The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-22
.SCATH|NG REBUKE
OF PORkBARREL'
T aft Denounces Such
Legislation as Very
Near Corruption
IN FUTURE HE
WILL USE VETO
President Doubtful How Far He
Can Go in Changing Policy
Of River and Harbor I'M
provements, and Will
Ask Congress for
More Power.

Cincinnati Ohio, September 21-De-
nouncing the congressional pork bar
rel. President Taft to-day urged re-
construction of the method of dealing
with waterways improvements in the
United States.
He asserted that the ''piecemeal pol
icy,' of appropriating government funds
for rivers and harbors was not only
jndefensible from business viewpoint
but also gave rise to "a species OF leg
tslative abuse that Is very near corrnp-
ton in its effect"
The President spoke before the ONO
Valley Improvement Association. whlch
met at the Ohio Valley Exposition nero
to celebrate the completion OF ne"
government dam at Fernhank, Ohio,
few miles below Cincinnati. The pro-
iect was designed to conserve navi-
gable stage of the Ohio River during
the dry months of each year.
The President put in most of the day
AT the exposition. He had luncheon
there and did not leave until late 10
the day. Tonight he dined with friends
and then attended the exposition opera.
Outside his speech, no utterances on
public questions were forthcoming, and
| attempts to obtain from the President
a comment on the primary results OK
yesterday met with failure. The Pres
I ident said In part:
THE cost of the Improvement OF the
| Ohio River is to be upwards of s63.000."
oo9 and II affects a sufficient territory
| and a sufficient number of people to
liustify the expenditure of the money
| out of the treasury Of the United StateR
! The plan is to appropriate sufficient
| money each year SO as to complete al
the same in twelve years.
Time Too Long.
"I wish that Congress had arranged
to expend the money in less time and
complete the work. for Its completion
lis not alone important for the imfne-
diate benefit that it will confer COM
mercially in the Ohio Valley. but It Is Is
TIimportapt to vindicnte or TO discourage
stfurtf,er Investments of this kind IL
other directions.
IT earnestly hope that the time may
come In the not distant future wher
the plan for completing this Ohio River
Improvement shall be changed SO al
to make the time six years for compile
tion, instead of twelve. One of tht
great hindrances to the success OF thu
improvement of our waterways la
been the delay incident to the compile
ton of each project. That has grow'
out Of the method pursued in framing
the river and harbor appropriation bills
LAS these waterway Improvement
are to be carried on in upwards of two
thirds of the congressional districts,
can be readily understood what tn
= pressure is from their representative
IN Congress to have every project tha
is approved appropriated for. The to
tai costs of the projects surveyed an
estimated for is far in excess of any
thing that Congress could appropriat
for the general purpose from the reve
nues of the government for one year o
a dozen years. The consequence is tha
IN the desire to satisfy the claims o
all, the amount which Is available fror
the current revenues is divided up an
apportioned between all the various en-
| terprises that have thus received TIL
! approval of the engineers. This Is don
with very little regard to the compare
: tive merits of the different improve
ments. and 1t has tendency to della
every Improvement a number of year
t beyond the time when It might be mad
profitable by early completion Thi
is what has been called the 'piecemea
policy. and is very unsatisfactory.
Wants More Power.
TT Is doubtful how far, by executiv
order. can go in directing the eng!
! neers to make recommendations IN
) forming Congress as to the relative i'm
! portance Of the projects adopted an
entered upon think have gone a
far a. can in this matter, and I sha
ask Congress for more power at II
/ next session.
I'VE have reached new epoch |
e the matter Of the improvement Of OF
! waterways. The public is great
. aroused by the confident and Just be
lief that by more symmetrical, rec
: sonable and prompt expenditure
E money upon approved projects, rates
transportation may be lowered and IL
{ business of the country greatly ben,
{ flied.
9 "As. a country, we are all In tav,
y OF the most effective and economic
. expenditure for the development Of OF
L " aterways. but as members of dl
i trict. and as representatives of al
9 tricts. we are selhshly insistent upt
. our share Of public appropriations ea
+ year, however much that division
!. the spoil impedes the adoption OF t
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