The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1910-10-06

the vital subject 10 Whlch
we give the somewhat
foggy title OF Political Reform" The
article. FOR obvious reasons ancny-
nous Is written by a member Of con
gress Who the editors Of the World ds
Work say. has served for more than
ten years In the house OF representa-
uyes, has acted on many important
committees. and has been successful
In getting things" for his constitu-
ency The article Is described as
showing the reason why the pork
barrel. special tariff favors. and pri-
vate pension bills become law" the
reason being. to quote the words Of
the author. that the dictum Of the
constituency to the congressman Is.
Get all you can for US There are
10 restrictions placed upon his meth
cd OF getting IT,
Until the American people themselves
become more national and less local.
until constituencies cease TO regard
their congressman as solicitors at the
national treasury, congress viii con
tinue to enact iniquitous groups Of 10
cal tayors into national legislation
This serious charge against the
American people-for which there is
unquestionably altogether too much
iustihcation-the author proceeds TO
substantiate by relating some OF his
own experiences with constituents
which, however surprising they may
seem TO the general reader, will seem
almost commonplace TO all who know
how the average constituency does in
actual practise treat its congressman.
The writer sets forth the fact that.
In the first place. ninety per cent Of
/ the letters which a congressman re-
I ceiyes are requests for special fayors
l TO be obtained in some way or other,
/ directly or indirectly, from the United
I States treasury. For instance. while
I the Payne-Aldrich tariff law was un.
| der discussion. this particular con.
| gresham received in May, 1909, the
! following letter from the secretary OF
a powerful commercial association In
his district
Il have been instructed by the board
Of directors Of this association TO ad
wise you that at special meeting May
20. a resolution. copy of which is in
closed. was unanimously adopted, urg
ing our representatives In congress "a
use every endeavor to have The pres
ent tariff ia mentioning three OF the
products OF the industries referred to-
increased one cent per pound and the
present tariff on mentioning the 9th
er two products) increased half a cent
per pound | wish TO further advise
you that we have heard from Senator
- and he informs US that he
viii take care OF this matter in the
senate"
When the bill was finally passed
the congressman succeeded in adding
half cent a pound to the duty on two
oil these products and in preventing
any reduction on the others. yeal
later. when the popular clamor against
the bill had become acute, the same
association that had asked him C
vote for increases wrote to the con
gresham denouncing the bill as "tht
most iniquitous measure ever enacted
by congress" and requesting him 10 ex
plain by letter why he had voted with
the Reactionaries" TO pass the bill
When 1t was pointed out to the asso
citation that IL had urged the congress
man to obtain an increase of duty OF
the products In which It was inter
ested, II dropped lis demand for ar
explanation. An influential newspa
per published In his district editorial
ly commended him while the bill was
under debate for his Intelligent ef
forts" TO increase the duty on manu-
factured articles in which the district
was interested, and year later the
column denounced him as one OF the
legislative banditu responsible for the
Payne-Aldrich measure"
River and harbor legislation is an
other field in which local selfishnes.
busies itself. to the exclusion OF ma
tional needs In this case request.
are not made by letter but by delega
tions which come to Washington be
sieging their senators and represent
atiyes. There is, says the frank
writer Of this article. "hguratiyely
speaking. between $50.000.0O0 anC
100000 600 on the table 10 be divided
The committee divides It so that ev
cry one is satisfied, at least to a rea
sonoble extent" Every one, that is
but the people at large, the people
who have no special interest TO serve
and who feel keenly indignant tha
the rivers and hsrbors OF the United
States are developed in a fashion sC
inferior to that OF Europe.
Nor are all the requests for legis
lation merely. One constituent desired
20 have this particular congressman
put his name on the free mailing list
for all public documents. That thi:
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