Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-09-22

| lroused by the confident and just be-
lief that by a more symmetrical reas-
enable and prompt expenditure OF
money upon approved projects, rates
Of transportation may he lowered, and
the business OF the country greatly
| benefited.
| You could collect. If you desIfed,
waterways conventions. full OF states
libraries OF record of meetings OF
| waterways conventions, full of stats
! lies, full of generalizatiOns, full of
| eloquence and full of prophesies as to
| he marvellous Improvement of water
ways near at hand. Then you change
he scene and go into the rivers and
| harbors committee of the lower house,
Or INTO The committee of commerce
| IN the senate, and YOU find the same
old methods pursued. the same dis
iribution of money among the con
gressional Districts. the same SLOW
| almost imperceptible steps toward the
| completion of many enterprises in
| many years, and you begin to realize
| that il IS one thing to pass resolu-
tons. enc thing to generalize and
ievelop possibilities into fancied facts.
| and II is quite another thing to get
rid of system that strikes its roots
| down deep into the fallibility Of hum
| IN nature.
| AS country. we are all in favor OF
the most effective and economical ex-
1 nonHfts,r, h.
waterways. but as members of a dis
trici. and as representatives of dis
tric;s. we are selishly ins:stent upon
our share of public appropriations
each year. however. much that di-
vision of the spoil impedes the sdop-
ton OF the effective and economical
Improvement Of cur water transporia-
ton.
! In signing he last river and harbor
bill. which had manv Ct the charac-
eristics Of previous bills and was sub
sect to the criticism that many items
we're contsined therein that were
merely p'ecemeal. indicated to con-
Eress that the passage of another Dill
II that character would merit veto.
ventured to saw this in order 10
bring to the attention Of congress the
necessity fer a change in the form
of the bills, and | am hopeful that
With the reason and argument all on
The side Ct the change. The suggestion
| Contained in nv memorandum may be
| ziven weight. Certainly. until this
\ Ia ta1 L. frsA
he Improvement Of our rivers and
| inland waterways will be chiefly i'm
rortant because Of the lrai advant.
age OF the money expended, and not
because Of he bettermcnt of our
Transportation.
The evil In the corrupt control OF a
congress or a legislature by private
interest IS manifest and always calls
for condemnation. But there Is an
other kind Of legislation abouse as
dangerous 10 public veal in certain 81
rs aspects as corruption. and that Is
he selfish combination Of the repre-
sentatiyes Of the majority Of the con-
Stituencies 10 exDend the money Ct
ne government fer the temporary
benefit a. a part or with little benefit
70 the whole u Is the dutv % thr
majority and the minority 20 legislaie
The whole az the expense o; the whole
people. and any en=ctments that look
the selfish exploitation e. less than
he whole az a. expense % the vhoe-
md without benefit to the whole. IA a
species Of legislative abuse that
comes verv near corruption IN iis e.
iecf. and - perhaps more dangerous
han corruption. because these who
support such . combination arc gen
orally bold IN is defense. The DAYS
Of the pork barrel should BE- number.
Cd. The country Is reused against
the corporate or corrupt control Of
Legislative agencies. but = is doubtful
whether the constituencies - yet
,are able 70 perceive the higher obiiga
tion on the part Of themselves and
fheiT representative. not 20 rse their
votes IN combination 20 appropr aie
tc part that which belongs 70 the
lvh0,s