The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-06-03
the WATERWAYS BILL PASSED
MEASURE APPROPRIATING s4s..
100000 ADOPTED By v0rE OF
3S TO 30.
determined Filibuster by Kenyon and
Sherman Brought to an End-TiN-
man Unable to Vote.

Washington, May 29.-After a pc
sistent fight, lasting for three weeks,
the senate today passed the rivers and
harbors appropriation bill carrying
approximately $4,000. 900, by a vote
Of 35 to 80.
The bill, which has been under con-
slant debate in the senate for three
weeks. will now go to conference of
the two houses. The fight against it.,
begun by Senator Kenyon Of Iowa and
Senator Sherman Of Illinois, gained
strength until the final effort to dis
place it with a bill appropriating a
lump of $30,000,O 900 was defeated to-
day by only one vote.
Senator'S Tillman Of South Carolina
and Thomas Of Colorado (Democrats)
sought to vote against it, but could not
transfer their pairs, and thus were
prevented from voting.
Just before the final vote was taken
Senator Kenyon predicted it would be
the last of its kind to pass an Ameri-
can congress.
"You are voting at least 10000, 900
into this bill that is absolutely unjus,
tifiable," said Senator Kenyon.
"You had an opportunity to correct
some Of this abuses. but you would
not. Your motto is, Let the people
squeal.' Some day a congress will be
here which will not consider that the
greatest statesman is the man who
can get the greatest amount of money
out Of the federal treasury.
1T is pity that the whole blame
for this extravaganza must rest on the
Democratic party because the bill
never could be passed without Repub.
iican votes. There are patriotic
statesmen on the Democratic side oi
the chamber. too. who fought hard
for economy In this legislation"
Shortly before the, bill was placed
upon its passage, thss Newlar1s
1aiendinent TO create q nan !
tter; commission was STRICKEN, from the
bill on the renewed point Of order
made by Senator Gallinger.
The bill as it passed the house car
ried approximately $40,O00.000. Chief
among the senate additions was
sl.SO0.000 for diverting dam in tho
harbors at Los Angeles and Long
Beach. CAL; 100000 for the harbor
at San Diego. CAL, and $360,000 for 9
turning basin in the harbors Of Duluth
and Superior on Lake Superior.
An appropriation for 100000 for
deepening East river. New York, the
only new project inserted in the bill
by the house. and stricken out by tho
senate committee, later was restored
In, the senate. It was urged by the
president and the secretary of the
navy as an imperative preparedness
measure in order to provide a chan
mel for battleships to the navy yard at
Brooklyn.
Senator Newlands' amendment to
create rivers and harbors commits
sion, which was adopted but later
stricken out on a point Of order, pro-
posed commission of the secretaries
OF war, interior, agriculture and COM
merce and the chairmen Of the house
and senate committees interested in
the framing of waterways improve
ment legislation to cooperate with
the board Of army engineers in in
vestigating the whole subject of wa
terways. It was adopted without a
roll call, and with the approval of
Chairman Clarke of the commerce
committee. The amendment, which
proposed an appropriation Of $780,
600, was made the subject of a point
of order after Senator Stone had
made a similar objection to an
amendment by Senator Kenyon pro-
posing a permanent commission to
deal with the waterways problem.
Senator Stone refused to withdraw his
point Of order at the request of Sena-
tor Gallinger and the latter then in
sisted on his point against the New
lands amendment.