New-York tribune., 1910-09-22
PRESIDENT TAFT BARS
THE PORK BARREL !"
No More Appropriations for the
Benefit of Local Improve
mentS Alone.
VISITS WITH "HOME FOLKS"
Tells Them He VIII Make Gin
cinnati His Home After
Retiring from
Office.
VISITS WITH "HOME FOLKS"

spent a thoroughly enjoyable time among
his home folks" to-day. BE visited the
Ohio Valley Exposition, made an address
In Music Hall on waterways Improvement,
took an automobile ride during the after
noon. dined at the Business Mems Club this
evening and later attended a performance
Of the opera 'Paoletta,'' composed by a
local musician and rendered largely by
local performers Everywhere he went
Mr.. Taft vas greeted with cheers.
The immense audience in Music Hall rose
and gave the President remarkable
welcome when he appeared on the
platform The cheering was renewed with
increased vigor when Mr.. Taft announced
that after his tenure Of office had expired
II Washington he purposed 10 return to
Cincinnati and spend the remainder of his
DAYS in this city.
The Presidents day was free from poll
tics He did not comment IN any way on
the New York primaries. He would say
nothing regarding Colonel Roosevelt s
sta stenent to the effect that he had not
sought the conference at New Haven
Tomorrow President Taft is to receive q
number of Ohio Republican leaders They
are anxious to consult with him regarding
the situation in this state, and Mr.. Taft
has consented 10 see them
In his speech to-day. celebrating the
completion Of the Ohio River dam in this
city, President Taft announced that. so far
as his administration is concerned. the
pork barrel" method of making appro-
priations for river and harbor work is at
an end He declared he would hereafter
81 ana
merely for the benefit Of local expenditure.
Mr.. Taft said in part
Since I left this. my old home, more
than ten years ago, have been able 70
revisit II only q few times, and then for
not more than day or two ar time
welcome this opportunity 70 meet oto
friends gnd 10 renew old associations, for
here, after my Official duties are discharged
81 Washington. I expect to return ana 10
sren6 the rest Of my life
Today YOU are celebrating the opening
~ 2 great IMPROVEMENT which must in the
future have much 10 DO with the business
growth Of the city I mean the improve
Tnenr Of the Ohio River from P1trsburg &c
Cairo L ts 70 this improvement that
shall direct my remarks this AFTERNOON
In g most instructive report the In1leo
States Waterways Commission, headed by
on own Senator Burton, have pointed OUT
the difficulties that are inherent In river
transportation in this country, end rave
shown with great clearneSs the ScVanI6sS5
-hs+ railroad transportation has over river
TRANSFORMATION for constant business use
The chief difficulty is the cost ot terr1lnal
or transfer charges wherever the destina-
ton oT the freight requires the use OF both
river and railroad In their Investigations
abroad the commission FOUND thst q great
deal Of money and time had been spent IN
rerfecring the terminals for river uenspor-
4erior and they 6eplore the entire absence
Of such terminals on many OF the naVlsapie
What I think we have reason to expect
is -bzr With the Improvement Of the Ohio
Piver according 10 the plans proposed, and
the possibility of its continuous use from
ore years end 10 the other, with the de-
velopment of en upstream Uaoe py reaSoa 2
OF the slack water, there VII be q STUDY OF
eccno-nical terminal facilities and a pront-
able investment therein
One Of the great reasons for the decrease
~ rIT-ar TRANSFORMATION has been the com
petirion Of railways whose physical al
vsntages have already been referred 70
More than these, traffic managers OF rall-
wsvs have lowered their own traffic rates
uhere there Is water competition until the
river business has been entirely 0lscoLr-
aged and then raised the rates WLen WLI tIie
river business has been thus suppressed
Provision has been made in the railway ac'
usssed At the last session Of Congress WnlcE
t--fTi T-event railways from adopting this
device Of destroying river conapetluon- 1lle
truth IS that with the new deFelop prIenI o.
noySa- 70 or interstate Commerce Com
mission 70 make regulations Tor the 1olIl
traffic between rivers and railways ina.
] will greatly encourage the continuance ol
/ he river business for II We would use oui
! Waterways IN the most economical manner
I there must he q friendly cooperation, a
/ The TTarerways , ,o-lnisslon points out, De
tween those engaged in Transportation OF
the water and those Dy rail- ne concur
/ rent and Joint operation Of railways anG
4 river carriage is much better reguIateC
l q abroad than i 4 here and we have gTeal
I deal 10 learn IN this regard. %hich, wheL
( studied out, can be embodied in PosluE'
] statute. - C.-;r
/ The cost Of the Improvement Of ~ the ON. /;
Ftver is 10 be upward Of s63-O00.VUO, ana Il
! AFFECTS a sufficient territory and a sdfIlclenl
/ nun Der OF people 10 justify the eXpendltuI
4 o< he money out OF the treasury OF tnt
/ United States. The plan is 10 appropriate
! ffcient money each year. so as 10 coh1
/ plete al the same y twelve years
I wish that Congress had arranged tc
.upend the money in less time and eor7-
plete the work, for its completion IS no'
! alone important for the immediate 6ene
1T that it will confer commercially n
the Ohio Valley, but IL is important tc
virdicate or TO discourage further IN
vestments of this kind in other cirec'
tIons.