Omaha daily bee., 1910-09-22

be promptly on hand at each session for an
appropriation.
We have re1ched a new epoch in the
matter Of the improvement Of our water
ways. The public Is greatly aroused by the
confident and just belief that by more
symmetrical. reasonable and prompt ex-
penditure OF money upon appropriated pro-
iects rates for transportation may be
lowered and the business Of the country
entirely benefited.
I'VE could collect. IL we desired. libraries
Of records OF meetings Of waterways con-
ventions. full Of statistics, fun Of generali-
cations, fun OF eoquence and full OF
prophesies as to the marvellous improve
ment OF waterways near at hands Then
you change the 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 distribution OF
money among the congressional districts.
the same slow. almost imperceptibe steps
towards the completion Of many enter
prises in many years and you begin to
realize that It is one thing to pass resolu-
tons and one thing to generalize and de-
velop possibilities into fancied facts and It
is was quite another thing to get rid of
system that strikes its roots down deep
into the fallibility of human nature.
Selfishness Part of EVIL.
AS country, we are all in favor OF the
most effective and economical expenditures
for the development of our waterways, but
as members Of district and as represen-
tatives of districts we are selfishly insis-
| tent upon our shares of public appropria-
lions each year however much that dlvi-
sion Of al -
the effective and economical improvement
of our water transportation.
we who live on the banks of the Ohio
river are not different from other people
living on other waterways possible of de-
Velopment and needing Improvement We
happen to be more fortunate than others
| i'm that In calm and impartial considera-
ton of all these projected improvements for
river transportation there is none that Of
| fers such great a probability of success
and benefit to the entire country as the
Improvement Of the Ohio river from Pitts
| burg to Cairo. We are. therefore naturally
on the right side Of the controversy and
we can easily favor adopting a piece
meal system of dividing the spoils among
districts, and of centering all the energy
and the capital of the government in the
completion first Of one great plan and then
another and then another.
| "In signing the last river and harbor bill
1 indicated to congress that the passage of
another bill of that character would merit
a veto. l ventured to say this in order to
bring to the attention of congress the
necessity for a change in the form of the
bills and l am hopeful that with the rea-
! son and argument all on the side of the
change, the suggestion contained in my
memorandum may bear fruit Certainly
until the fundamental reform is put into
| effect the Improvement of our rivers and
inland waterways will be chiefly important
because of the local advantage of the
money expended and not because Of the
betterment of our transportation.
Dangerous Form of Corruption.
THE evil in the corrupt control of a
congress or a legislature by private inter
ests is manifest and always calls for con-
domination. But there is another kind OF
legislative abuse as dangerous to public
veal in certain of its aspects as corruption
and that in order that the selfish combina-
ton of the representatives of the majority
of the constituencies to expend the money
of the government for the temporary bene-
tit of a part or with little benefit to the
| whole. 1t is the duty of the majority and
the minority to legislate always for the
benefit of the whole people and any en-
actments that look to the selfish exploita-
lions OF less than the whole at the expense
of the whole. and without benefit to the
whole, is a species OF legislative abuse that
comes very near corruption in it's effects
and is perhaps more dangerous than cor
ruption because those who support such a
combination are generally bold in its de
Tense. The days of the pork barrel should
be numbered. The country is reused
against corporate or corrupt control of
legislative agencies, but it is doubtful
whether constituencies as we yet are liable
to perceive the higher obligations on the
part Of themselves and their represents
tives, not to use their votes in combination
to appropriate to a part that which belongs
| to the whole"