The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1922-04-06

the country want $4,000, 900, 900 for adj
d~itional trackage, rolling stock and
terminal facilities, and the big ques-
tion in Washington seems to be meth
DDS for getting it.
And while the railroads continue
their complaints of inability to cope
with the transportation problem, ev-
cry attempt to utilize the natural
waterways of the country to supple
ment the railroads, is headlined
throughout the country as a raid on
the treasury" or pork barrel legls-
~lation.' The Great Lakes-St. Law
renee waterway would cost a mere
bagatelle as compared with expendl-
lures that must be made for the rail-
roads, but it is put off year after year
on the ground of economy. Mean
while it's advocates point out the
great benefits in transportation that
would result through such a water
ways system.
A few congressman from arid-des-
ert regions in the Southwest have
made the usual howl about the riv-
ers and harbors bill. The engineer
ing corps of the war department rec
commended appropriations for $63 ,O00,-
600 and the chief of engineers cut the
estimates to SAP, 900, 600. Then came
Then came the Budget estimate"
which in its policy Of slashing all ap-
preparations, recommended that only
$27, 000, 900, 600 be allowed. The house
of representatives got a little tired Of
having everybody act as headSmen
and by the decisive vote of 15S to "a,
put the bill through the house along
the lines of estimates made by the
chief Of engineers-$42,81 Sic, 661.
1t has been the fashion to build up
popular prejudice against these COM
paratively small appropriations for in
ternal improvements, and while con
gress has been cheese-paring in this
direction, billions of dollars have
been voted for other purposes. When
the war came on the raids on the
treasury for rivers and harbors were
checked, and many of the harbors of
the country were allowed to sit and
fill with the result that in many in
stances where projects contemplated
deepening the channels fer navigation
to a definite depth, the harbors have
filled up SO that we have a less depth
than at the time the project was
adopted.
When the country comes to study
the rivers and harbors situation it
will realize that the development Of
waterways transportation has o n
tanned less raids on the treasury"
and less pork barrel" than is Incl
dent to most forms of public improve
ment. A few glazing instances of the
use of public money secured through
some scheming congressman for the
dredging of Fish Creek" is wholly ir-
revelant when the justice of appro-
p%riations are considered to improve
transportation for the good Of the peo-
pie along the Great Lakes, and on the
seaboards of the Atlantic, Pacific, the
Gulf of Mexico, and on n~avigable rfv-
ers. The rivers and harbors bills
have been the refuge for political
demagogues to show how they saved
a few thousand dollars in billion dol
lar congresses for the past rs years,
and it is high time that the bluff of
the cheese-parers was understood by
the public.
The Newberry case is being de-
bated in many states. The argument
is being used that the direct election
of senators is SO expensive that a poor
man cannot afford to run for Senator.
But Bradstreet's organ would hardly
endorse the claim that the senate is
a rich mans club" and yet there is
always a suspicion that a good many
Of it's members have been elected fol.
Of money. But how are the people to
be informed about the virtues Of can.
didates without the printed and
spoken word being sent broadcast
throughout a state? Bargain hunters
might "cut the %corners'' and get a
senatorship at a cheap rae. but the
average politician will tell you it is
a hard game to run a good cam
paign without spending a little bad
money" What is Senator Pepper go.
ing to do in Pennsylvania where the
voters learned their lessons Ia the
schools Of Quay and Penroee? Sen
ator Townsend CT Michigan was be-
tween the deep blue sea and the Re-
publicans, and naturally he voted
with the latter in the Newberry trial.
Senator LaFollette, although a Repub-
lican, voted against N~ewberry. Both
senators claim their party votes on
their record. But just see what con-
fronts Beveridge and New in Indiana.
The prices of senatorships will figure
in state elections this year.
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