Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-05-07
CONGRESSMAN DECLARES RIVER
AND HARBoR IMPROVEMENTS
ARE MONEY WASTE.
SYSTEM ONE OF PULL,
DISHONEST IN PRINCIPLE
Resolution in Congress Calls For Pub.
licity on Expenditures and Accom-.
pIishments and Removal Of Depart.
mont From Control Of Army Ensin.
eers-Presents Startling Figures.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
Washington. May lis the river and
harbor Improvement system hunlbug
and "a steal?"
1t is all that and more, If assertions
made by Congressman Frear, of Wis
rensive resolution on the subject, are
true.
He proposes to overhaul and reform
the system and to cut off what he be-
lieves is objectionable waste He de-
clares that the system is one of pull,
not merit, dishonest in principal and
money"
One of his chief objects Is to trans
fer the approval of projects from the
army engineer corps to the interstate
commerce commission or departm emit
of commerce. He says publicity alone
can halt the headong waste Of money.
The resolution Of Congressman
Frear. after reciting A long list Of the
abuses Of the present river and harbor
system, as its author conCeives them.
direc-s an investigation and report Dy
the interstate commerce commission
on "the character and amount Of pro-
posed expenditures of the government.
now being advocated and supp 3rted by
men of national repute,' as stated on
the floor of the house, the adoption and
carrying out Of which will cos. billions
of dollars.
Publicity Is Wanted.
Further. it demands q report on the
character and value to the general
public of projects to which the govern
ment is now com mitted, .ygrcgatin8
1906, 900, 900; a report on projects rec
commended by the army engineers. a
report on new surveys, in short. com
plete exposition and history OF the
river and harbor system. One OF the
things the interstate commerce COM
mission is asked TO report on is:
ITO repor; as to the truth or falsity
of the statement made upon the floor
Of the senate that the whole scheme
Of river Improvement Is a hunbug and
a steal and to report further as to the
Truth or falsity OF statements. made
during debate in the house that the
river and harbor bill for 1914 as 1t
people q pork barrel raid upon the
federal treasury. approxinating in its
scope an expenditure OF over S76,000.-
900, and more vicious in character sEan
any of its predecessors"
Army Engineers Supreme.
Mr.. F'rear would take from the army
engineers all duties relating TO river
and harbor improvements except such
as pertain strictly to civil engineering
Now. the army engineers are practl-
caly supreme as to such improve
lnents. Not only do they have charge
Of the work, but unless they approve
a project. congress will. as matter OF
fact. not appropriate for 1t. On the
other hand if they do approve pro-
ject congress is almost sure to give
the money for the improvement.
One Of the things Mr.. Frear wants
to know about and wants the inter-
state commerce commission to report
on is to what extent river and harbo:'
projects now under consideration are
for the benefit OF strictly private
business interests without correspond
ing benefit to the general public and
the influence that secured such pro-
iects for such interests. Another ques-
ton raised in the resolution Is to what
extent local communities should con-
tribute to such improvements.
Frear Wants TO Know.
He also wants light On such projects
as the Mississippi river reclamatio:l
project. Ohio canalzation. the Deta :
ware and Chesapeake canal and the
like.
He wants TO know whether Z is de-
sirable to take over the Delaware ana
Chesa peake canal ut ioubl3 It's value.
whether the canal stock is worthless
and the bonds worth only so cents on
the dollar. He wants to know whether
lobbyists have been busy trying TO
push various big Improvement pro-
jects thru congress.
r. the inwardneSs Of the river anu
harbor system Is anything like that al
legged bv Mr.. T'rear in the preliminaries
~ his resolution an investigation sucn
az nroposed would be q sensation OF
the first order
Figures Startling.
In summary Of his allegations ne
says it Is shown :,
Chat the government IS now opli
gated for projects reaching oo.ooo'ooo
.That ninety-three new projects ap-
proved by engineers increase tne
amount sa2.5OO,o00.
THAT 12O new surveys IN the 1878
bill may further add sl0o.ooO,ooo.
"That cash and new projects IN th'
1915 bill reach s76.0oo.ooo.
THAT from 1911 to 1914. four years
we will appropriate as mucn as ~
twenty years when navigation was al
| it's height. o,
"-rhat river traffic has decreased 81
per cent in that period
THAT billions Of dollars IN new p.'.
iects are being pushed by men OF h's'
repute.'"