The Washington herald., 1909-10-26
TAFT IS SAILING
DOWN MISSISSIPPI
Continued from Page One.

dressed an audience Of 1000 there. Here
is what he had to say on ''pork-barreI'
politics
1--WE have spent a great deal Of money
on waterways DO not think there has
been spent as much to a good purpose
as it would have been had we adopted
some other theory and some other
method. but 7 am not here 10 criticlse
that I do not think that we have now
reached a time in the history OF the
development OF our waterways when a
new method ought 10 be adopted.
Not e'PorL" Measures.
y would Ike to clear away a good
many suggestions that I am afraid have
lodged in some minds. This matter of
waterway improvements. irrigation OF the
arid and subarid lands. and Of the con-
servation Of our resources is not for the
purpose Of distributing pork TO every
part Of the country
Every measure that IS 10 be taken
and adopted must be on the ground that
IL IS useful 20 the country at large. and
not on the ground that IL IS going 10
send certain Congressman back 10 Con-
gress. or on the ground that II is going
10 make certain part OF the country.
during the expenditure OF that money.
prosperous II that principle and the
one which deprecate Is to obtain. am
in favor Of going along the same old
way we have gone before.
Merit should Decide.
The method which I favor in this Is
that we should take Up every compreheu-
Is Frs
determine by all means at our command
whether the country in which that project
is 20 DE carried out. is so far developed
as % Justify the expenditure Of a lsrge
sum Of money On carrying out the project
and whether the project will be useful
when done
When you have determined that on the
general principle OF good 20 the entire
country then I am In favor Of doing that
work as rapidly as IL can be done. and
4 am IN favor OF issuing the bonds 20
90 IT, and II IL shall turn out that some
part OF the country IS linked 10 a par
ticular project by reason OF eloquent and
large words and a general lively inasi-
nation that is not sustained by the facts
then that part OF the country has got 10
wait until II can grow I'D 10 thar project 20
Il am not minimizing the difficulties
that are going 10 be met IN selecting
what has 10 be done or in determining the
order In which the projects are 20 be car
ried out
II know 7 value more intensely than T
ever did IN my life the intelligence. the
interest, and the local patriotism that we
find all over the United States. But
we cannot trust II would bankrupt the
government
Opposes Pork Barrel.
Vow, there IS a proposition that we
issue S5ooO10o00 or Si.O1GOJoO00 worth Of
bonds for a waterway. and then thar we
apporton part 10 the Mississippi. part 10
the Atlantic, part 10 the Missouri and n
part 70 the Ohio. 7 am opposed 90 fl.
j am opposed 70 it because il not only
smells Of the pork barrel. but Il viii De
the pork barrel itself. Let every uroiect
stand on rs bottom; let il prove ITSELF
by means Of fits friends. and by means
Of those who know whether II is N Ina
profitable or not. and then enter upon 81.
but do not let US embark on a plan thar
will reflect no credit on our business
common sense"
The President was the guest OF the
Business Mems Association at his
luncheon at the Planters Hotel. and IN
the afternoon he went TO East ST. Iouis
where. with Vice President sherman ana
Speaker Cannon, he took part in the dedi-
cation Of the new Federal building. IT
was o'clock when the Presidents boat
swung out into the river, and the nlila-
long line OF boats. all gayly decorated
and some Of them with bands, dropped in
behind.
Tomorrow the President viii stop at
Cairo