The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1910-08-31

NyWK to all who are concerned In
- the vital subject to which
we give the somewhat
foggy title OF Political Reform" The
article. for obvious reasons anony-
nous, is written by member OF con-
gress who, the editors of the Worlds
Work say, has served for more than
ten years In the house of representa-
lives, 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 U.s. There are
no restrictions placed upon his meth
cd of getting 1t. e..
become more national and less local,
until constituencies cease to regard
their congressman as solicitors at the
national treasury, congress will con-
tinue to enact Ubiquitous groups OF To-
cal favors into national legislation"
This serious charge against the
American people-for which there Is
unQuestionably altogether too much
justihcation-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-
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
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 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 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
oil 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
association that had asked him to
vote for increases wrote to the con
gresham denouncing the bill as the
most iniquitous measure ever enacted
by congress" and requesting him to ex
plain by letter why he had voted with
the Reactionaries" to pass the bill.
When it was pointed out to the asso'
citation that it had urged the congress
man to obtain an increase of duty on
the products in which it was inter
ested, it dropped its demand for an
explanation. An influential newspa-
per published in his district editorial
ly commended him while the bill was
under debate for his intelligent eff.
forts" to increase the duty on manu-
featured articles in which the district
was Interested, and year later the
same newspaper in the same editorial
column denounced him as one of the
legislative banditti responsible for the
Payne-Aldrich measure"
River and harbor legislation Is an
other field in which local selfishness