New-York tribune., 1910-09-22
Z ,,nserztans that ths dlfieuIty is inherent

understand that the difficulty is inherent
in our gvsten of government
Every district that has projected I'M
rrovement feels that II ought TO secure
aorno share in the benehr thal Is 70 20
derived from the annual expenditure OF
money for all improvements. IN the IaooI
euplOved in the materials purchased anu
in the business created. as vel as N some
rrosress. however small maze IN us An
y,royanoeut toward completion It by no
means follows that a departure ITofn me
present system would postpone tne con- .L1
anxT more than they are likely TO be de-
laved under the present system IN ne
contrary' II tnS Eo,n5T nv cpompletion of those
projects which are entered upon, tne
others which are postponed when they are
begun may count upon q much snorter
period for the whole work
Il IS doubtful how far, ny executive
order, I can 60 IN directing the engineers
m make recommendations Informing Con
gress as to the relative Importance OF the
projects adopted and entered upon.
think I have gone as far as can Il In ,IaIs u1lls
matter and I shall ask Congress tor more
bower at its next session This should
Be given in the form of authority 10 or
garfze a board Of engineers 20 go over
Tanv psrtiaIIv completed enterprises that
were begun before the present pan o.
approval by two boards was adopted or
~ts,51ina tion in order TO determine whether
they should not be abandoned Until tnis
IS done these projects whether worthy OF
unworthy will be promptly on nand al
| each session for an appropriation
4 New Epoch Reached.
| We have reached q new epoch in the
! matter OF the Improvement or our water
wsvs. The public is greatly aroused by
/ the confident and just belief that by
more symmetrical, reasonable ana
prompt expenditure OF money upon ap-
proved projects rates of Transportation
! may be lowered and the business OF the
country greatly benefited
/ TyaT
ries Of records OF meetings OF Waterway
! conventions full of statistics, fuIi OF gen
! CIVILIZATIONS full of eloquence and fulI OF
! prophecies as 10 the marvellous improve
! I,,e1r Of W. rerWavs near att hand. Then
you change the scene and 90 INTO tLS
/ Rivers ana Harbors committee OF Ilt
] lower house. or into the committee OF
/ Commerce in the Senate, and you ma tAe
B same old methods pursued, the same DIS
! tributiOn OF money among ne Us, i5,(,s+ 90
/ sionaI districts, the same SLOW, diIIaoSe t
! ir7rerceptlble steps toward the completion
! of MANY enterprises IN many years, anu
/ YOU begin 70 realize that II IS one JAiu6
1 10 r7ass resolutions one thing to generailze
| and develop possibilities into Iahcled Ia -;
J 90 II is unite another thing TO get rid
/ oT : system that strikes its roots down
[ deeo into the falnbility OF human nature:
/ a. a country We are all IN favor Of the
/ most effective and economical expenditure
/ for the development or our waterways p'AI
! as members Of d district, ana as repre-
! senrarfves Of districts, we are seLnshly IN
/ siSrent upOn our share or PUBIC appIoptla-
! Tons each wear however muCn Tnar dlVl-
! 80 of Tba sDoiI iDpedes the adoption Of
the effective and economical improvement
/ we who 1--we on the banks Of the ONO
! River are not different from Other peogie
/ living on other waterways possible OF De
/ velOpment and needing improvement. we
I baDTlan 10 be more fortunate than otners
/ in that in a calm and impartial cohSldeTd-
I ton OF all the projected improvements 4OF
/ river transportation there Is none that OF
I fers so great a probability or success anu
I baraAr ia the entire country as the I'M
! of -
/ bI1re 10 Cairo. We are. therefore naturalIy
! on the right side Of the controversy ana
! we can easily favor ending the piece
/ meal system of dividing the spoils among
/ districts and Of centring all the energy @ ALd
! the capital Of the government IN tn9 COIL COIL
I pletfon first Of one great plan anu I'leH
( another and then another
In sioninq the last river and harbor
hill. which had many Of the character
isties of previous bills and was subject
to the criticism that many items were
contained therein that were merely
piecemeal, | indicated 70 Congress tna'
n. passage of another bill OF that char-
ac+er would merit veto. ! Ventured to
saw this In order TO bring TO the atten-
ton of Congress the necessity TOR
chance in the forn OF the bills, and
am hopeful that with the reason ana
sruuu1ent all on the side OF the change
tb- suuuestion contained in my memo
randurn may be given weight.
Certainly. until this fundamental reform
/ is u1r into effect the Improvement OF our
} rivers and inland waterways VIII be chleny
j,,yo--art because of the local advantage
~ the money expended and not because OF
| the betterrnent of our transportation.
Corrupt Control of Congress
1 The evil in the corrupt control of
conaress or a Legislature by private in
terest is manifest and always calls for
! condemnation. But there is another kind
! of legislative abuse as dangerous to
/ ,ubIic veal in certain or it's aspects as
rorruption, and that is the selfish COM
SGrat;on OF the representatives of the
r,zioritv of the constituencies 70 expend
| a.. money of the government Tor the
t.n,porary benefit OF a part or with little
benefit 20 the whole.
T. ,e the duty of the majority and the
/ i1,Titv IN legislate always for the benefit
/ M ~ - whole people. and any enactments
u 1,oL 70 the selfish exploitation of less
-, The whole al the expense or the whole,
80 - -r;,bot1t benefit 90 the whole, IS spe-
/ anu ~ legislative abuse that comes very
/ ea- corruption in its effect ana Is perhaps
! ho.-- 5angerous than corruption because
I,o,a ,rho support such a combinauon are
.iaDeraI,v bold IN its defence
rb. savs of the pork barrel should
- ,,,p,bered The country is reused
.Irst the corporate or corrupt control
S legislative agencies, but II IS doubtful
l,e+I,er the constituencies as yet are
80 .o oerceive the higher obligation on
e. asrt of themselves and their repre-
- .i,,.s not 10 use their votes IN ccm-
se.stio, 20 appropriate 20 part that