The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-02-25
The Menace.

washington, tn Peep. arc beginning
Ito awaken 10 :he fact thu, they are
hsfng hoodwinked in cfl4 n2at9 IT re-
form and for the sake of party ex-
lpediency. They are beginning 70
| realize that the Democrats, in their
/ efforts to perpetuate their domination
of national affairs, are establishing
a centralized power at washington
that is q serious menace to liberty
and justice.
/ The chief example thus far of this
establishment of autocratic power is
given in the new currency DILL, which,
while containing many creditable
| features--borrowed by the way from
previously proposed legislation
gives the majority party such q
questionable and serious control OF
the finances and the banking opera
tions of the country as TO smack OF
ldespotism. But, the Democrats are
not stopping with the currency bill.
They are proposing even further en-
trenchments OF political power in oth-
Ter measures now being con-
sidered In Congress and even
Democratic critics have been inn
PEELED to call halt upon the pFepos-
ferrous program that party leaders
have prepared, as is shown by the
following warning sounded by ar e'l-
itor OF one of the leading Democratic
newspapers of New York City:
The so-caIled reforms" as pro
sented in bills now before Congress.
would wreck the nations industries.
II these proposals are the best our
legislators can devise, then the soon
Ell. Con gFess adjourns the better. Let
the politicians take a holiday at
least until the country's 2,000.o0
unemployed can be given chance, ay
business men, to earn q living.
rnn-nOtifitsal
New York Cham Der of Commerce,
careful always to refrain from eve',
a sem biance of political activity, has
felt constrained to rise up in prote-T
against the impossible antitrust"
bills which are keeping employers. on
a rack.
1t is beginning to dawn on ordi-
nary mortals that the proposed meas
ures would not only invest the poll
ticians with Czar-like dominion over
huge corporations. but would leave
no mans legitimate business affairs
immune from continual interference
by ofice-holder5. The laws as now
drawn do not cover only concerns
suspected of wrongdoing, but give
minor government officials a free rein
to pry into and expose. the affairs of
even the most Iaw-abiding, ire
proachable firm or corporation.
The whole thing is not government.
1t is tyranny
How long are the people to submit
to such high-handedness
How long do those out OF work pro
pose to stand without protest the
senseless wrecking of the nations in
dustry?
Apparently even the Department of
Justice, busy though 1t be striving to
sweep back economic tendencies
strong and inevitable as the tide. has
had time to ask itself whether GER
tain of the new bills would not fall
foul of the constitution.
If our political wiseacres cannot
effect beneficial reforms-and there
are some calling for enactment
without trampling upon the birth
right of every American citizen, then
let them pack their trunks, collect
their fat mileage" toll from the tax
payers, and rusticate at home until
they have had opportunity to evolve
legislative measures more in harmony
with reason and less Czar-like in
character.
We have had about enough gov
ernmental bungling for the present.