The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-08-24

The River and Harbor Act-ao imnor-
tant 10 the national defense: SO essential
for relief Of our Inadequate transported
ton system: so completely the product
Of the expert engineering skill OF our
own government specialists-has become
a law. 1t has been so bitterly and so
namely opposed. however. that the per-
sistent rcproach of pork" may have left
some taInt Of aspersion still lingering
In public nostrils: and just. clear anal
~. Of the appropriations embodied
it The Act appears requisite. II not IN
connection with this particular measure
t;?Hn certainly for the protection OF pub
lie opinion In the future
The Act appropriates In All s@I.S26.l5o
alloting sl4.34i.250. or SIS per cent. 10
maintenance and Improvement ~
ocean harbors on the Atlantic. Gulf and
Pacific coasts. and In Alaska. Hawaii ana
Porto Rico. The maintenance and I'M
provcment Of inland lake harbors and
channels Is allotted s2.o6l.l0o. or 81 per
cent; to maintenance and Improvement
of five leading rivers. under rropcrts
previously approved by Congress, $S'-
$4,000, OF 3i.3 per cent: to cXamina-
tiuns, surveys and n commission. S1@o.-
n00 or L. per cent: and TO all othcr
projects, including maintenance and I'M
nrovemcntS OF rivers. harhors' canalS
and waterways and removal or oostrhc-
lions, S2.lTO.$00. or - nor cent.
Obviously. all the items OF the act
except the last mentioned. arc srerlllc'
are subject to public scrutiny ana are
the outcome OF governmental recon-
mcndation after close study by govern
ment exports. who. In the very nature
of their employ, are free from any sus-
picion of amenity to influences elmer
of politics or graft" For thirteen
months every one Of the Items has oeen
open to discussion. in and out OIL CON
gross. and has been more than fairy
discussed. Indeed. government WORKS
have been suspended. working forces
have been dispersed. urgent needs haSe
been interrupted. hccauS of the lack or
moneys incident To- the delay In pass
ing the act SO that any pork II
pork" be present At all. must have oech
packed into the general clause appro-
priating the $2.lTn.S00. or - per cent
OF the total. for general maintenance and
Improvement and for removal or OBJ
structions. Yet every item in that
clause has hccn open tn scrutiny and.
like the major Items has hrcn more
than amply discussed. Let us. how
tirular appropriation:
Upon this head. as we'll as on the
other times in the act, General W. u.
Black. chief of engineers in the United
States army. in presenting tn" depart
ments schedules of appropriations
state three objects: First. maintcn-
ance Of completed projects; second.
maintenance and Improvement Of 'nFo-
jects under way where il Is necessary
10 appropriate u certain amount In or
der Ia prevent loss and waste; third.
department as being absolutely on the
basis OF military necessity"
The total Of s2.lT0.Sn0 comprises. per
h;.pS. 4 hundred minor items. nearly all
If them amounting Ia no moro than
few thousand dollars apiece and devoted
to the maintenance Of channels for the
operating OF cXictinE boat lncS-that is.
for the operation OF cur Inland water
transportation system. vital tn tho con-
end purely federal function. essentially
Independent Of ANY local Influences and.
therefore. Of any taint Of pork" Take
a few typical items:
In SSaChuSrIis six minor harbors
and flvc minor rivers receive for main
icnarcc $4,000 in all. chiefly TO main
tain channels for boat lines connecting
with Boston. In Connecticut Is minor
river and harbor projects receive. all
told. tS1.nhn: Sound steamers call at all
Of these ports. Connecticut river. for