Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-03-26
WILL DEMOCRACY LEAD OR FAIL!

have control of but one branch of con-
gress, will handle the purse strings of
the republic, and they will serve the
country we'll if they will take the ad-
vice OF James A. Tawney, chairman of
the house appropriation committee of
the recently expired congress. and
concentrate the responsibility for pub
lie expenditures. Mr.. TaWney re
Gently gave to the New York Sun his
views upon this subject and they are
we'll worth earnest consideration, OUT
side as well as inside the halls of
| congress.
To my mind no other reform in the
rules and procedure of the house Of
| representatives is so essential to the
/ future welfare OF the people and to the
4 economical appropriation and eXpen-
diture of their money as the consolida-
. ton of the appropriation jurisdiction
of the body under a single committee
/ of sufficient size to be representative
/ of all sections of the country and OF
! every branch of the public service.
/ Such a reform would result in great
| economy The division of responsible
/ ity over appropriations between eight
Committees in the house has year by
/ year since its adoption by a democrat
ic house of representatives in 1885 re-
suited in an abnormal growth Of pub
/ lie expenditures.
Ours is the only government which
maintains such a system of utter ire
spOnsibility with reference to the init
iation of authority for drawing drafts
upon the public treasury. This system,
too, has begotten extravaganza and a
wide difference in the measure of au-
th0TiZed expenditures between the re-
spective branches of the public service
"a difference which is actually gro
tesque in its inequalities.
There are several reasons why this
advice should be followed. The diytd-
1 ing of responsibility was the act Of
/ Democrats. 1t perhaps served its pun
pose of giving influential positions to
eight prominent party men; but it is
manifest that it did not conduce econ
omy. The Democrats should be ready
to confess as much.
In the second place, if economy is to
be practiced, the striving of these com
mittees to get, each committee for it.
self, as much money as possible, must
be stopped.
In the third place, We have come to
the point in our development of gov
eminent where the people are seeking
to concentrate authority in a few
hands and to exercise strict supervis
/ ion over the doings Of these represen-
tatives. This lately-dawned popular
interest manifests itself in municipal
and in state government, and assured
ly it will manifest itself in national
government also Democrats may as
well go ahead as behind the process
sion. Senator Bailey ridicules the idea,
calls it Populistic heresy, but thereby
proclaims himself a back number" 1t
is not Populism, except that the Popn-
lists first endorsed it. 1t is truly
democratic doctrine; and the Demo-
crat who does not find this out will
lose the confidence of the people.
The fourth reason is that We must
either have economy or Hvy direct
tax in order to meet these vast eXpen-
ditures. With what grace will the Dem
ocrats meet such situation, confess
ing that after all, their criticism OF
Republican billion dollar congresses,
they cannot better the Republican rec
| ord?
To paraphrase Tawney's conclud-
/ ing remarks: The question arises now
as to whether this party, in its Access
sion to power and control in the house,
will have the courage to undo the
wrong it wrought against the nation in
1885 to crafty the ambition of men
seeking power through control Of mon
ey bills, by now constituting one great
committee of strong and earnest men
to prepare the appropriation bills, just
as we have one great committee to
initiate and prepare tariff or tax bills,
| If they are wanting in courage to do
! this it is our sincere belief that the
Republican party or some other party
will be given charge and that such
party will promptly institute this very
necessary and very beneficial reform.