The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1909-10-28

The President Declares In the Future
Measures That Are Useful TO the
Country viii Be Adopted and Not
Those Intended to REFLECT Certain
censressmen-startsD Down the Mis-.
slssippi River.
St Louis. Mo. oct 26. - President
Taft started his l2OO.mile trip down
the Mississippi river to the footing OF
whistles and the cheers OF thousands.
Fifteen big Mississippi river steam
boats. bearing notable escort. swung
out behind the little United States
lighthouse tender Oleander. on which
the president is quartered. Included In
the escort are the vice president OF
the United States. two cabinet mem
bers. twenty United States senators.
four Representatives Of foreign nations.
the speaker OF the house Of representa-
tiyes with l76 of his fellow congress
men. and hundreds OF prominent busi.
ness men Of the middle west.
It IS the greatest show that was ever
pulled of in an effort TO push legisla'
tion through congress. The excursion
is running under the auspices OF the
Lakes to the Gulf Deep Waterways
association. and is to end al the an
nual convention of the association In
New Orleans.
The president Is accompanied on the
Oleander only by bis secretaries and
the secret service guard. He Is sched'
uled to make eight speeches on the
trip down the river. but he VIII have
to spare his voice II he expects TO
speak above a whisper on the last lap
OF his trip.
Cannon Quotes From Bible.
Somebody wanted to know Of Uncle
Joe before he sailed what he thought
of the fight the insurgents were max
ing against him.
Get out your pencil and write this
down" said he. which was done as iof
lows: "Old Paul. you will recolect' II
YOU refer to his journey finally struck
an attitude and said. 4 have been I'm.
prisoned. punished with stripes. met
the robbers on land and have been
shipwrecked and have met the best ot
Ephesus but none Of all these could
discourage me That is all
At the mass meeting in the Coliseum
President Taft served notice on Speak
er Cannon that the old pork barrel
method Of apportioning the harbor and
river improvements to the congress
men with the pull will have to cease
The speech caused a sensation among
the III congressman at the 81. Louis
meeting. who regarded It as a direct
slap at the speaker
Against Pork Barrel"
And right here" said the president.
II want to clear away suppositlon
which am afraid has lodged In
good many minds. The projects for
irrigation and for the improvement of
waterways in the future are not to be
for the purpose of distributing pork
to every part Of the country. Every
measure is to be adopted on the
ground that It will be useful to the
whole country. They are not to be
adopted for sending certain congress.
men back to Washington or for making
certain parts Of the country profit
able during the expenditure Of the
money.
we should take up every compre-
hensive project on its merits and de-
termine whether the country where
the project is to be carried out has SO
far developed as to justify the cror
nous expenditure Of money and II "a
will be useful when done When W" de-
eide in favor Of a project believe IN
issuing bonds TO carry It to compia.
ton as rapidly as possible.
1T has been proposed that We Il iue|
bonds for sjOO9OO.000 or 100000 900
and cut It mp and parcel the mo1"y|
out in this and that section o. ;heI
country. am opposed to any such
proposition because it not only smells
of the pork barrel but would b. a.
pork barrel.
Sneaker Cannon. Of the house Of rep
resentatiyes. who some time ago de
clarcd that he was opposed TO am IS
sue Of bonds to improve the wa a.er
WAYS. sat just beside the president
while he was speaking.