New Iberia enterprise and independent observer., 1910-09-03

< Worlds Work contains III
article which Is of interes
NW VIZ to all who are concerned II
, the vital subject to whici
we give the somewha
foggy title of Political Reform The
article. for obvious reasons anony
nous, is written by member OF con
gress who, the editors of the World
Work say. has served for more thar
ten years In the house of representa-
tives, has acted on many important
committees. and has been successful
In getting things" for his cupstitu-
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 IL,
Get all you can for US There are
no restrictions placed upon his meth
cd of getting IT,
! Until the American people themselves
! become more national and less local
! their congressman as solicitors at the
national treasury. congress will con
time TO enact iniuuitous groups of 10
cal favors into national legislation"
This serious charge against the
American people-for which there is
unquestionably altogether too much
justificaton-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 congressman re-
ceives are requests for special favors
to be obtained In some way or other.
directly or indirectly, from the United
States treasury For instance. while
the Payne-Aldrich tariff law was un-
der discussion, this particular con
eressman received In May. 1909. the
following letter from the secretary of
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
~, resolution. copy of which is In |,
closed. was unanimously adopted, urg-
Ing our representatives In congress to |
use every endeavor to have The pres
ent tariff in 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
will take care Of this matter in the
senate"
When the bill was finally passed,
the congressman succeeded In adding
half cent pound to the duty on two
Df these products and In preventing
any reduction on the others. A year
later, when the popular clamor against
the bill had become acute, the same
that had asked him to
rote for increases wrote to the con-
yressman denouncing the bill as ''the
most lniquitous measure ever enacted
~ congress" and requesting him to ex.
,lain by letter why he had voted with
the Reactiunaries" to pass the bill.
When II was pointed out to the asso-
'iation that It had urged the congress
nan to obtain an increase OF duty on
he products In which It was inter-
'sted, II dropped Its demand for an
explanation. An influential newspa-
'er published In his district editorial.
y commended him while the bill was
nder debate for his intelligent ef-
orts" to increase the duty on manu-
actured articles in which the district
vas interested, and a year later the ,
anne newspaper In the same editorial
olumn denounced him as one Of .the
legislative banditti responsible for the !
measure"
River and harbor legislation Ia an
ther field In which local selfishness ,
usies itself, to the exclusion Of ma
onal needs. In this case requests
re not made by letter but by delexa.
Uns which come to Washington be- :
eginG their senators and represent =
lives. "y'here is," says the frank !
ritter Of this article. ''flguratively
peeking. between s5O,oOO,OO0 and !,
so.0O0.o00 on the table to be divided. !.
he committee divides It 30 that ev. ).
y one II satisfied, at least to a res y
mobile extent" Every one, that 10, : :
1t the people at large. the people =
no have no special interest to serve. =
i'd who feel keenly Indignant that =
70 rivers and harbors Of the United :, :,
.ates are developed In a fashion 20 =
ferior to that Of Europe. a.
Nor are all the requests for leris- :,
ton merely. One constituent desired =
have this particular congressman :,
i his name on the free mailing list :,
r all public documents. That this a,
,uld be impossible. because II would :,
can delivering to the applicant sew. =,
al tons Of documents every month. m
es not In the slightest detract from n,
. interest Of the fact ELECTED BY an ,e
that the applicant was fo
. manufacturer OF an article made IN