The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-09-22
MAKES ATTACK ON
PORK BARREL PLAN
President Taft Says Country Is
Aroused Over Control of Legislative
Bodies By Corporations.

CINCINNATI. Ohio, Sept al
In a determined attack on the
present "pork-barrel' system of river
Improvement appropriations Presi'
dent Taft, in a speech here today,
said in part:
Today. you are celebrating the open
ing OF another great improvement
which must in the future have mucn
TO do with the business growth OF the
city. mean the improvement OF the
ohio river from Pittsburg TO Cairo IL
Is to this Improvement that l shall
direct my remarks this afternoon:
The cost OF the Improvement or the
Ohio river is to be upwards OF SoS,-
100000. The plan is 10 appropriate
sufficient money each year so as TO
complete all the dams in twelve years
I wish that congress had arranged 70
sspend the s, money IN far less ;,s cemnletioH
Is not alone important for the immedi-
ate benefit that II will confer COM
mercially in the Ohio valley, put IL Is
important TO vindicate or TO discour,
age further Investments OF this kind
in other directions.
A supervising board OF engineers
should recommend TO congress the I'M
ance and should have the power 10
advise that body that the be inninS
OF certain Improvements should DE
postponed until other improvements
are completely finished. II by no
means follows that a departure from
the present system would postpone
the completion OF many OF these in
provements moFethan theY-are
likely TO be delayed under the present
II is doubtful how far, by executive
order can go in directing the
engineers 10 make recommendations
informing congress as TO the relative
Importance of the projects adoptsu
and entered upon I'M thin Ina,t nI and ID" i
shall ask congress for more power AT
its next session.
In signing the last river and haroor
bill which was subject to the criticism
that many items were contained there
in that were merely piecemeaI' IN
dicated TO congress that the passage
OF another bill of that character would
merit a veto Certainly. until the
fundamental reform Is put INTO erect
the Improvement Of our rivers ana IN
land waterways Will be ehieny I'M
OF the money expended, and not De-
cause OF the betterment OF our trans
portation.
congress or a legislature by private
Interests is manifest and always calls
for condemnation. But there Is an
other kind OF legislative abuse as
and that is the selnsh com
bination OF the representatives or tne
10 expend the money OF the
for the temporary benent
OF a part or with little benefit 10 the
whole IL is the duty OF the majority
and the minority to legislate always
for the benefit OF the whole people.
and any enactments that look TO selhsh
exploitation without beneht 10 the
whole IL a species OF Legislative abuse
that comes very near corruption In It's
effect and is perhaps more dangerous
than corruption. because those who
"A combination
orally bold in it's defense.
The days OF the pork barrel should
be numbered The country Is reused
q ainst corporate or corrupt controi
OF legislative agencies. but IL Is DOUBT
full whether the constituencies as yet
are able 20 perceive the higher obliga-
ton on the part OF themselves and
their representatives not TO use their
votes in combination to appropriate 20
a part that which belongs 10 the
whole