NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK JOINT HARBOR LINE COMMISSION.

AUGUST 6, 1912.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed.

Mr. CONRY, from the Committee on Military Affairs, submitted the

following

REPORT.

[To accompany H. J. Res. 210.]

The Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred H. J. Res. 210, authorizing the President to appoint a member of the New Jersey and New York Joint Harbor Line Commission, having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it do pass as amended.

This resolution gives authority to the President to appoint an officer of the Corps of Engineers, United States Army, a member of the New Jersey and New York Joint Harbor Line Commission. This commission was created by resolutions of the Legislatures of the States of New Jersey and New York and consists at present of six members-three appointed by the governor of New Jersey and three by the governor of New York. The purposes of the commission, as described by the New Jersey resolution in part creating the commission, are to make an adequate study of the needs of the ports of New Jersey and New York considered as one port, such as the extension of pierhead lines, the harmonization of the relations of water and rail carriers, the intelligent reduction of port charges, the adaptation of modern methods to the transshipment of freight between rail and water, etc.

In pursuance with request of the New Jersey Legislature the governor of New Jersey wrote to the President of the United States as follows:

I take the liberty of sending you inclosed a copy of joint resolution of the two houses of the New Jersey Legislature passed and approved in March last.

In compliance with that resolution I venture to ask if you would be willing to appoint an experienced member of the Engineering Corps of the Army, acquainted with port conditions in and around New York, to confer with the commissioners from this State and from the State of New York with regard to the matters referred to in the joint resolution. I know the interest felt by the War Department in the important matter of the development of the great port of New York, and I sincerely hope that it will be possible for you to permit us to have the invaluable cooperation suggested.

Cordially and sincerely, yours,

H R-62-2-vol 5- -30

WOODROW WILSON.

In reply to the above letter the President of the United States wrote to the governor of New Jersey as follows:

I am fully in sympathy with the proposition for the joint commissions provided for by your State and New York, but the statutes of the United States are so strict with reference to my appointing commissions without the specific authority of Congress that I have referred your letter to the Secretary of War for consideration as to whether we have any authority. If we conclude that we have not-as is quite likely— then the Secretary of War and I will bring to the attention of Congress the necessity for such action as will enable us to cooperate with you fully in the useful purpose of your commission.

Sincerely, yours,

WILLIAM H. TAFT.

The resolution which is hereby favorably reported was referred to the War Department by the Committee on Military Affairs and was returned with the following indorsement:

1. Respectfully returned to the Secretary of War.

2. It is understood that the States of New York and New Jersey by legislative acts have provided for the formation of a joint commission to study and report on conditions affecting the shipping facilities of the port of New York and vicinity, the commission to consist of three citizens of each of the two States, to be appointed by their respective governors, and one officer of the United States Army, to be appointed by the President.

3. The object of the accompanying joint resolution (H. J. Res. 210) is to authorize the President to appoint or designate an officer of the Corps of Engineers a member of the aforesaid commission.

4. As the subject matter concerns not only the people of New York and New Jersey, but the commercial interests of the entire Nation, and as the investigations, studies, and conclusions of such a commission must touch at many points the interests and activities of the Federal Government in the harbor of New York and adjacent harbors, it is believed that the proposition advanced by the States aforesaid to place upon the commission an official of the Federal Government familiar with the problems to be solved is a commendable one and worthy of the favorable consideration of Congress.

5. With certain amendments, which I have indicated thereon, the proposed joint resolution will effect the purpose in view and I see no objection to its passage by Congress.

W. H. BIXBY, Chief of Engineers, United States Ármy.

The recommendations of the War Department are incorporated in the resolution as reported.

O

AGRICULTURE APPROPRIATION BILL.

AUGUST 6, 1912.-Ordered to be printed.

Mr. LAMB, from the committee of conference, submitted the following CONFERENCE REPORT.

[To accompany H. R. 18960.]

The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendments of the Senate to the bill (H. R. 18960) making appropriations for the Department of Agriculture for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1913, and for other purposes, having met, after full and free conference have agreed to recommend and do recommend to their respective Houses as follows:

That the Senate recede from its amendments numbered 42, 57, 58, 72, 73, 101, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 111, 120, 124, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 155, 170.

That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendments of the Senate numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 43, 44, 46, 47, 49, 51, 53, 54, 55, 62, 63, 64, 67, 68, 70, 75, 76, 78, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 91, 93, 98, 99, 100, 108, 110, 112, 114, 118, 119, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 165, 166, 167, 168, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 179, and agree to the same.

Amendment numbered 45:

That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate numbered 45, and agree to the same with an amendment as follows:

In lieu of the sum inserted by said amendment insert six hundred thousand dollars; and the Senate agree to the same.

Amendment numbered 48:

That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate numbered 48, and agree to the same with an amendment as follows:

In lieu of the sum inserted by said amendment insert one million two hundred and seventeen thousand eight hundred and sixty-six dollars; and the Senate agree to the same.

Amendment numbered 50:

That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate numbered 50, and agree to the same with an amendment as follows:

After the word "the" where it occurs the first time in the amendment strike out the words "exhibition of animals"; and the Senate agree to the same.

Amendment numbered 52:

That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate numbered 52, and agree to the same with an amendment as follows:

In lieu of the sum inserted by said amendment insert one million six hundred and seventy thousand three hundred and sixteen dollars; and the Senate agree to the same.

Amendment numbered 56:

That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate numbered 56, and agree to the same with an amendment as follows:

In lieu of the sum inserted by said amendment insert twenty-five thousand dollars; and the Senate agree to the same.

Amendment numbered 59:

That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate numbered 59, and agree to the same with an amendment as follows:

In lieu of the sum inserted by said amendment insert eight thousand dollars; and the Senate agree to the same.

Amendment numbered 60:

That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate numbered 60, and agree to the same with an amenmdent as follows:

In lieu of the sum inserted by said amendment insert fifty-two thousand four hundred and thirty dollars; and the Senate agree to the

same.

Amendment numbered 61:

That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate numbered 61, and agree to the same with an amendment as follows:

In lieu of the sum inserted by said amendment insert forty thousand dollars; and the Senate agree to the same.

Amendment numbered 65:

That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate numbered 65, and agree to the same with an amendment as follows:

In lieu of the sum inserted by said amendment insert eighty thousand seven hundred and sixty-five dollars; and the Senate agree to the

same.

Amendment numbered 66:

That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate numbered 66, and agree to the same with an amendment as follows:

In lieu of the sum inserted by said amendment insert thirty-five thousand seven hundred and ninety-five dollars; and the Senate agree to the same.

Amendment numbered 69:

That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate numbered 69, and agree to the same with an amendment as follows:

In lieu of the sum inserted by said amendment insert three hundred thousand dollars; and the Senate agree to the same.

Amendment numbered 71:

That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate numbered 71, and agree to the same with an amendment as follows:

After the word "demonstrations" strike out the word "in" and insert the words and for; and the Senate agree to the same.

Amendment numbered 74:

That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate numbered 74, and agree to the same with an amendment as follows:

In lieu of the sum inserted by said amendment insert one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars and add thereto the following:

Provided, however, That the sum of fifty thousand dollars of this amount, or so much thereof as may be necessary, shall be used for the purchase of land and equipment and the construction of buildings necessary to establish, equip, and maintain an experimental farm in the northern section of the Great Plains area to demonstrate the kind and character of plants, shrubs, trees, berries, and vegetables best adapted to the climate and soil of the semiarid lands of the United States: Provided further, That the limitation in this act as to the cost of farm buildings shall not apply to this paragraph.

And the Senate agree to the same.

Amendment numbered 77:

That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate numbered 77, and agree to the same with an amendment as follows:

In lieu of the sum inserted by said amendment insert one million six hundred and fifty-eight thousand and eighty dollars; and the Senate agree to the same.

Amendment numbered 79:

That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate numbered 79, and agree to the same with an amendment as follows:

In lieu of the sum inserted by said amendment insert two million three hundred and twenty-three thousand five hundred and eighty dollars; and the Senate agree to the same.