The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1901-04-25
PASSION FOR POWER.
Aading Amendments % Legitimate
nilIs the Favorite Method of
Lawmakers of Securing
.Pie. for Personal Use.
Especial Washington Ietter.l

Especial Washington Jetter1
THE passion for pclf and the
power Of public plumber were
never SO well illustrated In the
history of our republic as during the
closing days of the recent short ses-
sion Of the congress. The individ-
uals comprising the senate and house
Of representatives were exceedingly
nonpartisan In their efforts to get
their hands into the treasury away
up above the elbows. Statesmen Of
both political parties were equally
culpable.
There IL nothing In the constitu-
tion. nothing In statutory or common
law, to authorize the expenditure Of
the public moneys for expositions, for
river and harbor> steals, for fraud.
ulcnt claims. nor for any one OF the
many things which were put TO the
fore by the politicians In the national
congress, at the instigation of their
constituencies and ccmmonwcalths.
The people should know the truth
and deal with their servants accord
ing to their merits or dcmcrits. Dem
ocrats and republicans alike have
sinncd, and the truth may be told
without partisan feeling or partisan
statement.
There were senator's and represent
ativcs who desired an extra session
of the congress in order that sonsid-
Grafton might be given to Chinese,
Philippine and Cuban affairs. Some
Of them were so much In earnest that
they declared that all legislation
should be blocked in order that an
extra session might be compelled.
The reason why they all fell down
and prostrated their sincere opin-
ions was given by Congressman Hep
burn, of Iowa. the acknowledged lead
ing debatcr of the house of repre-
sentatives, when he said to the
writer: "It was the greed of public
money. The legislation which would
prevent nm extra session was placed
upon the army appropriation bill. In
the form OF amendments. Then the
army appropriation bill was placed
on the calendar, In advance of the
sundry civil and the river and harbor
appropriation bills. Those bills con-
tained the pie or pork for which
many were contending.
"Thosc bills could not be taken up
and considered until the army appro-
priation bill was disposed of. Consc-
quently, in order 20 get Mt the "pie"
bills, statesmen who had sworn that
they would nc'cr consent consented.
md voted for the bill which they had
sworn To kill.
''1hc sundry civil appropriation bill
contained the provision of $j,O0O,0OO
for the ST. Louis exposition; and all
of the supporters of that apprOpria-
tion were Obliged To vote for the army
appropriation bill In order TO get mt
the sundry civil pie That measure
also contained the appropriation of
s2JO,0OO for the Charleston exposition,
and they also were obliged 20 vote
for the army appropriation bill. The
river and harbor appropriation bill
contained aggregate sums amounting
20 s5o,oOo,OOo. In that bill almost every
member of the senate and house of
Representatives had an interest. They
were obliged to vote for the army ap-
preparation bill in order to get :seir
pic in that bill. Consequently hey
all fell down and surrendered.
"Ihc army appropriation bill was
one of the best measures of the kind
that has ever passed the house of rep
rescntativcs. IL was the senate
amendments on foreign affairs which
caused the hot opposition to It; but
the senate amendments were all swal.
lowed by the opponents of those