New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1914-12-26
MIGHT JEOPARDIZE WHOLE
RIVER BILL.

n w dSuillS tOIl, DcC. G''.- udl
New Orleans might be cut off
from the sea is one posi- i5ility
that easily could follow the COM
plete failure Of the present river
and harbor bill. Senator Ransdell
declared to-day. He made this
statement to call attention to tho
imperativeness Of getting the bill
through as it stands without
weakening it with amendment
providing for new projects.
For the past several days trle-
grams have been reaching Lou,si-
ana Senators and Representative es
by scores urging that the section
of the intercoastal canal between
New Orleans and Morgan City
and other new projects be added
to the present bill. 1t is the con-
sensus Of opinion in thedelega-
ton that it would he rniwes to
add a single new project to the
bill. In an interview to-day
Senator Ransdell sums up his own
views in the matte and what he
believes to be the views of the
others Of the delegation. He
said: "The Rivers ana Harbors
Committee of the House, in pre-.
pairing the bill, refused to inclrde
a single new project. It was un-
derstood clearly that the Presi-
dent is opposed to taking on any
new project at this time. The
general sentiment in each house
seems to be against new projects.
It is realized fully that many Of
these are Of great Importance. It
is feared that the entire bill mar
be defeated unless it is framed
on very economical lines.
Appropriations Of every kind
in this Congress are going to be
scrutinized very carefully. The
war tax is quite unpopular and
any attempt to make appropria-
tions for public buildings, new
canals Or waterways will meet
vicious opposition.
I i The intercoastal canal from
Morgan City to New Orleans is
q new project under the rule and
precedent which govern such mat
ters. 1t never has been adopted
by formal act of Congress and
no appropriation has been made
for it. 1t is true that several
links in the intercoastal canal be-
tween Boston and the Rio Grande
have been adopted and work
thereon is being prosecuted. An
example is the link from the
Teche to the Sabine In Louisiana,
but over three-fourths of these
links never have been adopted
and there seems to be- no prob
ability that any Of them will be
included in the present bill. /:
ut is imperative that the pres.
! ent river and harbor hill. which
! carries funds for very important
work in every part of the coun-
try, be passed. Louisiana and
New Orleans are interested vital
! ly. The mouth of the Mississippi
receives $3.50, 900 in this bill anl
if by any chance the measure
fails commerce may be impedet
or even stopped to the port oI
New Orleans. It is necessary II
conduct constant dredging at til,
mouth of the river in order t;
keep the channel in proper shape
!. "The bill also carries $5, 900, ,00(
for the Mississippi below Cairo
This sum will be spent by thu
Mississippi River Commission in
1evee work and bank revetments.
The necessity Of this work is
realized only too well in Lo,lisi.
ana. There are also a numbe,
OF smaller appropriations for
maintenance of work on several
other waterway projects in Lou.
isiana.
Take it all in all it would be
very foolish to jeopardize the
whole bill by an attempt to fore
the inclusion Of new proje
agains the opposition Of
President and q very large 4
Der Of the members il each n
Of Congress. I" no