o on
for the Ohio River, s1,0c.0eo for the Della
~Are River. from Philadelphia to the sea,
anc ss1.ESo for Beverly Harbor. Mass
The Ohio River alioxance Is following
the act of 1910 providing annual appro-
priations to complete a scheme of twelve
ears Improvements at a total cost of
S.eOo.oo1
Not as Large as Ii Looks.
The report remarks that while the bill
At first glance may appear large. yet
taking into consideration the demands
and necessities of the situation as shown
in The number OF projects, important as
regulators of transportation rates and the
estimates of the chief of engineers, the
appropriation is brought entirely within
the bounds of reason and economy.
taken altogether. it is regarded as a
weil-rounded bill. as economical as is
consistency with the policy of annual
river and harbor appropriation bills.
rhe committee has adhered closely to
the inside estimates of the engineer Of
hcers and hewed well to the lines of a
broad national system of waterway i'm
provements
Under the prudent leadership of the
veteran chairman. Stephen NJ. Spark
man. Of Florida, and his colleagues
there Is no sign of friction in pros
poet and the bill seems assured of smooth
Passage.
The Rivers and Harbors Committee. as
now constituted, is in the second Con-
sress of assignment by election Of the
body of the House. Mr. Sparkman was
the first chairman so chosen. the choice
Of members of all standing committees
ny the House having begun with the
SiXty-second Congress
Mr.. spRrkman Is Veteran.
The chairman is the oldest member in
length of service. having been assigned
originally to the committee in the Fifty
NTH Congress. His ability tack and
PRACTICAL way of urging legislation out Of
TINS committee. which has grown i'm
nIensely in Importance. especially since
the creation of the National Rivers and
Harbors Congress. have been demon
strated by the fact that the rivers and
harbors appropriation bills have encount-
cred less opposition during his chairman
ship than at any time in the history of
this class Of legislation
Other veteran members Of the COM
mittee. with the dates of the beginning
II their committee service. are:
Bursess, of Texas. and Humphreys of
Mississippi. Fifty-eighth Congress; Tay-
tor. of Alabama. Sixtieth Congress;
Humphrey. of Washington, and Ken
nedy. OF Iowa. Sixty-first Congress: Ed
wards. of Georgia. Small, of North Caro-
Tina. Booher, of Missouri. Gallagher of
Illinois. Driscoll, of New York Donohue
of Pennsylvania. Scully, of New Jer-
sey, and Barchfeld, of Pennsylvania, |
Sixty-second Congress.
Elected members of the committee for |
the first time in this Congress are: Muir
ray. OF Massachusetts; Lieb. of Indiana; |
hcttncr. Of California: Hughes, of West
Virginia; Switzer. of Ohio: Powers of
Kentucky. and Treadway. of Massachu-
sCtts.