The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1914-12-04
At NATIONAL CAPITAL
Paragraphs on Important Gov
eTnment Affairs.
The GREAT "PORK BARREL"
HALT Made In Usual Raids OF
the Treasury.
The Tribune Bureau.
BY j. e. JONES

Washington, d. C.-"See What I
Got For You. NO one ought to
deny but what rivers and harbors ap-
proprations should be made. Al
though transportation by water has
been on the wane in the United
States for a quarter Of century, yet
1t is up to the government to keep
open the useful .sroad beds' for shi ps
just as the railroads accept the
responsibility over their lines Of steel.
In the case o: the Great Lakes, and
with the harbors OF the Atlantic,
Pacific and Gulf, there is no question
but what the work should be prompt
ly done. For years system has been
growing up In Washington of making
appropriations for streams which
never were, or never will be navigable
land II so, only In very negative
way. Congressman have successfully
"got together" many times, and like
papa at ChristMastime have boasted:
"See what I got for you." And the
districts gleefnl over their gewgaws,
aad public monies spent 10 their
midst, have encouraged the p!under,
with little thought to the great
damage Inflicted. Senator Burton is
an expert in congress upon rivers and
harbors; he served for years as chair
man Of the committee OF the house,
and was member Of the waterways
commission. He knows the subject
better than any man 10 public life.
Although he is a member Of the
opposite party he won the president
tn his support, and brought his fill
buster to a success. The result was
that the appropriation was pared to
the bone, and made in such way
that there will likely be only proper
expenditures, and those will be made
through board of engineers who
know what should te done. The
"dry runs" and fishing streams will
have to wait another congress for
money to make them nayigable.
Crying For Pork.-Ylelding to the
fear that the country would not ap-
prove OF extravagant appropriations
for rivers and harbors the congress
cut the last bill to the bone. But
now elections have been held, and
some hungry constituents In localities
where dry runs and waterless rivers
are to be improved are prepared to
come back to Washington IN Decem-
Der In search of about forty million
dollars 10 appropriations. The juicl'
est contents OF the "pork barrel
were placed beyond the reach OF the
politicians last session, and now the
rivers and harbors congress will pro.
mote the plan OF legislation that has
caused such a revolt throughout the
Country. With men like Senators
Burton and Kenyon remaining on the
Job there is not much hope that the
contemplated raid on the treasury
will be successful.
Fixing Weights. The United
States bureau of chemistry is increas-
Ing Its usefulness by publishing in-
FORMATION concerning the regulation
OF net weights, and in promulgating
new orders covering different food
products. It has been found I'M
possible In the past to remove
Questions of doubt as to weight OF
green Goflees received from foreign
countries, and therefore the govern
ment will not insist upon package
Coffee being stamped as to the weight
OF the contents. However, In this
connection the net weight Of cans OF
oysters, clans, shrimps must here
after be stated In terms OF the drained
meat which they contain. The
application Of this principle of weight
Is rapidly being extended to all sorts
OF food supplies.