The Washington herald., 1917-03-04
Would Replace u. S. Eagle
With Photo of Pork Barrel
Representative E5ank ("Public Buildings') Clark,
of Florida, Pours $4,000 of Treasury Funds
Into Three Towns You Can't Find on Map

Il am a disciple of Andrew Jackson.
and l believe that to the victor belongs
the spoils'"
(Citizens of Fernandina, Mariana, and
Ocala register cheers" Flags atop
Federal buildings at Fernandina, Marian
ma. and Ocala register ''flutter.'O
But Representative Frank Clark speaks
further:
Il am in favor of reasonable prepared
ness; but If preparedness means stoppage
of all progress. If it means that the
works of internal improvement must
cease, then 1 am against preparedness,
tooth and nail. forever and a day."
Whence comes this man with his heart
of generosity and spirit of patriotism, you
ask? Why is his name not written high
er on the tablets of fame? Why Is his
biography not better known? For a
| simple reason. friends; for simple rea-
son. This man hasn't got any biography.
That is as far as the congressional di-
rectory ''morgue" goes For Representa-
tive Frank Clark's biography contains
but two salient points He came from
Florida and he had the good fortune or
i'll fortune. as the case may be, to be
elected to the House of Representatives
Y years ago.
Evidently he has served his people we'll
Thre is no good reason why Fernandina,
Mariana, and Ocala should not continue
to call him a prince among patriots.
When Representative Frank Clark ar
rived at the Capitol on his first trip he
was assigned to the Committee on Public
Buildings. And he remained there He
was reelected and reelected and he was
re-assigned and re-assigned to the Com
mittee on Public Buildings. Other MEM
bers of the committee was not reelected.
And still other members died. And still
other members got lost In sundry other
ways. And after these gentlemen had
become lame ducks or had died or had
, got lost, Representative Frank Clark
| awoke one fine morning to find that he
was the oldest lnhabitant-the senior
member of the committee. That's how
Representative Frank Clark rose to
fame. oh, perseverance; oh, regularity;
oh. old man seniority, thou art a jewel!
Thus runs the story of Fernandina,
Mariana, and Ocala- 1t tells, as in a
parable the true story of pork" But
Florida is not the only State that eats
Congressional pork The 7H people of
/ Fallon, New. God bless the cute little
town-wonder how it ever happened to
fall onD, have a $4,000 post-office
Evanstown. Wyo., with $500 inhabi-
tants, has a S1S5,0OO building. Gains
vile, Fla, with 5000 residents-the home
/ town of Representative Frank Clark,
prince of patriots-has s15O,000 structure.
Foolish" queries Representative
Clark. why. of course. it's not foolish.
| Podunk's people should be as patriotic as
Boston's"
'Punk," Say Efficiency Men.
But the pork" eaters don't have
everything their way. The efficiency ex-
perts of the government look upon Rep
| resentative Clark's pork and patriot
ism" theory as punk" It's a sheer
waste of the peoples money, they say.
/ It's a clear-cut case Of theft. One Repre-
sentative says:
'You approve my steal and I'll approve
your steal"
And SO the Representative from Sun
dance, Wyo.. votes for the public build
ing in Vernal, Utah. and the Represent
ative from Vernal gladly votes for the
magnificent structure In Sundance
The leading foes of this system are
| Postmaster General Burleson and Secre-
tary Of the Treasury McAdoo. Under the
| jurisdiction of Secretary McAdoo comes
the function OF designing and erecting
| Federal buildings in all parts Of the
| United states. And most Of these build
( ings-postoffices as rule-are occupied
by employees under direction OF Postmas-
ter General Burleson. These men believe
in efficiency. They believe that pork
for some means poverty for others.
Take your choice. Choose pork and
patriotism" or prudential pruning"