New-York tribune., 1916-07-29
Surrendering to the Pork Hunters


new spirit of nationalism. He fuently
descants on the necessity of new Amerl-
canism, of closer coordination of our scat
tered interests and of greater efficiency
on the part of our national government.
But when the time comes to translate
phrases into action he fails us. No Pres
ident ever had more inspiring oppor-
tunity than he had, when Congress sent
him its S42,OOO,O0O river and harbor pork
grab. to align himself triumphantly on the
side of misunderstanding nationwide
interests first and far above the petty, and
for the most part fictitious, interests OF
states and Congress districts. If Mr. Wiz
son had had courage TO veto the river and
harbor abomination, he would have stood
before the world as an American states
man resolute enough to cut loose from the
traditions of pork-hunting parochiallsm.
He would have won respect and honor by
challenging the odious legislative system
through which Representatives and Sen
ators rife the Federal Treasury for the
sake of the wherewithal with which to an
swer the sordid question: What did you
bring back home with you?'
The bill which the President has just
signed is in some respects the most scan
dalous ever sent to the White House for
approval. Public opinion has been great
ly aroused in recent years against the ac-
tivities of the Congressional pork hunters.
There were successful filibusters IN the
Senate against the river and harbor
measures of 1914 and 1915, and the eX-
penditure carried in those two bills had
TO be cut down from S92,00O,OOO to S5O,'
100000 before they got to the President
This years single measure, loaded up IN
accordance with the worst methods of the
past. carries s42,O00000. The greater
part of this money will be spent on
projects of purely local interest, from
which no permanent national beneht can
ever result. or is even expected to result.
Most of the improvements authorized are
not coordinated with any general plan OF
waterway development. The motive be-
hind them is not economic, but only selfish
ly political.
In speech in the House of Repre-
sentatives on April 10 last Mr.. Frear, OF
Wisconsin, one of the most courageous
opponents of pork barrel legislation OF all
sorts. thus described the egregious failure
of the policy of river improvements to
which Congress has obstinately clung;
after appropriating SS50,OOO,OOO
for American waterways, over $780,
100000 of which has been expended,
and approximately half of which has
gone into rivers, creeks and canals,
practically not one river or canal,
apart from deep waterways, has
proven a success commercially. The
Ohio and Monongahela, by reason OF
coal deposits at their headwaters,
have preserved semblance of their
commerce, but the Mississippi has lost
approximately 90 per cent of its COM
merce while we have been expending
Sl50000.000 on that river. The Mis-
souri, has become practically deserted,
after an expenditure of $20,0OO,OOO.
The Ohio has not held its own, after
an expenditure of over $5O,OOO,OOO.
The Tennessee has lost most of its
river trade Of fifty years ago, al
though S11,000,000, in round num-
bers, has been appropriated for locks
and dams and other Improvements.
$50 the list could be continued in
definitely TO include the Warrior. Ala
bama, Coosa, Cumberland, Trinity,
Brazos, Arkansas, 0uachita, Red and
other rivers and canals. We are vast
ing money on aimless ventures, and
are making no effort TO get any eco
nomic or scientific understanding of
the waterway question, depending en-
trely on local insistence in determin-
ing the appropriations we distribute.
We may spend another S400,000,000
on rivers, creeks and canals without
any substantial increase in actual
commerce, judging from past expert
ence. Army engineers fur
nsh misleading commercial reports of
rivers and canals as a basis for fut-
ure appropriations. After deducting
sand, gravel, government construction
material, logs and timber, which float
on a small depth, the net commerce,
aided by expensive improvements, is
ordinarily slight and of little value
compared with the money spent"
This is a moderate statement of the out
rageous results of the present outworn
river and harbor improvement policy,
which enlightened economic opinion con-
demns, but which the spoilers in Congress
still eagerly pursue. No President with
constructive instincts, with proper sense
of his duty to the nation as whole would
hesitate to repudiate this obnoxious policy
and 10 trampe it under foot. Yet Mr..