New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-24
Plan Offensive to Win
S120,000,000 for Water
ways Alone.
LOAD HEAVY SHOT
IN BUILDINGS BILL
Guns of Clark's Committee Well
Stocked-Wilson's Warning
and Party Pleas Unheeded.
pre- Tss Trfeuns Bureau


Washington, Dec. 23.-NeithsY the
Presidents warning that there would
be no pork" TO grease the ways Of the
defence programme, the pleas Of the
party leaders for economy, nor the
realization thst every dollar spent will
have TO come out Of new direct taxes,
which will be charged up against the
party in the coming campaign, has dis
couraged the pork hunters in Congress.
Chairman Sparkmsn of the House
Rivers and Harbors Committee, it was
learned to-day, is planning TO report a
generous waterways bill, and the Build
ings Committee, headed by Representa-
tive Clark, Of Florida, is also planning
70 report heavy omnibus bill.
There is plenty Of material for both
these bills. The army engineers have
approved projects amounting TO about
$780, 100000, and, as always, there is a
vociferous demand from Representa-
tives for postoffices and other public
buildings. The Rivers and Harbors
Committee is being flooded with re
quests from Representatives that the
projects in their home states be taken
care Of. The leaders are still hoping
to restrict the bill TO continuation o.
the projects already begun, and il Is
expected that a vigorous contest wi
develop on the floor of the House 70
put through some of the member pet
schemes.
The leaders realize keenly that they al
ready face deficit Of hundreds Of mill
ions, and that every extra dollar spent
will have to be supplied by direct taxes,
and, while they are prepared 20 go BE-
fore the country and ask for cash on
the defence plans, they are far less
anxious to demand it for pork. The
direct form of the taxation by which
the pork will have TO be provided will
give the country for the first time n
real chance to see just what the cash
comes and goes for, and no leader IS
anxious to give them this chance. The
individual Representative, however
feels that his own chances Of reelection
will be much better if he can carry
home a generous piece Of pork, and the
/ indications are that their hunger may
get beyond the control of the leaders.
Following are a few Of the big pro
( jects which have been approved by the
army engineers and will be considered
by the committee:
+ New YOrk-Delaware Bay waterway
S20,000,000; Tennessee River, at Mus
cles Shoals, s1S,70l 900; East River anC
He'll Gate, New York, s13,400,0O0,
waterway, Beaufort-St Johns River
Florida, S14,4O0,0O0; Chesapeake anC
b Delaware Canal, purchase and improve
ment, sS,000,000; Cumberland River
above Nashville, S4,5OO,OOO Red River
/ Louisiana and Arkansas, S6,020,000;
/ Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers
California, s5,S60,0O0; waterway, ST
George Sound to the Rio Grande River
1852 go; dam, at the foot Of Lake
Erie, y. Y, S3,5OO0Oo; improvement o.
/ Connecticut River, S1,S7O,O0O; channe
/ to New York navy yard, S1,950,000;
! Boston Harbor, s1,545,0O0; Norfolk
Harbor. s1.114,000; Hawaiian harbors
1 81, 1886, 900; Nansemond River, Virginia
/ $4,000; Hampton Creek, Virginia, 81,
500; Tangier Channel, Virginia, SIS,
/ 434; Lecklies Greek, Virginia, s4,100i
( Oyster Channel, Virginia, 81, $50.
Plans for most of these projects are
/ for comparatively small initial appro
priations, which, however, would com
nit the government, in principle, &
their ultimate completion.