New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-11
To tho Editor OF The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: I am one Of your regular readers.
Your paper is now one Of the livest papers
in the country. The other two that can
think of as being about in the same class are
"The Chicago Tribune" and "The Philadelphia
Ledger" II is not according 70 the nature OF
individuals or newspapers 70 be able 10 De
absolutely fearless and independent. But 70
nv knowledge The Tribune comes nearer 70
being a sane. sensible, American, pubhc-splr-
tied organ than any other newspaper IN the
country to-day. By comparison, 1t Is very
refreshing. You are gaining more than you
are losing my your present policy.
enjoy your editorial page in particular
the letters from your readers no less tnan
YOUR editorials. am wondering whether
may qualify as a contributing editor by start
ING little discussion. should like TO get
thoughts Of two topics and one person out or
my system. They have a bearing upon one
another The two topics are the pork bar
rel and the Office OF the President OF the
United States. The person is Theodore Roose-
velt I wish merely 20 call them to your at
tention by way of suggestion, so that you
may, II in your wisdom you think it advisable,
give them your attention.
The pork barrel. What Is IL? The great
est Of all national evils. II IS the short
sighted selfshness Of every voter, though he
may be either ignorant or unconscious OF -
Let us cut out hystericsl patriotism and get
down 60 practical patriotism. The United
States Treasury is the pork barrel. We send
- ta r,urh
as he possibly can out OF that Treasury TO
bring back TO our district for Us 70 spend.
R.sult-millions wasted; millions squandered
unnecessarily, criminally in certain districts;
empty Treasury; no money to build a real
navy or TO support real army; income tax
and war tax 10 raise money TO run the gov
eminent.
Under the pork barrel system we are sim
ply robbing ourselves; We are becoming a
nation of pigs, greedily erowding around the
national trough, fighting only for our local
interests, quite ignorant of the fact that local
interests are dependent upon national inter
ests. If We believe that in union there Is
strength then we as people must stop act
ing like hogs and act like people Of a nation.
The pork barrel is an evil much more Grim
inal than either the pension bill or the subsi-
dization of legislation by large financial in
terests.
Instead OF hypocritcal talk about standing
by the flag let's cut out the root Of this evil.
What knife shall we use- The budget sys-
tenn. England has had tho same pork barrel
troubles that we have. England had to come
to the budget system. Our well-meaning fore
fathers, jealous Of representative rights,
wished the pork barrel on the nation, little
dreaming what a tremendous graft it would
develop into.
Then there Is the Office OF President. Abol-
Ish that Office. Substitute the Office of pre-
mier Our well-meanlng forefathers gave US
President "a check on Congress. Well,
he not only checks Congress, but he checks
everything else. II he makes mess of things
we must put up with him-impeachment gen
orally being out Of the question-for two or
three years. Every four years the country
is turned upside down, its business policy
changed for political reasons. II he is a
good President We want him for another four
years That necessitates the abuses of pat
ronsgc.
Cannot the people OF the United States
imagine that We are a business corporation ?
Our Congress should be a board Of directors,
representing US as national stockholders The
board of directors (Congress) should elect
premier Prosident). and that premier
should hold his portfolio only so long as he
responds to the opinion Of tho nation as rep
resented by Congress. Both England and
France, neither of which is as politically rot