Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-02-05
LEAGUE Of VOTERS
RAPS PORK Bills
SAYS MOST OF TIME OF CON-
oREss is SPENT IN PASSING
PRIVATE LEGISLATION.
IMPORTANT NATIONAL
AFFAIRS NEGLECTED
Thousands Of Pension Bills, Once Re-
jeeted by Department. introduced in
First Week Of ssssion-Beeoms Po-
IitieaI Capital Of consrsssmen-Pri-
vats Claims Bills Assailed.

V0to SIdtInS 6iJl8 A8Salte0.
Washington, Feb. 5.-A severe ar
fragment Of congress for giving more
lation than to the affairs of the whole
nation was issued by the National Vot-
ers' League.
The league says that fully nine
tenths Of the business of congress is
purely private and local. and that
senators and representatives place
themselves In the attitude of coming
together in friendly fashion to decker
and trade in behalf Of innumerable in
dependent little countries"
To illustrate it's contention the league
presents the following analysis of the
bills introduced in the first seven days
of the session of the house:
Pension bills IA
Changing military records ....... 191
Clalns 1,03i
Local improvements ............. 453
Miscellaneous local matters ...... 265
Total political bills .,......... 5000
Public bills for same period ..... 1873
Department Rejects Most Claims.
Practically every private claim in
the list of Ala bills was first pre-
scented to the pension department and
rejected" the league says. Then the
congressman whose voting constituent
the applicant happens to be steps in
and introduces a bill to accomplish
what the pension department has too
much integrity or too little authority
to do.
There is not the slightest excuse.
excepting professional politics, for
congressional action in any individual
case. If the laws are not sufficiently
elastic, If the pension department needs
more equity Jurisdiction, 1t could easily
and quickly be given. Congress could
once and for all be rid of that cor
rupting influence.
But. being primarily a political and
not a public institution. congress OBJ
viously prefers to worse than waste
it's time with these petty personal is
sues There IL a political commission
for the congressman in each personal
or glocal action. That commission Is
not measured in money but in votes.
Pensions Are Political Capital.
This explains why 80 per cent busi-
ness Of congress IS purely personal and
local, which means political. The idea
is Tor each member to do something.
or ut least appear to do something. for
tha greatest possible number of tndi-
vidnals and communities in his dis
trfet His reward Is reelection. thru
tho combined influence Of those whose
petty selfish interests he has served"
The league lists the following mem
berg as having introduced more than
fifty private pension bills each during
the first seven days Of the session:
Sam R. Sells, Tennessee (rep) ...20S
Courtney W. Hamilton. Missouri
Warren Gard, Ohio (dem.) ...... Ill
Joseph Taggart. Kansas (dem) =. 50
George F.. O'Shaughnessy, Rhode
bland (dem.) ................... 30
Robert Y. Thomas, Jr.. Kentucky
Gnem-) .................. ~
Joshua w. Alexander, Missouri
(dem.) ......-............ 50
John A. Key, Ohio (dern.) ......... 10
Joseph ]. Russell. Missouri (dem.>. "a
William G.. Brown, Jr, West Vir-
ginia (dem.) II
John A M. Adair, Indiana (dem.).. II
Philip P. Campbell, Kansas (rep.). So
Champ Clark. Missouri (dem.) -. so
Clyde H. Tavenner. Illinois (dem.). 50
Lincoln Dixon, Indiana (dem.) -. Sc
Assaiis Private Claims Bills.
POLITICALLY. the private claim is a
first cousin to the private pension"
the league says. 1.-THE United States
has court of claims. This institu-
ton is supposed to have jurisdiction
over private claims But when the
court of claims rejects private bill
against the government as question
able or illegitimate. or for some techs
meal reason, the matter may be taken
up by congress in the form Of bill.
1T would be easy and simple to pro-
vide for the elimination OF all the local
issues which have not been considered
by class. Two questions are involved
in such q transition: "a The saving
OF time for national matters: and (2)
the divorcing Of the pork barrel and
legislation The elimination Of all
local issues would 80 far to remove
both obstacles. But 1t is equally i'm
portant that the present method of
making appropriations be replaced by
a responsible budget system. These
measures are privileged and require
from one fourth to wo-thirds Of the
time of congress"