The Washington herald., 1916-03-02
Problematical Saving to Con-
stituents Would Be Merely
$4,000 a Year.
ANNUAL COST ABOUT s1,1OO,OOO
Army Officer Declared Saving Was
Inadequate to Warrant Considera-
ton of the Project.
~ JOSEPH P. AMIN.

Kansas CITY, is one of the principal &C
tors in proposed program involving an
expenditure by the Federal government
Of s36,OO0OCO and an annual outlay from
the same source of $4,000, the purpose
Of which is to effect a Problematical
saving for q few of his constituents of
$4,000 a year.
Urging the adoption Of his rider, arbi-
trariIy frightening the hours of work for
government employees in Washington Mr..
Borland on Monday inserted in the Con-
grcssionaI Record speech in support
Of this rider. in which he declared:
The money in the Federal treasury
belongs to the taxpayers. 1t comes out
Of the pockets of the people. 1t repre-
sents the blood and toll Of those who
support their government. 1t is a trust
fund to be paid out only for an adequate
and legal return. Under the Demo-
cratic principle. taxation must he limited
to the actual needs of the government
honestly and economically administered ~
Missouri River Project.
Perhaps the most fndefensible proposals
connected with recent river and harbOr
appropriations involves the so-called
Missouri river improvement project, Of
which Mr. Borland appears as the lead
Ing sponsor in the House. The project
involves the dredging Of a sixfoot chan
mel from Kansas City. Kan, to the
NOUN 6T The Missouri. The total ex-
penditure involved is upwards Of S56,OOo,-
uuO After completion, an annual outlay
Of 10000 will be required for mainten-
auce Interest charges on the invest
ment-Hgured at ) per cent, or $4,000
will bring the annual charge up to
HIrNeo
Along with nine other pork barrel
proposals. last years river and harbor
bill ordered denomination of the Mis-
souri, River project. The denomination
was made by Lieut.. Col Herbert
Bedkyne. the army engineer in charge of
that district Col. Deakyne's report.
which was indorsed by his immediate
superior. col G. Med. Townsend, chair
nan Of the Mississippi River commission,
declares:
tro river in 1919 was about $4,000. 1t is
evident that this saving is entirely in
adequate to warrant the serious consid-
ration of an expenditure by the govern
mcut Of $lIOCODO per year in interest and
maintenance.
Il recommend that the present project
he modified so as to provide for snagging
At an estimated cost Of $4,000 per year.
and that all other work be stopped"
Cost Col. Deakyne His Job.
That recommendation cost Col. Deakyne
his official head and was absolutely fu-
tile Deakyne was removed from Kansas
city as engineer in charge of the district
ind was transferred to Leavenworth. A
brother officer was detailed in his place
and left Washington with the clear I'M
Outstanding that he was not to permit
his best Judgment to lead him into d
repetition of Col. Deakyne's indiscre-
lion.
Col. Deakync's report was taken before
tine board of river and harbor engineers
mere in Washington. Virtually the entire
Missouri delegation. led by Representa-
tive BorIand and Senators Stone and
Reed. joined in bringing the pressure to
bear to have Col. Deakyne's report over
ruled. They were eminently successful
in this. though the principal reason the
thief of engineers of the army could give
for approving the ruling Of the board. re-
versing Deakyne. was that the present
grounds for continuance of this project
are stronger than those which led to its
adoption"
As a net result so far. the strictly
pared river and harbor bill recently re-
pOrated carries an appropriation OF
s1.75O, 600 for this project
The Congressional Record of January
3. last. contains carefully repaired
specch-great care having been exer-
cised to eliminate discouraging facts and
Ggures-in which Mr.. Borland says:
Calls Efforts Successful.
o." the people of the Missouri
Valley. and especially of Kansas City
have invested millions of dollars in re-
storing commerce to the river, and their
efforts have been successful to a remark.
able degree"
Exclusive of sand and gravel carried
IN barges. which operate quite as com.
Iortably with the channel as at present
As they could with a six-foot channel
md which are hauled an average dis,
-ance Of about one mile. the actual com,
nerce on the Missouri River in 1895 from
CONTINUED ON FACE TWO.