Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1908-04-23
Fewer Laws and Better.

this Republic has ever known
proclaimed the doctrine that that
government was best in which
the people were least governed.
That doctrine holds as good to-
day as when it was pronounced.
The curse of the times is too
much agitation, too much repres-
sion, too much interference
with the guaranteed rights OF
the citizen, too muc hmeddling,
too much espionage-too much
government.
The threat and danger of the
times is in the insidious growth
of socialism, which, in its final
analysis, means to destroy initia-
tive, yaralyze competition, and to
erect upon the ruins of democ-
racy a paternalistic system I'M
Dire which the citizen would be-
come the ward and servant of
government instead of the crea-
tor and master of the govern
ment.
Therefore, on the principle
that too much government is de-
structive of the fundamental
rights and constitutional liber-
ties of the people, and that too
much government must inevita-
bly, lead to socialism, the confer
erence of Commercial Clubs,
which was held in Fort Worth
on March IL, 1908, adopted as a
declaration of purpose the slogan
of "FeaUer La1Os, Better Laa0s."
In the hope of making the slo-
gan of "Fe1Oer LdaoS, Better
LaaOS" an effective one, we now
call upon the people to join us
in an organized, vigorous and
sustained effort to inaugurate an
era of rational and patriotic leg
islation in Texas that will result
in the repeal, modification or
emendation of harmful or OBJ
iectionable laws and in diminish
ing the rising volume of expert
mental and dangerous laws that
are biennailly shoveled into the
legislative hopper at Austin.
In submitting this appeal we
make no war upon the present
administration, nor do we intend
to launch a propaganda of i'll
considered criticism against the
Thirtieth Legislature. On the
contrary, our distinct purpose
is to reason with the one and to
treat the surviving members of
the other in a spirit which we
believe will promote the highest
and best interests of this great
State, and to present plain,
business like and patriotic pro-
test against any further agita-
ton that is calculated to imperil
investment; to menace, rather
than to stimulate, industrial en-
terprise, and to outlaw foreign
capital.
We do not condemn the Thir-
tieth or preceding Legislatures
because of unwise and hurtful
laws, as bad as many of them
have been, so much as we con-
denim the legislative threat and
tendency of the times.
This tendency has resulted in
suspending industrial activity;
in arresting factory develop
ment; in limiting our credit and
narrowing the market for our Sc
curities by shutting the State out
from the most reliable sources
of cheap money; in suspending
railroad construction; in deny
ing markets to the products of
the farm, and in putting the
State at the mercy of dema-
gogues and professional office
seekers who have grown fat
from feeding on it's misfortunes.
We believe that government
exists for the conservation of the
public good and the public safe
ty, and that good government is
impossible where those of it's cit
liens upon whose energies, toll
and capital the State must de-
pend fir it's prosperity and pro-
gress, are careless in their selec-
ton of public servants.
We believe that no government
can be well balanced in justice
and fair dealing while one class
of citizens can do openly and
without unfavorable comment
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