The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-09-13
WAR TO CONTINUE
ON 'PORkBARREL
Opponents, Led by Burton,
Will Insist on Further
Trimming"
PET PROJECTSPROTECTED
Senator. in Statement, Declares Gov
eminent Is Still Burdened with Mil
lions in Waterways Bill.

Despite apparent reductions aggregat-
ing more than 3lSOO0.OOO in the pork
barrel river and harbor appropriation
bill. opponents Of the measure declared
yesterday that they would continue the
fight against the measure in the Senate.
Friday night the Commerce Committee
Of the Senate met for the purpose of
trimming down the top-heavy bill. The
ostensible plan of the committee was TO
eliminate proposed new projects and pro-
vide only for the continuation of work
on projects now under way.
More Trimming Needed.
When the Democrats completed their
trimming" however. IL was found. ac-
cording to opponents Of thu, measure.
that pet projects had been carefully pro-
teCted and that, while the immediate ap-
preparations and authorizations In the
bill chad been trimmed to the extent OF
SlS.oooOo0. small appropriations left the
government committee to the expenditure
Of many millions later on.
Declaring that no permanent economy
would be effected by the action OF the
committee, Senator Burton. who has led
the opposition to the bill, announced that
he would continue the fight. He issued
a statement as follows:
The committee and the engineers
who have aided them are entitled to
credit for having sou8ht temporary
reduction in appropriations. but their
action does not meet the objections Of
the opponents OF the bill. The, reduc-
lions made do not diminish b. more
than a few thousands the ultimate eX-
pense Of pending river and harbor i'm
provements. The avowed reason for
making the cut was that another river
and hnThnr hill would nageaA nv the
first OF March next and the Pppropria-
tions as reduced. would In view of the
lateness of the season be sufficient to
carry on the work until that time.
What the opponents Of the bill object
TO is the vicious items in the measure.
These are scarcely touched. The reduc-
ton in cash appropriations for continuing
contract authorizations make very little
difference except to postpone appropria-
tons. The ultimate cost Is not dimin-
shcd. Such wastefUl items as the Cum
berland River. above Nashville. the ulri-
mate expense of which would be $500
Co: a proposed system OF locks and dams
in the Tennessee, indefinite in expendi-
ture, still remain IN the bill. Again. the
Sacramento and Feather rivers. a re-
Clamation project which does not belong
in river and karbnr bill. is not changed.
Upon this project tire hill contemplates
the expenditure Of S5.sso,oco
UnimpnrtaHt Items RemaIn.
"As an illustration OF the action OF
the committee a project for draft boats
TO enter. and an authorization OF $780,
90 for Philadelphia are omitted. while
the BRACES, the Trinity. the Red and
Ou9chita, though provision is reduced,
still remain. A very large number OF
inconsequential creeks and streams on
Il -
occupy a prominent place.
Under these circumstances. the OPP
ponents Of the bill feel compelled 10 con-
tinue their opposition with a view to
obtaining the elimination Of glaring OBJ
jectionable Items