The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-09-24
RAPS PORK BARREL
Taft DenOunCeS Plan and
Demands Reform.
URGES SCIENTIFIC WORK
The President Declares He Will
Veto River and Harbor Bills
of the Future if He is
Not Needed.

Cincinnati, o., Sept. 22.-"Pork bar.
rel" legislation and 'log-rolling' In
congress came in for vigorous denun'
citation by President Taft In a speech
delivered before the Ohio Valley I'm
provement association and the Busi'
ness Mems club.
The president made It plain that, so
far as he could bring 1t about, this
method of distributing the public
money had come to an end. The veto
axe was the weapon he said he would
use to effect this reform II necessary.
The presidents speech was deliy'
cred in Music hall before an audience
OF 5000 OF the presidents home folks
who we're warmed to enthusiastic out
bursts OF applause. They gave Mr..
Taft an ovation as he lauded the en-
terprise of the city where he said he
intended to spend the rest Of his days
when his public duties are brought to
an end.
The waterways of the country was
the presidents theme, the discussion
being based upon the project to spend
$50. 100000 In constructing fifty-four
locks and dams in the Ohio river In
the next twelve years He pointed out
that the railroads always have had the
advantages OF water routes for trans
portation and set forth that one OF bis
legislative aims was to give the inter
mi . q Hon Il
compel Joint rates between railroads
and water carriers. Cooperation OF
these two methods Of trafiic-bearing
he declared to be a great stride for
ward in stimulating the commerce oil
the nation.
Mr.. Taft pointed out that railroads
had crushed water competition by low
ering rates and then raising them
again when water carriers had glyer
up the struggle He said that the rail
road bill passed at the last session
of congress contained provision that
would prevent this crushing out Of
competition in the future.
The question OF providing adequate
terminals for loading and unloading
boats, the president said. was great
problem, and he urged that the river
men and inventors turn their attention
to this subject.
Denounces "Piece-Mear Plan.
Then Mr. Taft paid his respects te
congressional action on waterways
He spoke of theoretical congratulations
in waterway connections and then OF
congress apportioning the money to be
expended so that all the various con
gressional districts got some without
regard to the comparative Importance
of the various projects.
THE days Of the pork barrel should
be numbered" he said, and intimated
that by executive order he would di
rect the boards of engineers passing
upon the practicabilty OF various riy
or and harbOr projects to report which
wer the most important to the people
as a whole. This, he said, the boards
we're not enforced to do under a strict
| Interpretation Of the law. 1t was this
defect that he blamed for the pork
barrel" methods employed. He assert
ed that people had been thoroughly
aroused against corporate or corrupt
control of legislative bodies and that
1t was time they took an equally firm
stand against piece-meal and unscien
tifc expenditures from the treasury
without regard to the good to the PEG
pie as a whole.
The president was in the hands oil
the Ohio Valley exposition officials the
I major part of the time being spent al
the exposition grounds. He was escort
ed to the exposition by a committee
of exposition directors. who met him
at the home of Charles p. Taft, where
he is staying. At the exposition the
president was received by directors
honorary commission members and
Mayor Schwab.
After an inspection Of exhibits the
president was the guest at luncheon
Then he went to Music hall to deliver
his speech.