The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-11-12
BILLS AGAINST
NAVY YARD
Republicans Ask Repeal of Char
lesion Dry Dock and Dredging
Appropriations

Washington, Nov. S.-Senator Cal
der. of New York, today made a
grand stand play by introducing
a bill to repeal the provision of the
National Appropriation Act of July
l.. 1918. which authorized the con-
struetion Of a cry dock of the first
class at the Charleston Navy Yard.
At the same time Senator Kenyon,
of Iowa, introduced q, dill to repeal
tlr. provision of the River and Harbor
Act aof 1918 which authorized the
dredging of 40-foot channel from
the Charleston Navy Yard to the sea.
The War Department told Congress
man Whaley a few days ago that the
contract for this dredging had been
awarded and that the work would be-
gin at once The building Of the
dock is dependent upon the deepen
ing Of the channel,
Senators Smith and Dial do not, Of
course, intend to stand idly by and let
any. such measures as the Calder and
Kenyon repeal bills pass the Senate
if they can help it. While alert TO
thSsattack. they are not much alarm
ed. Senator E. D. Smith today when
asked for statement about the bills
aimed at Charleston answered as fol-
lows:
81 do not believe these bills have
the ghost OF show of passage, for
the reason that they single out the
appropriation for the Charleston
project. I do not believe that the Sen
ators will allow any@<such sectional
feeling to lead them to even consider
seriously such monstrous PROPOSE
tion.
ST believe the the real motive for
cause the railroad ministration has
put the South Atlantic and Gulf ports
on an equality with New York, and
other Northern ports as to rates from
the Central West and Mississippi val
ley Therefore the harbor improve
ments in the South Atlantic and Gulf
sections, and especially at Charles
ton, will make-it and them sharp com
pefitors with New York and the
Northern ports for the import and ex-
port trade that has heretofore been
given to Northern ports exclusively.
When these rates were under con-
sfderation before the railroad ad-
ministration the boards Of trade and
Chambers of Commerce from Min
nBapolis to- New Orleans appealed on
behalf of just such an arrangement.
and I take it that their representa-
tiyes in the Senate VIII see to 1t that
the relief sought by their people and
granted by the railroad administra-
ton shall not be blocked by any move
from a New York source.
ss1.As far as Senator Kenyon is con-
cerned, I.think he introduced his bill
urder an entire misapprehension of
the facts"
Senator Smith this afternoon had
talk Of some length with Senator
Kenyon. whom he knows quite we'll
This is significant in connection with
South Carolina Senator's expression
of the opinion that the Iowa Senator
had acted without understanding the
facts.
Representative Whaley said tonight
s.I do not believe the Calder or Ken
yon bill will pass the Senate. If the
measures by any accident should get
through that body. l arn satlshed
they journey from the mere introduc-
Hon of such measures TO their enact
ment into law. I regard the bills as
merely another Republican effort to
iniure the South
Senator Calder issued statement
in connection with the bills claiming
that neither the dock or>the forty-foot
channel at Charleston is necessary
and asserting that by repeating the
laws authorizing Improvements a say
ing of s25,0O0,00o can be effected.
The New Y orker5 is not a member of
the naval committee"