The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-08-29

ABOLISH THE PORK BARREL"
Our Inland Waterways Developed Without Waste Graft
BY JAMES A. FREAR
Representative in Congress From Wisconsin.

| local contributions from interests espe-
| riAtly benefited should also be con-
| fcrrc1. The board would be authorized
also 10 build experimental craft. de-
| termine reasonablencSs OF wharfage and
| terminal charges on both rivers and
harbors. Where Improbable railway
rates are maintained to prevent leglt-
innate waterway competition. the board
| would report ID the Interstate COM
| mercr Commission with recommends
ton that Congress give power TO the
! latter. If need b., when and where to
! fix minimum railway ratios.
| Public service should be the first
question determined. Railways and wa
government regulation Of rates and SER
vice should be exercised over water
! ways as we'll as railways. If water
way transportation lines are owned by
| railways. then the railways should be
required to maintain efficient and rea-
Sonable waterway service. Arbitrarily
| TO prohibit railways from owning or
| controlling waterway transportation
| lines is Of no service to the public,
! standing alone. and ordinarily OF little
actual service to independent ooae
| owners
| All these facts should be intelligently
considered and reports made to con-
grcss by the board, together with rec
commended appropriations for real COM
mcrcial projects. These projects should
be placed on a continuing contract basis
and be completed without delay. All
recommendations Of the board should e
considered by the appropriations COM
mittee and be made part Of an annual
financial budget.
Congress Is criticized because Of Its
| failure to adopt business methods ana
no possible defense can be offered for
\ river and harbor or public building
| pork barrel appropriations. but the
fault rests primarily with the people
| back home" community wants a
public building for somNcountry cross
roads or an appropriation to help out
! needy contractors on some uncommer-
clal mud creek. waterpower scheme. prl-
vate land reclamation project. or pri-
waite harbor No intelligent estimate or
commercial needs is offered, but the
congressman Is told he must get tho
appropriation for Lerkwater crossroads.
or Jim Crow creek. or get out. Lopoles
come to Washington. senators and rep
rcsentntires 20 before the board Of en-
ctneers TO put over the project. and the
| coat-tails Of tho committee are pulicn
until the project IL inserted. Then the
! slogan is United We stano' alNluco W.
| fall" The fault rests primarily win
human nature that wants something Tor
nothing from the government treasury
J The present extravagant system IS
bad legislatively md tends to disrupt
and demoralize all work on necessary
waterway projects. because all are
tarred with the same stick. Nothing
could be worse than present legislative
methods. but q change will be impos"
sible until the folks back home are
willing to let commercial needs and not
political influence determine where
public waterway expenditures arc to be
placed Only by pnoIic condemnation
Of present methods will the pork bar
rcl' be driven out Of congress and
businessllke system inaugurated.