The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-11-17


every legitimate business IN the coun-
try. You can not Ieglslate but you
can and do TO large extent crystalline
and voice public opinion, thereby IN
oicating to the congress of the United
states and the state Legislatures the
desires OF the people for remedial leg
islatiOn. Your self-impOsed duty is
OF vast import to the republic. This
Is the day OF organization and / wish
you z hearty God speed in your work
OF improving the conditions under
which we live Speaking of the
house of representatives, of which
BODY have been a member for seven
teen years, l am well within the
bounds OF truth when 1 say that we
welcome suggestions, advice and in
formation from any and all sources
whatsoever. Particularly do We well
come advice, suggestions and informa-
ton from such an intelligent and rep
resentative body as this
/ am aware that there is a wide
spread belief that the chief delight OF
the congress of the United states IS
TO hout public opinion. That may
have possibly been true as to some
congresses, and may be true yet as
to certain representatives; but take
much pride in the fact that the chief
delight of the house over which have
the honor to preside is to ascertain and
do the will of the people who elected
repr esent2tive government is absolute
ly preposterous, il not criminal. OF
course there are some congreSSTne en-
who are elected by predatory interests
anG who serve them rather than the
public but | am happy in the belief
that their number is diminishing and
will continue to diminish until they are
reduced TO the minimum or voted out
entirely.
Citizens on the Watch.
At the present time the average citi-
zen is more carefully scrutinizing the
votes of representatives and senators
than ever before which is Well. and
are relegating the unfaithful and in
capable to the shades of private life,
which is also We'll. Consequently pub
lie men are growing more and more
chary about running counter to public
opinion and of ignoring any proper
demand of the people That this is a
healthy state Of affairs is the belief
Ct every lover of our country and our
kind and is certain to have whole
some influence where it is most needed
of course, in legislating we are
hedged by the limitations of the con-
stitutiOn, and in the matter of appro-
priations we must to use homely
but sensible expression, cut the gar
ment according to the cloth; that is
we must not, as wise men, permit the
disbursements of the government to
exceed its income except in the rare
case of such dire necessity as prepara-
ton for war or maintenance there
of. We can not afford to impair the
credit Of our government, now the best
of all the nations of the earth, by con-
stantly recurring deficiencies. Already
the expenses of the government about
equal its revenues Some of us are
exercising our wits and eXertlng our
energies to cut down the disbursements
of the government on the sound JEFF
fersonian theory of Economy in the
public expense that Labor may be
lightly burdened." In the eleven words
that mighty man stated a great princi-
pie: Economy in the public expense
and assigned an all-sufficient reason
for it: THAT Labor may be lightly
Nothing could cloud his
clear vision to the fact that in the last
Labor foots all the bills and
pays all the taxes-Labor on the farm,
labor in the shop, labor in the forest,
labor in the mines, labor on the rail
roads, labor on the high seas, labor
somewhere Human ingenuity has
never been able to shift the burden.
his philosophic mind
the most philosophic ever devoted to
- comprehended thor /
Oughly the great fact that Labor |
should be lightly burdened, and that |
should be the hearts desire of every |
under heaven.
The PocI1etboOk Nerve.
I know that Economy IS one of the /
lriest of all subjects. but when I was
boy back in the hill country of Ken |
lucky I heard an old rough and ready |
country doctor say that the most sensi-
i've nerve in the human anatomy is
he nerve leading to the pocketbook,
md he was entirely correct.
Without doubt there are cases in
which new burdens might be assumed
II old ones greatly enlarged advan-
ageously by the federal government
or the common good, such as public
improvements of a necessary and en-
uring character. because we are
'uilding for the future as we'll as for
he present. for our children and our
hildren's children as we'll as for our
elves. Since God issued his fiat. Let
here be light he has vouchsafed to
o other country such Iimitless re-
ources and such wondrous possibilities
S we possess. If not His chosen peo-
lie. we are His most favored people
I all the elements of moral, religious
1