Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-02-24
OPPOSITION MAY
:; BLOCK WATERWAY
COURT HOLDS STATE HAS POW
Err TO FLOAT $20.0Oo,0o0 BOND
ISSUE, IF THAT AMOUNT is
NEEDED.

sFurther details of the supreme
eOurt's decision legalizing the Dunno
Waterway measure, providing for a
hhyigable channel from l.ockport TO
Utica, show that the ruling is even
broader. than was expected
Not only is the eight foot channel
contemplated by the Dunno bill up
held and S5,300,000 in bonds released
for that purpose, but the court de-
clared that ii additional money is
needed, in the opinion OF the legisla.
ture, further appropriations could De
made to the extent of the $4,000, 900
bond issue voted by the people of lii
nOis in 1905 for tie construction of a
deep waterway in Illinois.
There is report at Springfield
that Governor l.owden will ask for the
designations of all the commissioners
and in this way put u stop to further
salary expenses. Until this step is
taken, the members will be eligible to
their monthly stipend at the rate OF
5000 year The same is true of
the engineers and other employees,
1t is possible that definite steps
may be decided upon at a conference
Monday with the governor This has
been asked for by the commission, to
determine its status. The admins
traitor consolidation measure abolish.
es the waterway commission and puts
this enterprise in charge of superin-
tendent OF waterways, in the depart
ment of public works.
Await Lowden Action.
Another disquieting rumor from
Springfield is to the effect that Gov
ernor Lowden may decline to go
ahead with the waterway project until
the war department at Washington
gives a permit for the flow OF water
from Lake Michigan Strenuous ct
forts have been made by former Gov
ernOr Dunno and other waterway ad-
vocates to secure such permit, but
the opposition of Congressman Rainey
and other opponents of the S-foot
channel as well as the hostlities OF
some OF the lake ports, has been suffi.
cient to prevent concurrence on the
part OF the war department officials.
According to Commissioner Drew
no further consent from the war de
partment is necessary. On the basis
OF the present authorized flow of 4,167
cubic feet per minute, Mr. Drew de.
clares the proposed waterway would
fulfill all Its functions, including
transportation and water-power re
quirements.
The main contention of the oppo
nents of the Dunno waterway meas
ure before the supreme court was tina,
an eight-foot channel was not deer
waterway in the sense that was con
templated when the people in 1905
voted a $20,000,O0G bond issue for
waterway construction.
Depth Legislative Matter.
On this point, the supreme court
ruled that, having authorized vote
on the issuance of deep waterway
bonds, the issuance Of deep waterway
N.bonds, the state legislature was in a
position, legally and otherwise, to de.
termine what the depth of that chan
mel should be. In the decision for a
minimum depth Of eight feet, says the
court. the legislature was not only
within its constitutional bounds, but
1t was also recognizing the fact that
eight feet is the present available
depth in the lower end of the Illinois
river and in the Mississippi river
from the mouth Of tie Illinois river
to point below Cairo.
The ruling that the state legislature
may, in the prosecution of this work
make additional appropriations under
the $40. 100000 bond issue, and that
the Dunno project is not limited tC
the original 100000 appropriated, re
moves the criticism that was heard
when the Dunno bill was adopted
Atthat time 1t was asserted $5,000,00C
would not be sufficient to meet the
expenses Of the enterprise, and that il
was useless to start with only $4,000.
coo in sight.
The waterway decision went thru
the state supreme court by narrow
margin. The vote was to 8. The
four favorable judges were the three
Democratic judges, Craig, Farmer and
Cooke, and one of the Republicans
Duncan. Judges Cartwright, Carter
and nunne, all Republicans, dissentet
from the favorable ruling