The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-06-03
LAKE DRAINAGE
BATTLE BEGINS;
PUSHING TARIFF
Wisconsin Sues Illinois for Alleged
Violation in Flow; Oppose
81 Cloture Rale.
washington News Burezsa.
Hoek IAand AFGuH.

bear the penalty for the alleged sins
OF the Chicago drainage district, as
the result of litigation initiated
here this week by Attorney General
William J. Morgan OF Wisconsin
who seeks a decree from the Unit
ed States supreme court preventing
the further removal of waters from
Lake Michigan, via the drainage
canal and the Illinois river.
The motion fled here this week
was for permission to fle q formal
bill of complaint, making the state
of Illinois the defendant in suit
which will be argued before the 5u-
preme court some time after next
October.
Monday the supreme court viii
grant the purely formal motion
made on behalf of Wisconsin and II
the attorney general OF Illinois
elects to contest the action, briefs
will be filed in Washington on be-
half of Illinois.
The bill of complaint prepared
by the attorney general of Wiscon-
sin alleges that the Chicago Drain
age district has grossly exceeded
the quota allowed under the order
of the war department for the re-
moVal of 4 100 cubic feet OF water
a second from Lake Michigan. AS
a result, the bill alleges, the lake
level has been so reduced that
ships docking in Milwaukee harbor
have been compelled to tighten their
cargoes, injuring Wisconsin ship
ping interests> to the extent OF
about $750,0O0 a year in net earn
ings.
Representative Guy L. Shaw,
Beardstown, today declared that
members of the Illinois delegation
in congress who have sought 20
check the flow of Lake Michigan
waters through the Illinois river
welcome the suit brought by Wis
consin.
He declared that the Illinois
River Valley Protective association
and the Illinois Association OF
Drainage and Levee Districts which
programmed at Springfield Memoir
ial day, are bringing suit against
the drainage commission.
While the lawyers are fighting
the matter out in the courts, Repre-
sentative Shaw declared that he
will press for action on his resolu-
tion calling for a congressional
probe of the river situation in ILL
nois as affected by the removal of
Lake Michigan waters.
Shaw hopes to have Chairman
Dempsey of New York order hear
s ings within the next few weeks
which will bring trooping to Wash
ington representatives from all over
Illinois of the various civic and
business interests affected by the
! present drainage conditions.
OF equal interest to Illinoisans
was the announcement here this
week by Senators Mccormick and
Mckinley that they will recommend
the appointment of jerome O..
fChristie, Quincy, to membership on
the Mississippi river commission as
soon as the next vacancy occurs.
I'D Both Senators Mccormick and
Mckinley are preparing to resist a
move on the part of Democrats and
"insurgent" Republicans, which
came to light late this week, to
have the pending McCumber tariff
bill referred back to the senate
finance committee.
the ground that the business of the
country will suffer if the tariff
question is left longer in a state vi
uncertainty.
While Senator Mccormick is urg-
ing speedy action on the bill, he is
strongly opposing efforts by other
Republican senators to amend the
rules and apply cloture to the de-
haf in he Mo.
Cormick "bolted'' the Republican
caucus early last week when Sena-
tors Lenroot, Hale, Edge and Others
brought forward plan for limiting
debate in the upper chamber.
The Democrats and 'insurgents'
who plan a fight to drive the tariff
bill back into committee will take
up their final attack this week. Re
publican senators joining with tbs
Democrats are LaFollette, Wiscon
3 sin; Borah, Idaho; Norris. Ne
braska; with the possibility tha
Ladd of North Dakota and one Of
two other senators may join viii
shem.
The Illinois senators will NEE
the attack by presenting to the sen
ate a sheaf of letters from man,
uOWH 1lllHOlS cities, lHCIuQlUs
Rockford, Peoria, East st. Louis
Springfield and Decatur, urgins
prompt enactment of the tariff
bill.
The opponents of the pending bill
contend that many of its provisions
- are faulty and that it would be
wiser to refer it back 10 the finance
committee than to attempt to rem
edy its defects by amendment on the
floor of the senate. Unless the Re
publican insurgents" are success
full in mastering more votes than
now appear available, 1t is certain
that the administration senators, in
Guiding Mccormick and Mckinley
will block any attempt to displace
the tariff bill from the senate.
With the federal judges bill still
hung up in conference between the
two houses of congress, it remained
undetermined late this week wheth-
er Illinois is to gain one additional
Judge. as provided in the senate
bill, OF two judges, as provided in
the house bill
1t was learned here today that
Senators Mccormick and Mckinley
probably will shift their plans in
recommending Illinois and to fill
the vacancies arising from the pas
sage of the bill and the resignation
of Judge Landis-