The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-09-21
President Says He Will Veto
Next Rivers and Harbors Bill
if it is Like Last
DOES NOT BELIEVE
IN PIECEMEAL POLICY
Chief Executive Declares Wiling
ness 10 Help Develop Water
transportation Facilities if
Right Methods are Adopted.

! CINCINNATI, o., September Ill
| President Taft, in his speech here
1 before the Ohio Valley Improvement
1 Association, severely scored the con-
gressional pork barrel and the
'piecemeai policy" of making APP
| propriations for improvement of
streams in individual congressional
| districts. The chief executive made
1 il plain that no more such bills as
! the last pork barrel measure could
! get by him while ne was In the White
! House.
President Taft said in part:
AN examination shows that the
car loaded with freight is not much
greater than would be the speed of a
tug boat and barges on one of our
rivers; and IL we could have a river
navigable at all times OF the year at
the same depth there would seem to be
no reason why schedules could not be
made quite as regular as those upon
railways.
One OF the great reasons for the
decrease of river transportation has
| been the competition or the railways
physical advantages More than
these. traffic managers OF railways
/ have lowered their own traffic rates
where there is water competition until
| the river business has been entirely
discouraged ana then raised the rates
when the river business has been thus
suppressed. Provision has been made
| in. the railway act, as passed at the
last session OF congress, which will
I prevent railways from adopting this
device of destroying river competition
The truth is, that with the new de-
velopment OF river business, it win be
possible to give power to our inter-
state commerce commission to make
regulations for the Joint traffic be-
tween rivers and railways that will
greatly encourage the continuance of
the river business
Policy Unsatisfactory.
AS these waterway improvements
are to be carried In upwards OF two
thirds or the congressional districts,
II can be readily understood what the
pressure is from their representatives
IN congress to have every project that
is approved appropriated for. This is
done with very little regard TO the
comparative merits of the different
Improvements. AM it has a tendency
10 delay every Improvement d num-
Der OF years beyond the time when IL
might De made profitable by early
| competition. This Is what has been
/
very unsatisfactory
a supervising board OF engineers
should recommend to congress the i'm
proVemenss IN the order of their inn
portance and should have the power
10 advise that body that the beginning
OF certain Improvements should be
postponed untiI other improvements
are completely nnlshed- 1T by no means
iolioWs that departure from the
present system would postpone the
SohPie1ion OF many OF these improve
Hients any more imam they are likely
10 De delayed under the present sys-
tenn.
~ is doubtful how far. by executive
order, l can go In directing the en-
slneers 10 make recommendations in
FORMING congress as to the relative
Importance OF the projects adopted
ana entered upon. / think l have
gone as Tar as / can In this matter.
ana l shall ask congress for more
power at It's next session.
VIII Veto Next.
IN signing the last river and har-
Dor oiil which was subject TO the
criticism mat many items were con-
tanned therein that were merely piece
meal indicated to congress that the
passage OF another bill OF that charac-
ter would merit a veto, Certainly.
uhtii TINS fundamental reform is PUT
INTO eHect the Improvement of our
rivers ana inland waterways will be
ehiehy important because OF the local
advantage OF the money expended, and
not because or the betterment OF our
transportation.
The evil in the corrupt control OF