Current Issues

ay from internal the Potomac River to Ohio. Subse- improvements, quently, an appropriation was made in aid of the Delaware Canal. Prior to the Civil War the present minority party made liberal appropriations in aid of railway construction, and during the Civil War, and subsequent thereto, the present majority party pursued the same policy. Many millions have been spent in dredging harbors and rivers for the encouragement of both domestic and foreign commerce. Thus, even before the Civil War, the trend was toward centralization, and from then till now Congress has been lavish in expenditures within the several States for the performance of tasks which the States might perform. Even the present minority party, though vigorously denouncing the policy ofcentralization, furnished supporters for every pending measure looking thereto. The law recently enacted, giving the National Government supervision of quarantines, received in Sanitation both Houses of Congress support of every Enactments. avowed opponent of centralization. Several of the Gulf States sold or leased to the Government, and others discontinued, their quarantine stations, thus voluntarily surrendering to the Government a prerogative which the State might appropriately exercise. The Pure Food Bill, giving to the National Government the right to enter the several States and examine into the sanitary condition of packing houses and other manufactories of food products, also had the support of avowed op...