Perth Amboy evening news., 1913-02-20
COMMENT BY THE PRESS
ARE WE ALL GRAFTERS?

Are we a nation of grafters? A good test of what
we are has often been furnished by the almost unani-
nous desire for a continuation of an outrageous high
tariff tax upon some article of general use among the
people in a particular community where the manufac-
turing plant turned out such an article. Another test
Is furnished now, as it often has been before, by the
items in the congressional pork bill, which proposes
10 Jake over S25,O0O,O00 out of the public treasury
and distribute it 30 we'll that 1t commands the votes of
enough congressman to pass it.
We have in mind a town In Pennsylvania of less
than 5000 population which has been named In the
latest pork" bni at Washington to receive 500, 900
the town knows how ridiculous is the proposition to
spend 100000 on such 4 project. If their own coun-
the amount on a municipal building to take care Of all
OF their public business they would be holding meet-
ings to denonnes them as public thieves. At least they
would get out an injunction restraining them from
such a project. on grounds that would naturally suggest
themselves to every taxpayer in the community.
But are they holding meetings to protest against
being parties to have Uncle Sam take 500, 900 out of
his chest and build a structure wholly unwarranted?
Not on your life, On the contrary. the whole town is
in high glee over the outlook. The newspapers-Re-
publican as we'll as Democratic-tell us that everyone
is rejoicing over the news from Washington. They
are in line to get some OF the pork which makes all
Of the difference in the world. Their congressman may
be q public thief In the eyes OF some other people. bnt
that Is only because ne has not arranged to steal some
thing from Uncle Sam for hem.-Philadelphia Record.
The housefy is catching 1t in worldwide fashion
Recent reports from the Panama Canal Zone. from
Egypt, from Honolulu, from Corea, from Singapore.
and widely separated corners of the earth the menace
Of this pestiferous little insect is understood, and re-
Fedi vigorous eHoTts TO 90 away with 1t. There is hone
for the health of the race in the spread of this warfare.
for 1t denotes an increase of general sanitary knowl-
edge, as well as the growth OF a movement against one
carrier of disease.-Newark Evening News.
1t is a favorite old dodge to proclaim that one Is
going to- stand on two horses at once and guide both
where neither wants to go-before election. Expert
ence has proven that the straddler usually settles him
self firmly on the back of the good old plug known as
the machine. BY just what kind OF gymnastics Mr..
Katzenbach expects to perform his stunt of making the
Smith-Nugent forces and the Wilson forces work har-
moniously together. we don't know, and we are sure
he doesn't either.-Newark Evening News.
Perhaps one reason for the indiscriminate slaughter
OF birds and animals is to be found in the general
tendency to kill without thinking about the possible
/ results. The home, the school and the press should do
what is in their power to educate the rising generation
into proper notions concerning mans obligations to the
lower forms Of life.-Trenton State Gazette.
Democrats after Office have sought carefully the
man who has most influence with Woodrow Wilson.
They have found him. His name contains 13 letters.