New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-30
Rivers and HarbOrs Meas
ure Put Through by
Vote of IS to 80.
TAKES S43,000,000
OUT OF TREASURY
Senator Kenyon Holds Pairing
System Responsible for
Gigantic Grab"

Washington, Nav 29.-One more vote
against the pork barrel" in the Senate
to-day would have saved the Federal
Treasury from an additional raid of
Sl3,000,000. Three more votes a few
minutes later would have defeated the
whole rivers and harbors bill. carry
ing appropriations totalling $4,000
GOO. As it was. the fight by Senator
Kenyon, which amounted almost to a
fihbuster, was rendered useless.
One of the Senators who talked Wig
orously in support of Kenyon-Sher-
man, Of Illinois -was absent when the
votes were taken Had Mr.. Sherman
been present and voted as he had
talked the vote on the motion BY Sena-
tor Smoot TO cut the bill TO o lump sum
Of $4,000, 000-which would have saved
the government $4,000, o0o-would have
resulted in tie. and il is known that
Vice-President Marshall would have
voted for the amendment. But Senator
Sherman took a train for New York be-
fore the Senate convened to-day.
There are other Senators, however,
who also are held responsible for the
putting through Of the big pork" bill
by those who have been fighting it.
When Senator Smoot moved TO cut the
total 70 S3O,O0OO 900. which was defeated
by a single vote. Senator Shafroth. OF
Colorado. who had announced his in
:ention TO vote against the pork bar
rel" was sitting in the chamber. Just
before his name was called he went
into the Democratic cloakroom and his
vote was not recorded Senator JIG
Lean. Of Connecticut, was another who
failed 10 vote on the Smoot motion and
who arranged no pair.
Pair Blocks Tillmans Vote.
Senator Tllmsn. of South Carolina,
+ who made a vigorous attack on the bill
a few days ago, had pair with Senator
4 GoT. OF West Virginia. He did not
know how Senator Golf would have
voted. and after trying in vain 10 trans
fer mis- pair he announced his desire TO
vote against the bill, but his inability
10 DO so.
The pairing system in the Senate
was blamed by Senator Kenyon Ior
for the success OF the rivers and har-
f bors bill But for that system he
said, this measure would nave been
reduced or beaten entirely. Because
Of it. another gigantic grab bill mas
been put through Congress.
Occasionally q Senator is justihed
i'm being absent from this chamber be
cause OF sickness or important per
sonal business. Inquiry will show that
/ most Of the Senators absent to-day
we're chasing around the country for
the purpose of making speeches some
where. The place for Senator 10
speak when important public business
is TO be transacted is IN this chamber
I He should not be allowed 10 20 away
and pair generally or for or against a
measure. He should be compelled 10
be here and take his stand.
pairs are shifted about at Will by
one party, TO them or another, and on
important questions, like this, 1t is
generally found after the shifting Is
I done the public has suffered
"When a Senator is in this chamber
he should not submit TO any restric-
lions on his vote. When he IS no;
here looking after his duty he should
not attempt 10 restrict other Senators
from expressing themselves
kenyon Warns Senators.
Inst before the final vote was taken
senator Kenyon predicted IT would be
the last Of its kind to pass an American
you arc voting at least 520OOo,ooC
into this bill that is aosolutely uhJus'
tiG9ble." said the Senator. You are
dumping thousands Of dollars INTO
streams where commerce is rapidly dis
appearing. and into streams with less
tban foot Of water in them, and into
streams chat you could not recognize
as such when you crossed them
you have had an opportunity t. cor
rect some OF these abuses, out yoI
would not. Your motto Is Let the PEG.
plc soucal' ! have done my oAst a an,
I want to say that II the price OF hoIu
ING nv seat in the Senate ls 10 No''
for bills Of this kind, the seat may 20
for nv usefulness TO my constituent
g., 10. event is ended. Some day
/ Congress will be here when VIII TO
consider that the greatest statesman il
t6n man who can get the creates,
amount OF money out or the feuela
/ Treasury. -, Ill.,,
1T is a pity that the whole blame
for this extravaganza must rest lpoi
the Democratic party, because the pi!
never could be passed without hcpuo
lican votes. There are patriotic states
men on the Democratic side o. th'
chamber. too. who fought hard ioI
economy in this legislation.
Party Lines Ignored.
The bill passed by n vote Of 8? q
80 Nine Democrats and twenty-five
RCpubhcans voted against II. as
passed the House the bill carried ap
proximately 100000. Chief amon'
the Senate additions was sl,OsO,OOO foi
a oiverting dam in the hsrbors az Loi
Angeles and Long Beach, Cal; S-2O,oV'
for the harbor al San Diego. Cal
and S36O.O 900 for turning BASIN u
the harbors Of Duluth and Superior OF
Lake Superior. ...oo =.
An appropriation for 100000 10
deepenirg Fast River, New York. ~
only new project inserted by I'M
House and stricken out by the Serat
committee. was restored IN the Senate
II was Urged by the President and M
Secretary Of the Navy as an imperative
preparedness measure, 10 provide
channel for battleships 70 the nav!
ward at brooklyn.
NEW BLOW TO FAX ADS.