The weekly Alaska citizen., 1919-12-15

creation or the federal trade cOmm1SSlOn, the establishment of non-partisan tariff commission, the reformation of the tariff, the passage of child labor legislation, the enactment of the rural credits act, the crea- tion of the farm loan banks, the adoption of the Smith-Lever bill for the improvement of agricultural conditions, the extension of new considerations to labor as expressed in numerous public acts, including the crea- tion of department of labor in the cabinet of the President, and the placing of firm foundation under the industry and financ- ing of the country by the creation of the federal reserve system, will stand forever as an extraordinary triumps of progressive legislation.
 Governor Sproule didn't mention any of these things in his keynote campaign speech any more than they will be men, toned by other campaign orators in the re- publican campaign later on. He picked three main policies for criticism. The Mex ican policy, the "rape of the railroads" and administrative extravaganza and ineffi- ciency To say that everyone is satisfied with the Mexican policy would be to mis- represent the situation. That policy is however, an inheritance along with the Mexican problem, handed down by the republican administration when MT. Will son entered on his first term. It had been before republican administration for fiji teen years at that time and was as serious during that period as it is now or has been since 1913. Governor Sproule promises a firm handling of the Mexican situation by the republican party that was never firm about anything during its control of the American government except the tariff and that it boosted at the command of the greatest manufacturing interests in the world to the financial detriment of the con- suming public of the United States. The ''rape of the railroad" is highly allitera- tive but equally untrue. The breakdown of the railway systems, admitted by the lead ing railroad men of the country, under the heavy war traffic made necessary their consolidation under government control. l. No real railroader, men at the head of their Operations, can be found who will or has denied the necessity for such cOnsolida- tion as was carried out. The government operated them under conditions never be- fore experienced after the failure of pri- vate operation under less trying conditions. The Cummins' restoration bill, republican measure, provides for continuation of government guarantees of minimum profits to the owners even after government con- trol ceases and the first action to be taken by the owners after the return of the roads to private control and operation will be to request a general advance on existing tariff schedules of 25 per cent.
 Governor Sproule's charge of extrava- gance will have to be admitted but inef- ficiency remains to be proven. War is a synonomous term for extravaganza. Elim' mate extravaganza from war and there is no war. War is economic waste first, last and all the time. The war was fought un- der democratic administration which as consequence must acknowledge the charge of being extravagant But by the same logic it refutes the charge of ineffi- ciency. When the United States entered the war, the entente allies were beaten
 That same extravagent democratic admin istration by not being niggardly in its preparations, in its expenditures, succeed. ed in getting double the number of men and amount of supplies to France in half the expected time. It surpassed the marks set for it by even its most severe critics and
 the result was seen in the ending of hos
 tilities a full year before even the most