New-York tribune., 1919-02-18
Measure TO Appropriate
S33.O0O,O 900 for Rivers
Survives Republican Fire
Seems Sure of Passage
Smoot Recognizes Many old
Friends and Sherman
Offers Poem on Subject
NcW York Tribune
Washington Bureau

Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17.-Surviving a
broadsde Of vigorous Republican crit
;cism. the Democratic rivers and har-
bors pork barrel" bill went sailing on
its way in the Senate to-day, with every
prospect of safe passage. It carries
an appropriation of s33,o0o,O00.
On test motion put by Senator
Smoot of Utah, for the expressed pur-
pose of testing the taste of the Senate
for pork" the appetites of those favor
ing the measure were upheld by a vote
of 81 to %.
ut is a bill that is we'll salted," said
Senator smoot, and smacking strongly
of Southern hospitality"
On board the measure as it buffeted
its way through the storm of protest
were many projects that were old and
many that were new. The test vote
came on q motion to strike out the ap-
preparation of 100000 provided as this
years expenditure by the government
on the $3.50 project to provide a siX-
foot channel for the Oklawaha River.
Florida, in the home state of Senator
Fletcher, chairman of the Commerce
Committee. which handles rivers and
harbors appropriation bills in the SEN
ate.
Rivers Commerce Dwindles
The item had been excluded by the
House, but was proposed by Senator
Fletcher on the floor to-day as COM
mittee amendment. Information brought
out in the debate disclosed the fact
that the commerce of the Oklawaha,
which amounted to SO 900 tons in 1910,
when the government first undertook
to improve it, had dwindled to 1926
tons in 1917. Rocks and dirt, rolling
into the stream from its banks. ex-
planned Senator Fletcher, defending it.
had been partly responsib for this
decline.
Senator Smoot, attacking it, declared
that the river was mere stream run
ming through q swamp, and read from
letter written to the committee by
J. D. Young, a real estate operator in
Florida, saying that If the government
would only expand the project TO in
cude drainage as we'll as dredging he
would gladly share IN the expense, con-
;ributing at the rate of $40 for every
acre of land bordering the stream
which he controlled.
Senator Kenyon, referring to the
river as the "dusty Oklawaha." likened
t to the item in the bill for deepening
Raccoon Greek, New Jersey, the loca-
tion of which, he apologetically ex-
planned, he had been unable TO give
owing to its absence from any atlas
he was able to obtain Raccoon Greek,
he said, had commerce in 1913, when
The government began spending money
or it from rivers and harbors appro-
pnation, Of $4,000 tons. whereas last
ysar il had dwindled to $4,000 tons.
This commerce, he said, principally
consisted Of oyster shells and manure.
He hIened it also to the item in the
bill for developing Newbegun Creek,
North Carolina, the commerce of which
las. year did not appear in any stats
Tics Of the Department of Commerce
owing TO the fact that the only boat
plying its waters had been destroyed
by FIRE.
When Oklawaha, despite all that was
said, was retained in the bill, Senator
Smoot informed the Senate that he was
through.
Load down this bill now to your
hearts coptentl' he shouted, shaking
finger az the Democrats. 81 shall not
make another effort to stop you"
ITS waste of BREATH" agreed SEN
ator Renyon after he mad been defeated
BY a. vote Of 81 to 80 on motion he
mads 20 amend the project so that the
Stats Of Florida would contribute one
half Of the cost.
Fletcher Resents Criticism
Senator Fletcher angrily resented the
criticism that the Oklawaha was not a
navigable river.
There IS not & more meritorious
item II the whole BILL" he insisted.
1t is true that some people bought
some acres along this river after Major
Siattery, an army engineer, approved
me project, but that does not alter the
merits Of the project. tell you it
would be downright wicked for US to
sly here and allow this river, which
night be made an important highway
Of commerce, to 90 unimproved. 1t
you'd be violation of every rule of
congress TO require Florida to pay
Ealf the cost
Declaring that he recognized many
od friends in the bill. Senator Sher-
man related the experience of Illinois
WIN respect TO the Hcnnepin Canal
project IN that state, upon which the
government has expended $1,000, 900.
Despite this expenditure. he said, com
herce on the canal has so dwindled as
4" make the waterway now but little
more than "a rendevouz for basket
picnickers.