The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-02-16

dulnireTS OF eX-freSident Roosevelt
now say that if the president did not
have the pull" of the offceholders he
could not be renominated. That the
president is not emphatically averse
to this extension of federal authority
is indicated by the report that he is
now considering having Postmaster
General Hitchcock, who so successful
ly handled the 'road-roller' four years
ago, again manage his campaign
Southern democratic leaders, aside
from their historic antijathy to exten-
sion of federal power and consequent
loss of Importance to self-government
and of the rights of states, have an
other reason for aversion to this so
cialistic and paternalistic program
This is a reason which made Mr.
Bryan's winking at government owner
ship and operation of railroads de-
tract from his popularity in the south
just after his triumphal tour abroad,
in his speech upon landing: Govern
ment operation of these utilities means
obliteration of the color line The
Jim Grow" car system in vogue upon
all southern railroads would have to
be discontinued and whites and blacks
would ride in catches together. South
ern senators and representatives are
beginning to realize that the operation
of an express-carrying business by the
federal government means that con-
troll of highways by counties and states
will pass to a Nation with swollen
IN"
In northern as well as in southern
states, the provision of the constitu-
tio nthat powers not delegated to the
United States by the constitution, nor
prohibited by it to the states, are re
served to the states respectively, or to
the people, lis universally accepted as
one of good sense. The independence
of the people north, as we'll as south
causes the majority look with alarn
upon the entrance of the fedora gov.
ernment upon a program of socialism
The failures of the Oneida community
that of Upton Sinclair and of New
Harmony are not forgotten.
They remember also that in such
communities loose notions of religion
and of family ties have usually pre-
walled. This is a reason why churches
Igenerally and one church in particular,
to its credit, have so strongly opposed
socialism Particularly in the north,
there are large numbers of Germans
and other immigrants from Europe
who much prefer our simple form OF
government to the intermtddling Of
I"uppish" officials, such as they had to
endure in the strongly centralized gov
lernments of Europe. These prefer the
opportunities which come from the
lexercise of industry and thrift and dis
thrust the beginning of any sociaiistic
system, the adoption of which meas
lsupport by their effort of the lazy and
lcareless.
Among such, the question arises
If the federal government should take
lover the transportation companies be-
cause it is alleged these make too
much profit, what is there to prevent
the government taking over factory
lor business of any kind and operate
lit, or operate competing business for
Hess than cost, as the advocates OF
parcels post desire the government to
operate the express-carry4ng busi-
Iness?"
Local optionists have expEessed
their fears. now heightened by the de-
eision OF the supreme court just reh1
ldered, that government operation of
1.-THE express-carrying business will af-
lford a mighty instrumentality for in
Evasion OF dry" territory by mail
Iorder liquor houses. Although associa-
ltions composed of wholesalers and
manufacturers of most of the princi-
Ipal cities have forwarded resolutions
against the proposed parcels post to
1.-THE senate and house postoffice com
lmittees, in one such organization, al
Though it is said nine-tenths of the
members are opposed to this legisla
ton, resolutions of this character were
blocked by the fact that the president
is in a liquor house which expects con-
siderable revenue from dry" terri
tory and vice president is manager
of mail-order bank printing supply
house.
The controversy here assumes a
broader plane. The fear is often voic-
ed that socialistic Capitalization means
enforced homogenity incompatible
with American traditions OF liberty
and local self-goyernment a govern
ment-owned people instead of a peo-
pie ?owned government.
In view of the developments since