New-York tribune., 1915-11-23
Newlands and BrousSard
VIII Urge More Com
prehensive Bill.
WANT $500, 100000
DURING TEN YEARS
Senator Ransdelrs Faction Busy
Working Up Sentiment for
Old Method.
Prom Tho Tribune Bureau. J

Washington, Nov. PA battle royal
over the rivers and harbors pork bar
rel bill is expected at the coming ses-
sion Of Congress, the real hght !or
control TO be laid, as it has been Tor
| the last two sessions, in the Senate
and not in the House. Since the close
Of last session Representative brous-
sard, OF louisiana, has moved to the
upper house, and he is expected 10
| fght side by side with Senator New
/ lands, of Nevada, in favor OF a COM
prehensive plan for river regulation, as
against what Is regarded as the hit or
miss, log-rolling political method.
For several sessions Mr.. Broussard
| in the House and Mr.. Newlands in the
Senate have been introducing bills pro-
posing such a scheme, but 1t has'neve
had a serious hearing from Congress
on account OF the vast sums involved:
The bills proposed the expenditure OF
! $500. 900 900, divided into ten annual
| instslments. The idea would be to
work for the control of the rivers near
their sources. instead of near their
mouths, as at present. with the inten-
tion of preventing floods instead OF
curbing them, and using the water not
only for the development of power but
for the irrigation OF arid lands. 1t is
argued that such comprehensive plan.
worked out by army engineers, would
regulate to a certain extent the stream
| flow. making less water in freshet sea-
sop and more In the dry season. and
thus aid commerce on the rivers,
The attitude Of Senators Newiands
and Broussard already has begun 70
worry the Senator'S who are anxious
to Jam through as big pork barrel
bill az possible. Before it vas realized
that this attitude would be taken by a
man on the Mississippi River, who. II
was thought, should be delighted with
big piece of the pie for his own state
in the form Of levees, and by man
from Nevada. where all of the rivers
lose themselves in the desert, the pork
barrel advocates were in high glee over
tho retirement of Senator Burton.
They figured that without his filibuster
opposition to the rivers and hnrbors
bill would not get far. Since 'hey
have appreciated that the fight for d
comprehensive plan of river regulation
and the divorcing of river regulation
from harbor improvement may be just
as effective as a flibuster in blocking
their bill, they have considerably re-
vised their estimate as 70 how much
Of an appropriation the bill will carry.
One Of the leading advocates IF the
rivers and harbors bill last year esti-
mated for The Tribune to-day that the
measure would not exceed $4,000, 600
al the most. Another Senator, who Is
lust as anxious for big rivers and
harbors bill. does not expect 1t to be
nearly so large.
Senator Ransdell, of Louisiana. col
league Of Senator Broussard, but far
from being in accord with him, will
preside over a monster convention OF
the National Rivers and Harbors Con-
gress. which will meet in Washington
December 2 to 10. A strong effort will
be made at this meeting to work up
sentiment for liberal appropriations on
the old system for rivers and harbors.