The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-12-13
TUESDAY. DECEMBER Is, 1910.
THE EXPENDITURE OF MONEY
FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS.

Senators Martin and Swanson IN
addresses before the Virginia Dele
gates to theiWaterways Congress in
Washington, which has just adj
journed, earnestly advised against
the proposed action to place the
funds derived from the sale Of the
proposed fifty million dollar
bond issue for river and harbOr i'm
movement in the hands Of COM
mission, to be appointed by the Pres
jdent. on the ground that it not only
would constitute a further encroach-
-mentrbytke executive on the legis-
lative branch of the government and
a consequent further Capitalization
of Federal power, but more serious
still from a practical standpoint
that the small rivers and streams IN
Virginia and in other States would
suffer at the hands Of such a COM
mission, whereas now the Represen-
tatives in Congress are vigilant IN
their efforts to secure adequate APP
preparations for the smaller as well
as the larger streams.
There is good logic in the position
assumed by the Virginia Senator'S
and it is not improbable that with
such projects on as the fourteen-foot
channel for the Mississippi, the i'm
provement of the Ohio and the IN
land passage on the Atlantic coast
such a commission. having no ac-
count to render to the people at
home. would ignore the smaller mat
tiers for the greater ones, backed up
as they would be by powerful inter-
ests. To the people along the Rap
pahannock, for instance, the I'M
movement of this river is just as
important as the improvement OF
the Mississippi is to the people along
the Father of Waters, but the inn
proyement of the former at the
hands of a commission would be but
a bagatelle to the improvement OF
the latter. Not so. however, TO the
Congressman from this district and
the two Senators. who are person
ally and directly interested in seeing
that a proper amount Of money Is
secured. If there IS to be a bond
issue. 6y all means let Congress ap-
propriate the proceeds.
PUBLICITY OF CAMPAIGN con
TRIBUTIONS.
A statement of the expenditures
of the National Democratic and Re
publican Congressional Committees
made public under recent statute
during the recent Congressional
campaign throughout the country
shows that the expenditures were
far below normal. This was the first
election held since the publicity Law
went into effect, and the meagI
contributions were no doubt the re
suit of the new rule. The effect Of
the law, is therefore, very crafty
ing. 1t is very undesirable to have
large campaign funds. The tempta
ton to use them corruptly is great
and public sentiment is arrived al
more exactly without the influence
of money. The publicity law ha'
proven its effectiveness in checking
large individual or corporate contri
buttons, as the list of contributor
indicates. 1t is but natural that M
individual or corporation would care
to make a contribution of any great
amount with the knowledge that the
matter would be given full publicity
and with the further knowledge
that if any special favors were &C
corded such individual or corpora
ton, the fact would relate back il
the public mind to the contribution
This is a good beginning Of politica
reform which should be followed w
with more like it.