The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-02-07
Both Have Provided Frequent
Surprises For Politicians.
COLONEL HAD HARDER TIME
He Was Opposed BY Leaders In His
Party, Whereas President Wilson Has
Support of Observation-Disclosures
For "Pork" Criticism Rests With Con-
sress. Says Langley.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

The constant succession OF surprises
which the president has given the pol
iticians makes us bark back to the
days when another president was Civ
EN- to something OF the same sort.
There is this difference between
President Wilson and President Roose-
welt: Wilson has the almost solid sup
port OF his party; Roosevelt generally
had the opposition of the leaders Of his
party for most of the schemes and
much of the legislation which he
recommended. Sometimes friends of
Roosevelt urged him not to take ad-
vanced positions on public affairs. but
he insisted that governments must go
forward or they would retrograde.
Dealt In Domestic Affairs.
President Roosevelt dealt in domes-
tic affairs. at least TO great extent.
for we were so situated during his
term i'm the White House that our for
eign complications were not as acute
a. they have been since the great war
In Europe began. Besides. We did not
r0rs and the destruction Of American
lives and property.
lust what Roosevelt would have done
under all the circumstances which have
surrounded President Wilson is one OF
the things that no mind could guess.
as President Wilson.
At all events, the United States has
had two presidents who have not al
lowed interest 10 flag
charessble to Members.
Members Of congress, earnestly and
sincerely favoring public buildings and
appropriations for rivers and harbors.
smart under newspaper and magazine
criticisms OF pork" Congressman
Langley of Kentucky in a speech In
the house referred to this. saying:
"Of course a good deal of the respon-
sibility for II Is justly chargeable to
that class OF newspapers and maya
zines Of the country that tiippantly and
\ without regard for truth charge men In
the public service with conspiring to
gether to loot the treasury for their re
spective districts and to frame and
pass pork bills with that end In view
aud without regard TO the merits OF
! the proposition involved. The course
which these newspapers and maga
zines have taken and the reckless mis-
statements OF facts In which they have
INDUCED is reprehensible enough. the
\ Lord knows. But at the same time
l think that much of the responsibility
for the situation TO which | have re
ferred Is justly chargeable TO certain
members of congress themselves"
THAT Is right" spoke up member.
And 1t Is fact that the severes
criticisms of so called pork barrel
legislation are heard on the floor of tn,
senate and house.
Testing . Reformer.
Congressman Frear of Wisconsin hae
an able assistant in Congressman
James of Michigan In the fight b,
made against the public building bill
Congressman Austin of Tennessee
who believes I'm public buildings, du,
up the bill which James indorsed 70
public building in his own hom'
town.
DO you think that every time ;
man indorses bill for public build
ing he believes that bill Is all right? :?
asked James.
Well" replied Austin. II would ex
pect i'm reformer like yourself ant
your working colleague, Frear, tha
you would practice precisely what 20,
preach
i A Growing Bureau.
When the children's bureau wa
created an appropriation Of $25,OO'
was made for its maintenance. Sine
then the appropriations have gon
bounding upward until it costs hun
dreds OF thousands Of dollars, and a
every session of congress increases ar
made for investigation of various In
fantile diseases. 1t was charged In
debate In the senate the other day tha
i. the children's bureau Is now over
tapping the work done by the publ
health service, which has long beel
well recognized and which has accom-
plished good results.
During the discussion Of the subjec
In the senate quite number OF sen
ators were opposing these Increases
: appropriations. and Senator Kenyon o
Iowa took the ground that as long a
, congress made appropriations to invef
. tigate the boil weevil. diseases of th
wild duck and made large appropris
; tions to prevent the spread Of disease
among oil kinds OF stock It WAS rsths