Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-08-22
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
THINGS AT WASHINGTON
To the Editor of the Tclegrobh:

To the Editor OF the IeIegroph:
Have just laid aside the Telegraph,
and am now indulging in a think"
about politics-concerning our ma
tional affairs. I thought about the
matter of subsidies to our American
steamship lines and was wondering
IL our Congress will take a kindly
interest in it hereafter, as 1t should
now that our governmental heart is
open and grown literally big in
money-spending and lending.
Congress under control of the
"outfit" from the Southern states"
may give kindly ministrations, If to
their interest as a section, l think;
but if otherwise there will be moth
ing doing" under any Democratic
administration. During the past year
we have seen most reckless law
making at Washington-more's the
pity!
Power given the men in office
(worthy and otherwise) may result
in a boomerang in the future. Many
laws were enacted that ought not to
have been even considered. There
has been excitement at high-tension
down there. and there was one fact,
at no time overlooked. They knew
that the cashboxes of the nation
were overful to the danger point.
Too much of anything that we term
IAN overreach of necessity" must
have a serious ending. A gigantic
panic could spring out Of all this. as
easily as you wink your eye, and
regret to say I expect this result to
follow Theoretical men in power are
too numerous, because they think
themselves logical to the highest de-
gree. They follow a big leader any
he fhnU hold
few years ago very firmly to the
idea that cooperation and combina-
ton of interests for greater good
and for lower prices to the people
was bad! bad! bad! If the political
party on the other side of the fence
favored it. They certainly have
dosed us with startling, heroic meas
ures of government of the people,
for the people, by the people"
The nation is. and has been. going
for everything in reach. and has no
difficulty in obtaining the passage of
laws to warrant action needed-no
not so you could notice it. 1 hope
Congress will not.let the golden rule
get rusty for lack of use.
We have Constitution, that is to
say, we did have one, but IL 1t has
been made "scrap paper" I had not
seen any news to that effect. Any
way we look at the matter 1t seems
to indicate that Congress and the
| President-(now I will take that
back) I mean the President and the
Congress, are strong and keen for
combines in all forms; and greater
still-favorable to monopolies. The
great drive of new laws seems to
convey belief that Congress now
considers a little thing like monop-
oily commonplace. think am not
| too critical, when we consider the
facts. We have seen the government
take complete control of the rail-
roads and other lines of transporta-
ton: the telegraph service. the tele-
| phone service and the express lines
To this must be added the control
of fuel and food supplies, and the
extensive "butting-in" concerning
our business affairs in general. All
of which covers a multitude of inter-
ests and multitude Of sins, too.
Don't think I am giving vent to a
preachment. It's feeling, that's all.
and of kind one must have when
one truly loves his country.
| In conclusion let me assure you
of my conviction-that the Consti-
tuition of the United States of Amer
lea was not drawn for use only in
times of peace. Many on Congress
and in office at Washington do not
remember the Constitution often
enough, I fear.